Tablet or no Tablet

RR
Posted By
Richard_Roussel
Jan 21, 2007
Views
658
Replies
23
Status
Closed
Hi guys, never worked with a tablet before, but here’s where i’d like to know if it would work for me…?

I’m in the luminous signs business.

Most of my work consists of taking photos of buildings,
creating a luminous sign to the customer’s specs,
and supplying that customer with a picture of the sign on his building before it’s even built…

One of the aspect that takes a lot of time is when i do a site check, and i’ve been doing a lot lately…lol.
and i have to send back pictures with dimensions of all elevations and windows, etc.

I have to use the mouse and draw lines to show where my measurements starts and ends, and write the dimensions over these lines, etc.

I was thinking that it might be nice to work with a pen instead of a mouse and keyboard all the time.

My question is, is it easy to draw a straight line with those tablets or are they made to draw mostly freehand ?

a picture of a building with 25 windows and crooked lines around all those windows wouldn’t look too nice, but i figured maybe with one of those pads, i could just make 2 dots and click on a button and a straight line would appear between the dots…. or something like that…

Is that how it works, or am i better to do it like i’m doing right now ?

Besides that, i never do any pictures by hand, i’m not an artist.

thanx for your input.

Richard.
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JJ
John Joslin
Jan 21, 2007
just make 2 dots and click on a button and a straight line would appear between the dots

The pen won’t do that any better than the mouse: the software tools will draw straight lines.

The pen is a much better drawing device though.
RR
Richard_Roussel
Jan 21, 2007
How do i know where i am on the screen with that pad.
Is there a cursor that moves around on the screen as i ‘glide’ over the pad, and it starts to write when i click a button or something….?
L
LenHewitt
Jan 21, 2007
Richard,

Is there a cursor that moves around on the screen as i ‘glide’ over
the pad<<

Yes, *exactly* the same as a mouse. When you *press* the pen on the tablet, that is the equivalent of a mouse left-click. Pens also have a small button on them that can be programmed for different functions, but is most commonly used as a rught mouse click.
RK
Rob_Keijzer
Jan 21, 2007
A big difference with a mouse is that the pen position can be configured to be absolute instead of relative like a mouse.

This means the "active" rectangular exactly maps the screen. when you lift the pen off the tablet, and then put it down on another spot, the cursor on screen shoots to that new position.

Among other things, this behaviour is needed to hand write. Also tracing an already drawn object is possible that way.

Holding the pen just above the tablet shows the position, without actually drawing anything.

Hope this helps,
Rob
B
Bernie
Jan 21, 2007
And once you’e used to it, you’ll use the pen for just about everything.
GB
George_Butch
Jan 21, 2007
As long as we are talking pens….

I am tempted to by a Wacom tablet. My concern though is that I use a two monitor setup with most of my pallettes open full time and filling the right monitor. This leaves the entire left monitor for the image.

The notion that all of my image editing has to fit in half the width of the tablet area has me concerned. What am I failing to understand here?

Thanks.

George…
JJ
John Joslin
Jan 21, 2007
You can map the tablet to cover both screens.

On my set-up this means you can move the cursor to any point on either screen without lifting you wrist.
RR
Richard_Roussel
Jan 21, 2007
Oh man… sounds interesting!

I was about to buy a cheaper ($) but bigger tablet … to ‘cover’ more screen..

< http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-deta ils.asp?EdpNo=1388851&CatId=140>

…. but from what i’m reading here, any size tablet can cover the whole screen. Well that’s good to know.!!

In my case, i’ve set my trackball so that when i turn-it 1/2 a turn, it moves all the way accross my 19"
That’s how i like to ‘work the cursor’

so for me, it’ll probably be preferable to use a smaller tablet so that i can cover more ‘room’ with less hand movement…. or am I completely besides reality here and > bigger IS better < ?

Desk space is not an issue!

Thanx for the feedback you guyz

Much Appreciated.
B
Bernie
Jan 21, 2007
or am I completely besides reality here and > bigger IS better < ?

I don’t think so, in the end it depends on what you do. The only people I’ve seen really need the extra large sizes are animators.

I have a small one (about 4×5", mapped to a 19" screen) the next one I’m getting will be the next size up (I figure something like 7×5" or so) since I find it a bit cramped when drawing, but it’s not enough of a problem for me to rush out and buy a new one either.
D
deebs
Jan 22, 2007
Definitely: tablet, in my opinion it adds an extra dimension to artwork and creativity.

Size?
It seems to depend upon whether you wish to draw from the wrist (smaller size is good) or the elbow (larger size is good) or the shoulder (go max!)
RR
Richard_Roussel
Jan 22, 2007
Let’s say i decide to go with the bigger one,
and on certain applications i find it too big…
…. can i ‘fix’ it so that half of the tablet covers my whole screen.?? (kinda like covering 2 screens with one tablet but without the 2nd screen)

that way i wouldn’t have to give too big a stroke to cross my screen.
D
deebs
Jan 22, 2007
I think it is tablet.dll related.

I’ve asked (maybe you should too?) that it should be as easy to awop tablets as it is to swop rodents.

Much of it seems to be based on personal preferences and as these are experiential and unique to each individual there can be no other solution other that making it easier for the OS to handle multiple tablets (in my opinion).
KV
Klaas Visser
Jan 22, 2007
My Wacom tablet has a setup function that allows me to set the "active" area of the tablet, so that if I want to not use the whole tablet, I can do so. This can be done on the fly, as it were.

I’m not sure about other tablets, so you may need to investigate further.
RR
Richard_Roussel
Jan 22, 2007
In reference to Klaas’s post,
would this tablet offer the same "active" area selection?

<http://www.adesso.com/productmanuals/12000.pdf>

thanx for looking.
KV
Klaas Visser
Jan 22, 2007
Yes,

Refer to the section "Adjusting the Workspace"

"The workspace of your tablet is proportional to the size of the screen. To reduce the scope of the workspace, click “Control” and customize the size to suit your requirement."
RR
Richard_Roussel
Jan 22, 2007
confusing indeed,

you know how usually bigger is better (in computer accessories..)

well i found myself drawing squares on a clipboard…
…. and i think the one i’m more comfortable with is the smaller one!!

I draw a 4×6 square on a 9×9 blank sheet, and i place the square proportionate to the layout on the smaller board, and i’m quite certain that’s the one i feel the most comfortable with.

the smaller one !!! is that crazy or what ??

Keep in mind, i don’t draw, i never do, i’m not an artist . I think the idea of not having to lift my wrist to click with the pen from one end of my screen to the other is what i was looking for here.

Just like i said on a previous post, i’ve set my trackball so that a single movement of my finger on that ball sends the cursor all the way accross the screen… so i guess not having to do great movements to move that cursor further away is, by instinct, my comfort zone!

so much that i’m starting to wonder if i shouldn’t go even smaller and select a 4×5 Graphire4 Wacom instead of the 4×6 Adesso.

anyone cares to comment these 2 tabs:

< http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-deta ils.asp?EdpNo=1567412&CatId=140>
or
< http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-deta ils.asp?EdpNo=1388849&CatId=140>

I can’t help but notice the Wacom tab is 40$ more and 1" less !!

… but if you guyz say it’s worth it, i’ll take your advise cuz you’ve been there.

thanx.
KV
Klaas Visser
Jan 22, 2007
I use a Graphire 4by5 with a single 19" monitor, and have no problems whatsoever. My main use for it is to create selections in Photoshop, and the occasional doodle in Illustrator.

I use the pen and tablet all the time, and don’t usually have a mouse installed.

I’d recommend the Wacom over any other brand, simply as it’s a well established brand with decent drivers, that never seem to cause any problems.
JJ
John Joslin
Jan 22, 2007
Yes, you see a lot of problems with some tablets but not with Wacom.
L
LenHewitt
Jan 22, 2007
Richard,

am I completely besides reality here and > bigger IS better<<

No, and in fact a large tablet can be tiring to work with because you need much more arm movement to cover the tablet. As a result, large tablets are often set up so a much smaller area is mapped to the screen unless the large area really is needed, such as when tracing an original.
RR
Richard_Roussel
Jan 22, 2007
Thank you for all the responses in this thread.

I’ve ordered the Wacom 4×5 because it is so much recommended and i ordered an Adesso 4×6 because it is so cheap ($) !!

I’ll use the one i prefer, and give the other one to my daughter.

ThanxAgain guyz,

much appreciated.

Richard.
C
chrisjbirchall
Jan 22, 2007
I hope your daughter likes the Adesso! 😉
RR
Richard_Roussel
Jan 26, 2007
Ahhh man !!!

How in the name of God
did i ever manage without this little pen for so long ?!?

I use’em in ALL applications .

Sometimes i’d spend so much time on the pc i had to change hand on the trackball( i even got pretty good with the left hand..LOL)

WOW !
E
Exaspera
Jan 27, 2007
Told ya! 😉

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