OK, I looked at the Intros and the wacom tablets, now I need some advice on what size. The sites have these questions they ask to get an idea of what size to get, but how do i know they arent just trying to sell me the most expensive one? All I need it for is for doing postwork and hair painting. The mouse is very hard to paint hair with!Any ideas? Thanks.. Karen

I just bought an intuos2 4x5 inch pad today...and cannot wait till it gets here next week :)) I was given good advice that you really do not need a larger tablet unles you have the space for it, or plan to do your work in long pen strokes. Personally, I would simply do my detailed work from the wrist anyway...so do not need anything bigger. You just have to think how you are planning to work.

I have a 20 inch monitor and I think my tablet is too small because of the way the strokes map to the screen. The next one I buy will be a 9x12. Currently I have a 4x5.

I currently have a Intuos 2 6X8, a bit pricey, but I think it's worth every penny. I don't have desk space problem, cuz I use a 19" TFT flat panel. I just got paid on a web project, so I think I'll just upgrade my Painter Classic that came with the tablet to a full version of Painter 8 :D

The 4x5 Wacom Intuous is all you need. It has very high resolution suitable for the finest work. Kiera just hasn't mapped the tablet properly.

I has a 4x5 and never used it due to the small size. felt like a toy everytime I used it. Since I draw on larger formated paper (rarely 8x11) I opted for the 9x12 Intuos 2, lots of room and it just feels like drawing on large format paper to me. generally I use it on my lap sort of proped up against the desk. when I use it it just feel like I'm using natural media and it works well with the way I work. I really really really recommend going to a store that has these and ask to see one, even if it's not hooked up to a computer you can get a general sence of how you'll use it. My 9x12 was about $400, and that was a deal, a major investment. I wasted $100 on the 4x5 I got and never recouped the money. I hope you find one you like and have fun with it.

I started out with a 4x5, went to a 6x8, and now have a 9x12 Intuos 1. I wish I hadn't wasted the $ on the smaller tablets. I usually draw on 8.5 by 11 paper, so the 9 x12 is close to what I am accustomed to. Also, if I draw something, then stick it under the transparency and draw over it in Photoshop, it fits! :) Just makes life simpler. If I ever got the money I would then go to an Intuos 2, but keep the same size.

Ive just bought a Intuos2 9x12, I was in the same situation as you prior to buying it. What I have found is this size suits me , either be it luck or that I know no differant lol I use it primarily for hair as well and the size alows long flowing strokes which I imagin would be somewhat more difficult on a smaller tablet, anyhow as a new Tablet user Ive found the 9x12 to be all I expected and then some!!. One thing to bear in mind tho is a 9x12 tablet takes up about 18 x14 of desk space!!

My tablet is mapped just fine, thank you. =) I think, starting out, the 6 inch tablet is probably a good bet. I love my intuous tablet (even though it's the size of a postage stamp). =)

OK, so the 9 x 12 is better for fine postwork? or is a smaller one do the job just as well? Confused...

the smaller one works just fine for 100 bucks, the next size up is around 3 hundred,& the next is about twice that, if your not doing profesional graphics work for a living, and your drawing style isnt the real wide swooping variation,the larger models have twice the sensitivity of the smaller one and a better pen, but the smaller one has 512 levels of pressure and that will get most people through the day, i use it, and my drawing style is so small i only use about half of that, but hey bigger is better "so they say" but pro tools also carry a pro price, something to think about anyways, :) it sure beats a mouse!

PS, even though its small, its still has a 4.3 aspect ratio, same as your monitor, so it takes a smaller stroke to get from one corner of your screen to another. Bigger tablet,bigger stroke needed to move the cursor the same distance.

The size has nothing to do with the type of postwork you can do.. the size you get is mostly determined by your drawing style, your monitor size (and working window area), how much room you have on your desk, etc. I have a big monitor and worked with pencil on 18x24 Bristol Board, so I am used to a large drawing area and making big strokes.. hence, in retrospect, I should have purchased a larger tablet. The main thing to be concerned about is pressure sensitivity. The Graphires have 512 levels of pressure and the Intuos have 1024 levels of pressure. Size has nothing to do with pressure sensitivity--it's based on the type of tablet/pen you get. Intuos also have a transparent overlay for those who like to trace, but I never use that feature.. I scan my work and trace that way, using layers. I recommend a 6x8 Intuos, or, if that's too expensive, a 4x5 Intuos, just for the improved pressure sensitivity.

You can slightly increase your working area by mapping the tablet surface to just the inside of your Photoshop (or whatever) document window and using the mouse, or keyboard shortcuts, for everything else. The driver lets you choose settings on an application-by-application basis. As has been siad, it's basically a question of the kind of motions you make - broad and sweeping vs. tight and controlled.

I'm using 4x5 and that's all I need. Perfect for anything I've done so far... if you ask me, you really don't need anything bigger than that.

I have an antique Wacom, 6 x 9" (before they went to 6 x 8"), I wouldn't want anything much smaller. Incidently, at least with my tablet, Photoshop doesn't handle the pressure part all that well. Painter is excellent, though. I never use it with anything else.

i agree,photoshop isnt nearly as smooth with strokes, photoshop may be king, but painter runs a very close second. and for hair work, painters smoothness really shines through, and RNKarenER, its really a matter of you do get what you pay for. but no matter what you get, it will be a world of difference from a mouse, and ive never heard of anyone saying they regreted getting one.

I guess it's a matter of drawing style. My professional drawing is done with large motor movements... I guess I had to reformat my brain to use small motor movements with the 4x5. I started out with the 9x12, went to a 6x9 and now use the 4x5 exclusively... for Painter and Photoshop ...with extremely fine detail. BTW Keira, no offense... I thought you were having trouble filling the screen area. All my tablets map perfectly to whatever screen size I'm using.