I was wondering if anyone here uses a pen and tablet for post production? and if so how do you like it and does it give you enough increased control over fine work? I am considering buying one but want a few opinions before spending the money.

Definately worth it.  After using a pen/tablet for a while, a mouse seems pre-historic.  A pen not only gives you more control, it is much faster and easier to use than a mouse.   For pre-production, production and post-production, it will help you reach your fullest potential.  I don't think you'll find anyone who has used a pen/tablet that would want to go back to a mouse.  You can get a small tablet (mine is only 4x5) for around $200US.  It is an investment in your art.   -Drew

If you can definetly buy tablet. For start A6 format will be more than enough. And one more important thing, buy Wacom (intuos or graphire) its the best of the best :)

Tihomir

Thanks going to Best Buy tonight!

Enjoy it!
Best Buy only carries the 4x5 size, just to let you know. Tried it out, but was too small for me, and the 9x12 was too big (this is beginning to sound like some kind of children's story...), but the 6x8 was just right!

Yeah, takes a few weeks to really get used to it, but Imager and Tantarus are right - you'll never go back without a fight. I still use my mouse to surf the web, click on menus, etc., but ALL creative work is done with the pen. Just can't beat it!
-Lew ;-)

I use my pen for anything clickable, dragable, or otherwise.  On the web or other applications.  It is so much easier and faster than a mouse.  It's wireless.  Have fun with it.  You'll start to see changes in your artwork.  -Drew

I find the tablet great for anything where freehand drawing work is involved. But for pulling vectors and handles around, or moving about in 3D programs I find that the mouse still seems better. For PhotoShop or comparable raster programs, a tablet definitely makes things better. For dedicated paint programs (that simulate paint application beyond what Photoshop does), a tablet is a must!

I settled on a Graphire 3 4x5 because I found a good deal on 'em for around $50 U.S.  I'd upgrade to an Intuos 6x8, but my expendable budget isn't there yet.

The main thing you'll notice right away other than being able to draw smooth strokes a lot easier is the expression available with variable pressure on the stylus. That way you can vary brush opacity or width and produce effects not possible via mousing.

I recently bought intuos a4 tablet. I should have bought it years ago. You have great control over fine detailed artwork.

Is there any advantage to having a larger tablet over a smaller one? I used to only work on large tablets when there was a resolution advantage. These days they all seem to have 1024 pressure and 5080 lpi resolution so does anyone know why they prefer a larger tablet? Currently I'm using a 6x8 Intuos which has been fine for the amount of paint work I'm doing but been thinking of getting a second tablet rather than dragging the 6x8 from station to station. My Geezer Moment ----------------------- My first tablet not only had a cable attached to the pen but the pen weighed as much as a tattoo drill and had so much electronics in it that it would get really hot when used. The tip was metal and would cause the tablet surface to be replaced often as it would pepper it with little divets where the most popular menu buttons were located. OH! OH! AND, we would have to "comb" it with a large magnetic bar to keep it from causing "runaway vectors". Wierd but true.

Size seems to be mostly a matter of preference - there are a great many who have no problem whatsoever using the 4x5 tablets.

I find it too small, and use a 6x8 - a friend of mine finds the 6x8 too small and has the 9x12 because he likes to use bigger arm movements.

I don't think there's any technical advantage one way or the other - see if the 4x5 is a surface size you feel comfortable with.

Good luck-
-Lew ;-)

I use a 4x5 and, although I am very comfortable with the size, and it packs easily into my backpack for transfer from office to home, I sometimes think that when using thick (impasto) bristle brushes in Painter, the smaller tablet doesn't allow for proper bristle expression.  The bristles seem clumped and shiny.  Can't be sure because I've never compared to a larger tablet.  May just be a matter of brush adjustment.  But, since I don't use bristley impasto brushes much, doesn't really bother me.  All my gallery work has been done on the 4x5.  -Imager

Quote - I recently bought intuos a4 tablet. I should have bought it years ago. You have great control over fine detailed artwork.

a4 is dutch standard  is 9X12.

If you have dual monitors the 6" X 11" is sweet! I got it last winter with my tax return, it is a joy to work on.
edie

If you have dual monitors the 6" X 11" is sweet!

Drooldrooldrooldrool!
SOMEDAY I'll make the switch to widescreen monitors and widescreen tablets (pretty sure I don't have the room for 2 monitors per workstation) once I can afford it, but until then it's 4:3 for me...
(humpf!)
-Lew ;-)

I think the size preference for tablets depends on how the artist works. If you're used to drawing large and using your whole arm for expressive strokes, then obviously a larger tablet is going to be better for you. If you're used to drawing smaller and can get expression by just using your wrist, then you're better off with a smaller tablet (you're likely to not use all the space available, so why spend more?)

The other factors besides that really are cost (obviously the smaller ones are cheaper), and physical space available in your work area (a huge tablet might not work so great around a cluttered desk and the smaller sizes can even be held like a clip-board without getting unsteady).

I think I'd go up a size from the 4x5 (6x8?) and to an Intuos if I had the money for it. Just so I'd have some more stylus pressure range and a bit more room to work with. The 4x5 graphire is still pretty good for starters, and it will give you an idea whether you're even comfortable using a tablet without having to spend over $100.

I thought the greater the size of the tablet, the more control  you have over detailed work....

You can always zoom in and paint finer lines - in Photoshop you can go in 1600% and edit single pixels with ease. I don't know what the max is for Painter or PSP but I know you can just zoom in really close to take care of that.

But it does seem logical that, with a larger tablet, the pen nib has more space to express the subtelties of a brush.  This is what I'm wondering as I use my 4x5.  Because the pen nib is larger, relative to the working space on a 4x5 than a larger tablet.  Does the increased nib:tablet size ratio make a difference to the look of bristles, for example?

The nib / tablet size has no relationship to the brush size, the brush size is software adjusted.
Edie

Not the brush size, but the bristle expression.  The nib size doesn't change, regardless of tablet size, so wouldn't the bristles have more 'room' to express themselves on a larger tablet?  Relatively speaking, the nib is larger on a smaller tablet.  Does that affect the way the bristles can 'fan out', or impasto effects are applied?  I've wondered about this for some time.

In theory it shouldn't - and so far there've been no complaints of that being the case, so I guess you'd be doing fine with the 4x5.

Bristle expression is connected to brush size the larger the brush the more bristles, but since I don't use PS I'm not sure how you set the brush for bristle expression in Painter there is a 'feature' setting that helps define bristle expression.
Edie

So for those of you using a 'larger' table with Painter, when you apply a 'thick' or impasto brush with default settings, does it seem 'over bristled?'  Unnatural?  Seems that way to me.