i bought a graphics tablet today from target! and yeez, this is really something difficult, i used to draw on paper with pen, but this is so much different, anyone know anything, is this just a matter of getting used to??? Witchblade

I used since one week a wacom graphire-tablet, in the first yours it was a tricky thing to select tools etc. in the drawing-program. But now it's just normal, means i use for other programs my logitech mouse-man. The best with the tablet is the pressure-sensitivity for drawing freehand. I will promise you, in a week you wouldn't give this tool away. SHARKEY

I also have a wacom graphire tablet the hardest part is drawing without looking at your hand you will find that you can get a lot more senstive with a graphics tablet. The mouse I found awkward.The only thing I don't use is the mouse that came with my tablet(its cordless which I thought I would like) the tablet surface is to smooth and our house is very old and there is a lot of movement in the floor so when my dogs play the mouse has a mind of its own and moves all over by itself. Creepy. Marge

I have checked more than ten mouses at different times, the best result for drawing (technical drawing) is with the logitech mouseman (NOT CORDLESS), because the ball in it is greater and heavier than all others and allows a finer cursor-placing. Think in geometry, with a smaller ball the diameter is smaller, means for the same distance the smaller ball must make closer way and couldn't placed accurate. I used the wacom-tablet at COM-3 and the mouse at COM-1. A technician in our company had let me know, it's possible to use 3 different mouses at the same computer: 1st at RS232, 2nd at PS2 and 3rd at USB Hope could help you. SHARKEY

Like Sharkey says, in a week or so you would rather give up a body part then the pen tablet :) -Trav

heya; yep, when you switch from mouse to pen, it's a little weird, and you tend to make it fly all over. then, after using the pen a long time, and you switch to a mouse, IT is a little weird and you make it fly all over. :) btw, how much was that sucker? is it a name brand, like wacom?

Hey Robert I have been using a graphics tablet (originally the wacom 4 by 5 ancestor of the graphire) for 3 years now. I use a 6 by 8 Wacom Intuos-I love em! It does take a week or two to get used to it. I saw the "direct" wacom pad that is an LCD screen so you paint directly on the illustration rather than remotely as in the traditional tablet. WOW! Of course the price was WOW! As well. I split up actitivities such as selecting, scrolling etc between keyboard, Kensington turbo mouse (trackball) and the graphics tablet. It cuts down on repetitive motion problems due to the wide variety of motion. I am reminded-I meed to post some future elf morphs for you. I have been in a panic about finding a job in the next few weeks and moving in that same time so I have spent less time at the computer. Eric Walters

Hello Eric Wish you the best to find the job you want. I understand completely that a job-finding has an absolutely priority. Good luck SHARKEY

Thanks Sharkey! I appreciate that! Eric

Thanks Sharkey! I appreciate that! Congratulations on the tablet by the way-you are in for some real fun! CAn you use Mac OBJ files? I wan't to post the future elf morph (among others) but I am not sure if PC users can use them. I ghave to convert MAc obj's first. I will try MacConverter-maybe it goes both ways.I can try emailing you the morph first. Eric

I only use my Wacom Intuos 6x8 in Photoshop and 3DSMAX, for drawing splines. I don't suggest it for use in Poser, as it is WAY too sensitive, but in Photoshop, it can't be touched. It is like having a real airbrush, that I don't need to change the paint for, or use a compressor with. It took me a week or so to get used to it, and now you'd have to pry it from my cold dead fingers. co(V)(V)union

I dont know if MAC-object-files work on a PC. We could test it if you send it to me. My email adress is: sharkey@cybergate-corp.ch Will let you know if it's working. Bye SHARKEY

At first it was like "ohhh man, why did I buy this piece of sh...." as the cursor screamed across the screen like a demented weasel and the curser driving the damn' thing invented new swear-words at the rate of 2 an hour! THEN I got used to it and now (like the others in this thread) I'd rather donate a bodypart than part with it. Paul

i have bought a wacom graphire board today and it's just great to work with! painting in photoshop is much more fun now and there are a lot of things you can do much better thanks to pressure sensitivity good for texturing and post rendering work -Ede

smile Allie, I tried to use the tablet with P4 and Bryce (just out of interest) - it's not an experiment I'd care to repeat! Paul

I had a tablet briefly. It was very good for some things and a pain in the behind for others - I got rid of it for two reasons - 1) my Gateway computer just plain didn't like it and kept hanging when I tried to power down as long as the tablet was on, and 2) my girlfriend (at the time, now wife) didn't have a working mouse at all... If I could afford a good tablet, I'd have one myself right now - but I'm not giving up my "IntelliEye" mouse for anything, unless it breaks...:-)

After getting fed up with Wacom's ever changing delivery dates, I gave up on them and bought an Ultraslate from Calcomp. (Although recently discontinued, you may be able to find one. There are other models still available for you Windows types.) It has an excellent mouse function, and it is easy to switch back and forth if you must. However, as Allerleirauh says, there is no reason not to use pen and mouse side by side.

I've got a (now slightly antique) Wacom 6 x 9" tablet, which is actually smaller than the newer 6 x 8" ones, not allowing for the separate power supply. Anyway, I find it super-great in Fractal Paint (either version 2X or 5), fairly useful PhotoShop, and I don't bother with it in anything else, but for working on texture maps it's a big help. I usally reach for the mouse when I have to do some serious double-clicking, though, as my tablet does't have a button like the newer ones. Anyway, your get used to it, just don't look at the tablet, look at the screen. I've also got a Logitech 4 button mouse that earns its keep in 3DS Max, which supports all the buttons, which suprized me the first time I tried to use 'em!