Best drawing accessories

Howdy. I need some help finding a computer gift for my girlfriend (for christmas), who does a ton of drawing. She needs to be able to draw pictures on her computer, so she can email them to others. Although a scanner can do this, I would much rather get her a drawing tablet or something.

These seems to be three types of products to accomplish this. There are these, there are writing tablets (like this) and then of course, there are full blown tablet computers (like this).

What is the best type to use for sketching? Thanks for any advice!

 

I've been using a gigantic Wacom Intuos 3 tablet for the past three years now and while it's quite a nice piece of hardware, it's still gigantic.

I considered getting a convertible tablet myself, but I personally don't like the idea of not being able to access the keyboard whilst the tablet is in a tablet form; it's inconvenient for multitasking.

Also, the standard tablet can be used with a newer computer whilst the convertible tablet is stuck as is.

I would recommend a small to medium size standard tablet which is what I would have gotten in retrospect. Wacom is pretty well trusted brand, though they can sometimes be a bit pricey.

Never tried one of those little scribe things, so I don't know how well they work, I don't think they are accurate enough for any serious drawing work though. But I could be wrong there.

 

I have a Wacom Intuos 3 4x5 and would go the next size bigger if I had it to do again.

 

I was going to get the Wacom bamboo (5.8", 3.7") at $99. There is also the Bamboo Fun, which is 8.5 x 5.3, but its 200 bucks for about an extra few inches (also comes with a mouse that I definitely don't need). Does that extra few inches REALLY make a difference?

 

I have a large trust (not a good brand but this particular product works very well) tablet (A4 size). When I bought it I thought: bigger = better, but I now think I'd buy a smaller tablet since they have an excellent resolution (2500 dots per inch (wacom bamboo)) and they don't require as much space on your desk as larger tablets do.

 

I have a Graphire4, and I am dying to upgrade to the bamboo fun medium. Get a wacom for them.

 

The intuos3 is an amazing piece of hardware. My friend has the 6x8 version which is absolutely perfect. (perfect size as well)

I have the 4x5 graphire2, which I think I will upgrade to a 4x6 intuos3 later this year.(that extra inch does make a difference though.. and the surface + sensitivity is a lot more natural-feeling on the intuos as opposed to my graphire)

I haven't tried the bamboo series yet, nor used it, but I assume it is a tangent from the graphire series.

If she is just going to be sketching the occasional doodles, the bamboo should be a great gift. For myself though, (having used the intuos), I would spend the extra $100 for the intuos.

 

From 5.8 x 3.7 to 8.5 x 5.3 it will make a pretty big difference, but above that, the difference becomes less and less significant.

 

I'm gonna go with the larger bamboo fun then. Thanks a lot everyone! your posts were very helpful.

 

Maybe she prefers drawing on paper?

 

Please READ before posting.

 

I have a 4x5 graphire 4 and love it. I work from the wrist so 4x5 is great for me, if you were "sketching" tho a bigger one will probably work better since they are made for arm movements but too expensive for my blood and too big for my work area or travel.

I may even want to upgrade to the bluetooth model one day.

I use it for photoshop, thats the recommended software I say to use with it, as it supports all the core things like pressure sensitivity ect. I have been using my mouse lately instead but I used to use my wacom exclusively even for windows. Definitely for me smaller was better, its still very accurate.

 

Why is that? I have my graphire 4 and didnt know they discontinued it and was looking at the new bamboo series and it doesnt look layed out as well.... plus the medium is too big for me (if size is your only reason for upgrading vs some core difference I understand tho)

 

I don't know of an "core" differences. One of my compliants about the Graphire4 is that the way I write, it likes to connect things that shouldn't be connected. I thinks its because I am not letting up quite enough, but I am hoping the new ones are a bit more accurate. Also, the bamboo is widescreen, so I will get a bit more usage from a new one, because I constrain my graphire4, so I don't get the full area. Also, I just think that having the larger writing area will be nice. I partly wish I could go try the large one somewhere so I could be sure before spending $200 on it. There will be a review coming sometime of the plain Bamboo. Watch for that.

 

Oh I know what you mean, I had that problem at first too. I fixed it 100% just by adjusting the sensitivity.

When I say core differences I mean how the graphire is layed out like a mouse with the scroll wheel and 2 buttons I like that. Now instead its 4 buttons (wich is good not bad) but the touch scroll wheel. I read a few reviews last night and its apparently kind of touchy and doesnt work the way it should all the time. As for the new texture where it feels like paper, not sure if I would find that good or bad.

Also looks like the buttons on the pen are changed up to be bigger, may not work well for me since I hold my pen different than normal. If I had the money I would definitely go for that 25yr anniversary special edtion of the intuios. Those things are so nice, they even let you map the screen custom one of the things I wish the graphire could do (good for dual monitor, use 90% of the surface area for your main screen and drawing, while the other 10% can be for the 2nd monitor where you can have all of your tools and pallets)

I use the graphire on a widescreen monitor with no problems btw, it maps to the screen so the whole tablet is used, just that your X axis is streched a tinny bit, took only a whole 2 minutes to get used to it after using it on a standard screen for over a year.

 

WOAH, that sounds like a sexy product. Also sounds like an arm, a leg, and a kidney would have to be sold to get it though

 

... but not necessarily your kidney ...