Comments on: Wacom Intuos3 Graphics Tablet Review for Cartoonists & Illustrators

By: George Coghill

George Coghill — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:29:43 +0000

@David — Indeed you can draw freehand if you prefer. Just use one of the brushes or build your own. There is plenty of documentation in the Adobe Illustrator help files if you look under “Brushes”.

I find it much easier to create vector shapes by hand, and also using a Wacom, but that’s just personal preference.

By: David

David — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:10:08 +0000

I’ve had a tablet for almost 2 years now (Intuos3 and Bamboo Fun) and in all of my searching, have never found anyone on the internet explain how to use one for vector art beyond clicking points with the Pen tool. If that’s as far as its functionality goes, I might as well use a mouse.

My question is, is there no way to actually draw things out (for example with the pencil tool) and then fill them? This works in Flash, but drawing in Flash isn’t much fun.

By: George Coghill

George Coghill — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:50:09 +0000

@T Mac — Glad to help. In my mind, you just can’t go wrong with a Wacom. I am sure you got a great deal on the Intuos3 now that the Intuos4 tablets are out, but the Intuos3 is still a great purchase.

You are going to love it!

By: T Mac

T Mac — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:47:34 +0000

Hello George. Thanks for the information, it really helped me to make my decision. I purchased a Wacom Intuos 3, 6X11″ this evening. I’m looking forward to getting it into my hands! We met on Zazzle some time ago, I’m maxgrafix in that world. How’s Zazzle been for you? Keep in the limelight.

regards,
T Mac

By: George Coghill

George Coghill — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:52:40 +0000

@Lorayne: I am going to address your questions individually below…

—

"Thanks for all this great information on tablets George! I want one!!"

Glad the share and help. You'll love the tablet!

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"I’ve been creating vector art in Illustrator for years now with the pen tool, and my question(s) is, when you draw with the tablet, say to recreate someones less than desirable artwork, does the tablet make vector art? and if so is it then editable in Illustrator with the pen tool? I guess I mean, are you actually working in Illustrator? (OK that was three ??? in one!)"

The tablet stylus just moves the mouse pointer as a mouse would, with the difference being that you have the tablet and a cordless stylus (pen) to move around. So everything in Illustrator works the same way (except you get the added bonus of pressure sensitivity for certain brushes through Illustrator!).

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"Question 2:
Does the tablet need to be flat to work with it, or can you use it on your lap at an angle?"

You can rest it anyway you like — on your lap, propped up, etc. I find it easiest to just have it square in front of my monitor though. Your drawing hand will take a bit of getting used to the positioning of your hand and wrist. A couple weeks of using it daily and it will become second nature. And I should note that when using my smaller Intuos with my laptop, I place it to the right of the laptop (I am right-handed).

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"Question 3:
Say you place one of those crappy jpgs in an Illustrator file, can I then recreate it by “tracing” over it with the tablet pen?"

Yep, just like you would do with the mouse. The tablet/pen combo just replaces the functionality of the mouse. The pointer and all your graphics software tools will all work just as they did when you used the software and tools with just a regular mouse.

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"I have spent all afternoon searching for information about the Wacom table, or drawing tablets and it’s uses, and your post was by very informative. Thank you!"

Thanks, and very glad to hear. I wrote this post up specifically because I had a difficult time finding a review that dealt with using a Wacom graphics tablet Adobe Illustrator in particular. I love working with the tablet in Illustrator, and as I have mentioned before I rarely even use my mouse at all anymore, even for non-graphics software. It's pretty much Wacom all the way!

By: Lorayne

Lorayne — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:32:54 +0000

Thanks for all this great information on tablets George! I want one!!

I’ve been creating vector art in Illustrator for years now with the pen tool, and my question(s) is, when you draw with the tablet, say to recreate someones less than desirable artwork, does the tablet make vector art? and if so is it then editable in Illustrator with the pen tool? I guess I mean, are you actually working in Illustrator? (OK that was three ??? in one!)

Question 2:
Does the tablet need to be flat to work with it, or can you use it on your lap at an angle?

Question 3:
Say you place one of those crappy jpgs in an Illustrator file, can I then recreate it by “tracing” over it with the tablet pen?

I have spent all afternoon searching for information about the Wacom table, or drawing tablets and it’s uses, and your post was by very informative. Thank you!

By: George Coghill

George Coghill — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:18:27 +0000

Shelly —

Don’t let the current lack of a tablet stop you from getting started in vector graphics. The tablet helps for sure, but even with a mouse you’ll love it once you get the hand of the pen tool.

By: Shelley M. House

Shelley M. House — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:31:02 +0000

Thank you so much for your review! I really want to start working in vector graphics with my art, and this sounds like the direction to go in. I know what will be on my birthday wish list now!

By: Free Photoshop Brush: Stumpy Pencil | Cartooning & Illustration Blog: Coghillustration

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:29:01 +0000

[...] brush has a nice line quality, varied from thick to thin based on your Wacom tablet pressure, and has a slight angle similar to a flat-worn pencil [...]

By: William Lehman

William Lehman — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 18:45:36 +0000

I just bought one of these and am still waiting on it to arrive. But I am seriously starting to get a little impatient reading all the amazing reviews of the intuos3.

How long of an acclimation period did you have with using this form of input the first time?