A little help with graphic tablets please (solved)

ShiverMeSideways · Mon 14/02/2011 19:05:17

Hello, talented artists of AGS!

I have a request for all you lovely-lovely people and and I'm dire need of assistance.

My girlfriend's birthday is Sunday and I have t o pick out a graphic tablet to buy for her. She's very artistic and creative and loves to draw, but she's never had a tablet before. Unfortunately, my budget is very limited, and I am forced to buy one of the following two:

* Genius G-Pen F350
* Wacom Bamboo Pen CTL-460EN

I kindly ask only that you give me a few words about each one and which one you think is the best. The reviews on the site say that the Wacom one is pretty good, but I don't know if they can be trusted.

Thanks a lot in advance!

Darth Mandarb · Mon 14/02/2011 21:03:01

I haven't used the Genius ... but I have had/used several of the Wacom and found them all VERY good.

I'd vote for the Wacom for that reason

Miez · Mon 14/02/2011 21:27:25

Wacom all the way - excellent quality tablets. They've never let me down yet.

IndieBoy · Mon 14/02/2011 23:17:46

I have that exact wacom tablet and it is great. I haven't used it that much, but from what I have noticed is that it has a very natural feel and it has more than enough space to draw anything with it.
I vote wacom.

Ilyich · Tue 15/02/2011 00:21:52

Yes, Wacom tablets are considered to be the best pretty much by everybody. I've been using a similar, but older wacom model for about 5 years now and I haven't got a single complaint so far.

Squinky · Tue 15/02/2011 03:09:48

I'm certain either one will work well. But Wacom is the way to go. I have a great off brand tablet, but I can't get nibs for it anymore. They stopped supporting it. You don't have problems like that with wacom.

Coincidentally, I just ordered a medium intious 4 tablet. Can't wait to get it

Dualnames · Tue 15/02/2011 06:23:22

I do actually own that genius model. I can't say I liked it, I can't say it's bad. I'm just not a tablet guy it seems. I should have bought a scanner if anything.

Haruspex · Tue 15/02/2011 07:36:19

Wacom is the undisputed king of graphics tablets. That Bamboo is a good beginners tablet, and seems to have replaced the old Graphire series, which I started with.

Word of warning though, if she likes the tablet, things can really go crazy from there. Later, she'll want at least an Intuos, which starts at $200 usd. If not, she'll want a Cintique, which get's up into the thousands.

I'm using the lowest end Intuos currently available. I can honestly say it was the best two hundred buckazoids I ever spent. (That may have been a failed Space Quest reference. I'm not sure.)

abstauber · Tue 15/02/2011 12:41:41

I love the wacom, it's so bad

But seriously, the wacom tablets are great. If you're on a tight budget, you could also get a Graphire. They're not as fancy as the bamboos, but technically I can't make a difference.

Tabata · Tue 15/02/2011 22:35:59

I'm proud to be a happy owner of a Bamboo for some weeks now after some research and also because of the entrys over here

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=42499.0

... and didn't regret it.

ThreeOhFour · Wed 16/02/2011 01:11:00

There are so many "I wish I'd bought a Wacom now." stories from people who've bought other brands of tablets that you can pretty much guarantee the Bamboo is the right choice!

Gilbert · Wed 16/02/2011 01:50:44

Want to hear a different story?

I bought a Bamboo last year and...

I misplaced the stylus just after using it once!

People who think everything must be wireless must burn in hell! :'(

ShiverMeSideways · Wed 16/02/2011 21:14:05

Thank you so very much everyone! You've been an immense help and I'll be sure to let her know of your contribution!

I've already ordered the tablet and I'll have it on Friday, I'm sure she's going to absolutely love it.

Thanks again, and cheers!

Snarky · Wed 16/02/2011 21:27:41

Just be prepared that there is a little bit of a learning curve. She may find it frustrating at first, especially since she's used to drawing and (possibly) won't be able to get as good results with a tablet straight away.

I had a hard time getting used to the mapping of my hand movements to the cursor movements, which are neither quite like a mouse nor like regular drawing. It took me probably something like six to eight hours of practice, all told, before I felt relatively comfortable. Not a whole lot in the grand scheme of things, but definitely a barrier at first.

Darth Mandarb · Wed 16/02/2011 21:41:41

Quote from: Snarky on Wed 16/02/2011 21:27:41Just be prepared that there is a little bit of a learning curve. She may find it frustrating at first, especially since she's used to drawing and (possibly) won't be able to get as good results with a tablet straight away.

Are you left/right handed?

Because my brother and I (years back) each got the same Wacom at the same time and he expressed the same learning curve as you just said. I took the thing and within 5 minutes it was like I'd been using it my entire life. There was almost no transition for me. We wondered at why he had to adjust and we boiled it down to maybe the difference between left/right handed (he's right, I'm left).

Just curious

Snarky · Wed 16/02/2011 22:39:09

Right-handed.

Squinky · Fri 18/02/2011 05:13:38

I got my Wacom Today.

It. is. insanely. better.

Holy shit. It rocks compared to my offbrand. For a guy that can draw pretty much all day, this thing is beautiful.

I don't typically do much line work with pen tablets, mostly coloring and correction. I've always penciled, inked with microns, and scanned.

I just might skip all that and do it all with the tablet now.

http://squinkyproductions.deviantart.com/art/New-Wacom-intous-test-197848494

For about an hours work, I am amazed at what it let me do.