Those who want to be serious about doing digital graphic arts should consider
acquiring a computer drawing tablet. These devices provide a ’live“ drawing surface and a ’pen“ used like one would use a pen, pencil, or art brush.
Once a luxury for the privileged computer artist, graphics tablets are now available at affordable prices on the low end, although many who are serious will still probably want the accuracy, sensitivity, and features of a pricier model. Tablets such as these can be found at many art supply stores, but you would probably do well to look at your local computer discounter first to see if they have one that will work for you. You can also find great deals on these online. To save even more money, you could also consider purchasing a used device.
Size is also a factor in selecting a tablet. Some people will buy the largest device they find (and pay a lot for it) only to learn that they have to move their arm a lot while using it. While artists might need a larger surface area, the most common sizes are around 4“ x 5“ or so. If you can, try to find a store that will let you try out the tablet before you buy it (or at least make sure they have a generous return policy in case you don’t like it). Once you have bought your drawing tablet, setting it up is usually
pretty simple: almost like setting up a mouse.
Like most devices nowadays, graphics tablets are usually USB devices. This means you don’t have to worry about getting your serial COM ports working. Beware though when purchasing a used device to make sure it is USB, because older models will be serial. Most of the time the serial devices will work fine, but the problem is that a lot of newer computers (especially laptops) do not have COM ports any more. So, be sure to check the interface before buying the device. Most tablets will come with a driver CD or disk. If you by one used, you will probably have to download the driver from online. Once you run the install program, your drawing tablet should be ready to go! You should read the directions for your device to make sure you know
how to use all the features. Also, use a program to test it out: sometimes there’s no substitute for experience!
You will find that using a drawing tablet will be a lot more natural for your creative flow than a mouse is and it will produce outstanding results in your drawing program. Most of these tablets are sensitive to pressure, making the creation of hand-drawn quality artwork on the computer a real possibility. Whether you like the idea or not, everyone doing creative or technical drawing on their computer should at least consider using a graphics tablet for their work.
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