If you’re not an artist, you probably don’t know that there are programs and hardware out there that will allow you to replicate natural media on your computer. That means you will be able to create on your computer “using” chalk, pastels, ink, paint, pencil, etc. without having to worry about cleaning up a mess! And it saves money on paper and other materials making this great for aspiring artists or casual artist!
The program I am talking about is Painter X. With this program you will be able to fool most people into thinking that your were working with the real deal. You can set the texture of your paper, work with different types of brushes, blend as well as many other things. One of the features I find very useful is that you can set an image as something you want to “trace”. That means that the image you select will appear transparent on your art board so that it can be used as a base when painting or sketching. This is great for beginners or for people who just like to get straight into the work as you do not have to lay down your guides and other helpers. Also, because you can work in layers, you can have several things going on at once and try different colors or compositions in certain sections without having to re-do the whole thing or “paint over” and lose what you originally did.
Now that you know what program to use, the only problem is how you’re going to draw using your mouse right? Well, that’s no problem! You may not be aware, but there are devices out there that will allow you to use a “pen” on your screen. This means that drawing, painting, etc. takes on a more normal feel. And the good thing about this is that the pen is usually pressure sensitive with them and so you will be able to gain a finer control of your tools.
Wacom Cintiq Pen Tablets
If you are looking for the coolest tablet available, I would say it is the Wacom Cintiq line of tablets. This tablet is actually a monitor so it really replicates pen on paper feel and use. Some key features of this product are that it provies pixel-level pen accuracy for highly precise cursor control and the pen features 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity on the pen tip and eraser for precise image editing, accurate brush control, and selective application of effects and filters. Also, for this product you do not have to develop the hand-eye coordination needed to look at your screen while working with your pen. This makes it very user friendly and easy to master but because it is such cool tech it comes with a hefty price tag retailing $999 for the smallest version (12.1″ TFT display) and reaching $2499 for the largest version (23.1” TFT display). However, considering that it is a pressure sensitive monitor, it makes sense.
Wacom Intuos3 Pen Tablet
This tablet comes with all the bells and whistles but it is not a monitor. It also has 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity and it has buttons which can be preset to do certain functions. With this tablet you will be able to easily edit photos and create using the full power of over 100 leading software applications that support Wacom Pen Tablets. Sizes for this product range from 4”x6” to 12”x9” and prices for this product range from $229.95 to $749.95.
Other recommended Wacom tablets are the Graphire and Bamboo Fun tablets. These are more consumer oriented tablets, are more affordable, and come with less functions. However, with 512 levels of pressure sensitivity and programmable keys they are still powerful tools. Let’s not forget that they also come with a suite of useful programs such as Adobe Photoshop Elements, Nik Color Efex Pro, and Corel Painter Essentials.
Windows Vista users should also keep in mind that with a pen tablet, you can use the new functionalities provided for pen tablets. This includes personal note taking, email signing, handwriting recognition, as well as other functions.
All brands and models can be found by clicking here.
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