First try with a tablet

[akita-ken 581]

So I've recently been practicing drawing ponies starting with pencil and paper, then later moving on to a mouse. I've gotten quite comfortable with mouse drawing especially with it's ability to manipulate vectors in order to make small changes in conjunction with the mighty ctrl+Z shortcut However, I've heard a lot about the alleged benefits of using tablets so when my pay came in last week I thought what the heck and got myself a Wacom Bamboo Pen to play around with (quite a bargain at $100 too! i used to remember a time long ago when tablets were professional equipment that cost $300 and up).

 

I set my sights on a relatively common front-view Twilight (since all my ponies so far have been either side or 3/4 view) in order to ease myself into using a tablet (as well as drawing different POVs).

 

 

(i know i made another proportion misjudgement somewhere >_<, but then again its my first front view..)

 

Thoughts so far:

Using a tablet definitely takes some getting used to, the benefits might not be immediately apparent for some users but after using it for a while I notice that I'm definitely capable of more accurate lines (which means less tweaking required). However, this accuracy is a double-edged sword because minor 'squigglies' tend to get picked up more easily if one's hand shakes a bit while drawing a line. New users might also expect the cursor to continue moving from it's last location from any point on the tablet. That said, once one gets used to the fact that every point on the tablet maps directly to a point on the screen, drawing feels very natural.

 

Side note:

I happened to get my tablet while I was still working on Sakutama's zebra-pegasus OC, so this piece became a partial-mouse-partial-tablet drawing

 

 

(if the pose looks familiar its because I used one of Honey Puff's art request thread poses as a reference)

Edited September 21, 2012 by akita-ken

[Halfblood 364]

These are pretty good for your first try at a tablet! Eventually you'll start to learn how to get straighter and more curved lines when you get your technique down, but not bad at all.

 

I agree that the tablet does indeed take time to get use to, especially coming from someone (like myself) who made the transition from pen &amp; paper &amp; scanner to straight digital. The learning curve isn't steep per se, but rather the difficulty, at least for me, was the coordination with the tablet itself and watching my screen as I draw. That took some getting used to!

 

The Wacom Bamboo is an excellent device for beginners and those who look to take on some digital drawing for the first time. I used to own one when I first started out, and I upgraded to a Wacom Intuos4 model (which has double the pressure sensitivity!) as I progressed.

Edited September 21, 2012 by Halfblood

[akita-ken 581]

Thanks! The Bamboo is indeed a great move by Wacom to make tablets more affordable for the masses, especially younger aspiring artists who might not have disposable income. I was expecting some small-ass drawing area too with cost-cutting finishes considering it's price point, but the dimensions of the sensitive area are really quite modest and the product is elegantly designed. Not bad at all. (Y)

 

That being said, I'll still consider a tablet as being 'nice to have', but not necessarily a requirement. A good mouse with a moderately-high dpi (which essentially most gaming mice can achieve) can be capable of some really nice smooth lines. Again, it's all a matter of getting used to