What Graphics Tablet is for You?

If you are interested in digital art there are a few tools you will need. A computer, Photoshop, or other software and a graphics tablet. You won't find many quality paintings made with a mouse - or worse - a laptop touchpad.

So where to start? There is one company that dominates the tablet market: Wacom. Wacoms are to tablets as the iPod is to MP3 players. There are other ones out there, but they don't stack up. Wacom has several major product lines.

The Bamboo is the most affordable, starting at around $100. It's small, which means it's less accurate, but more portable. And it's the cheapest Wacom you'll come across.

Then comes the Graphire line. Most Graphire models have been discontinued in favor of the Bamboo, but there is still a 6x8 wireless tablet available for about $250, and you can find older Graphires on eBay.

Then comes the Intuos. The Intuos is geared towards professional artists and devoted hobbyists. It comes in many sizes from a 4x6 retailing at $230, to a massive 12X19 going for a cool $750. Obviously, the bigger the working surface, the more accuracy you will get with your strokes.

Finally, there's the Wacom Cintiq, which combines a tablet with an LCD screen, allowing users to paint directly on the screen. There are currently three Cintiq models, ranging from $1,000-$2,000. Quite a hefty price tag for even working artists.

A Wacom tablet - even a Bamboo - is a serious investment, and many digital art noobs can't justify spending that amount of money. Have no fear, there are other fish out there in the sea - companies like Aiptek, Genius, Adesso and other companies make graphics tablets - often far below Wacom prices.

The most important qualities you should look for in a graphics tablet are active area and pressure sensitivity. The larger the active area the easier it is to paint minute detail accurately. There are many factors to consider when it comes to size: desk space, storage, transportation. If you want something portable then a 12x19 Intuos is not for you.

Pressure sensitivity measures the force of your stroke. It is very useful in programs like Photoshop where you can set sensitivity to control things like the width or opacity of a brush stroke, amongst other things. Most Wacom tablets have a 1024 levels of sensitivity, which is more than enough from my experience.

Most people use a 6x8 or 9x12 tablet with 1024 levels of sensitivity. You can find a Genius MousePen 6x8 with 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity for about $45 dollars online. A 9x12 PenSketch also with 1024 levels goes for around $100. The price is definitely closer to most people's budget.

One of the biggest differences between a Wacom tablet and a lesser-known brand is the Stylus. The Wacom styli are very comfortable and natural to hold. They are cordless and battery-less and most have a built in "eraser" for a more natural drawing feel.

Most lesser-known brands skimp a bit on their styli. They are often a bit flimsy and require batteries. This can lead to input issues when the battery is running low. It's not necessarily a deal breaker, but the styli just aren't as nice.

What Do I Use?:
I use a 6X8 Genius MousePen. It's a good size for painting, but also very portable. I can stick it in my laptop case and sketch on the go. The 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity are on par with a Wacom, and the price ($45) was far more reasonable for me.

I used to have the opportunity to use a 19x12 Intuos when I was a student at Syracuse University. There's no doubt that it is far superior, but I just can't afford to plop down $750 on something like that. Plus, it's not exactly portable.

If I had my way (and a bagillion dollars) I would buy a Cintiq 21UX, the holy grail of graphic user interface.

Final Thoughts:
If money isn't an issue then go for the Wacom. An Intuos is surely the most commonly used tablet by professionals. If you're on a budget then a non-wacom tablet is a viable option. Just make sure you look for something that fits your size and sensitivity needs.