ZBrushCentral

Tablet Reccommendations

Community
#1

After working with the mouse for some time now, I’ve realized it’s probably in my best interest to get a tablet. I am assuming that it’s much easier to create more complex strokes with pressure sensitivity and the ability to sculpt more naturally as if you were using a hand tool. I’m wondering, what are the communities recommendations for an XP Pro compatible tablet? I’ve never looked into getting one before and I know nothing about them. Are there any specific models that work quite well with zbrush? Or is it more of just a personal preference?

Also, one last thing I’ve always wondered: How do you get used to using the tablet with no visual feedback on the screen (until you actually start a stroke)? I feel like I’ll be miscalculating the starting location of the cursor. Is it pretty easy to get acclimated to all this?

Thanks!

#2

The pen doesn’t have to be touching the tablet for you to see the curser. You can see the curser move while you hover the pen close to the tablets surface.

Richard

#3

The pen simply takes over your mouse cursor when using the pen so you always have a visual reference. As far as which tablet to buy, I would highly recomend a Wacom tablet. Get anything in the Intuos line. Click here to learn more about Wacom Intuos.

#4

Wow. I’m drooling over the Intuos tablets. :eek: Thanks for the tip!

#5

Wacom makes the best tablet and tablet drivers hands down. Most professionals use Intuos. Cintiq’s are king, but they’re pricey. I use an Intuos 4 when I don’t feel like reaching for the Cintiq. The Bamboo is a very capable tablet if you want something more entry level or cost effective. All current Wacom tablets work in XP.

Keep in mind the following when buying your tablet, though…

When it comes to tablets, bigger definitely does NOT mean better. A lot of people make this assumption when buying their first tablet. Also, I find the monitor to tablet size ratio doesn’t matter much. When trying to balance it all out, it all comes down to your work area and what the tablet is being used for. For example, using a 12x18 ideal for drafting or pattern making but is not so good for digital sculpting. It’s quite cumbersome and not very efficient. For general artistic usage and digital sculpting, I’d recommend a 6x9 Intuos 4 (medium) if you have the cash. This size is good, real estate wise, and allows you to make strokes comfortably with more control. I’ve even used a 4x6 tablet with a 30" monitor no problem. But I find 6x9 to be optimal. I think this is the most commonly used size for CG artists.

Once you get used to your new tablet, try exploring all the features that are available in the tablet driver control panel. Learn how to customize the tablet and pen settings to fit your handling and painting style for better control of your strokes. Drawing applications like Painter offer additional tools to tweak brush tracking and pressure sensitivity. Additionally, there’s lots of great feature to enhance your workflow system wide or on a per application basis in the tablet control panel.

Last, try to formulate an understanding of how tablet technology is being used and what will be available to you in your final choice. Each line of Wacom tablets offers something different in technology. Some applications have better support tablet technology than others. It’s good to understand what your tablet will be capable of in each application. It varies from app to app and it can make a difference in the work you produce. For example, Bamboo touch pens have 1,024 levels of pressure while Intuos tablets have 2,048. This leaves the Intuos tablets being more responsive to pen pressure and more accurate. Intuos tables also have support for tracking 360° barrel rotation when using the Art Pen (sold separately) in applications like Painter and Photoshop, which Bamboo tablets have no support for at all. Unfortunately ZBrush, like most apps, don’t support 360° barrel rotation… Which would be cool as hell if you could turn this on and off in ZBrush to rotate brushes with alphas. But that’s another thread.

Anyway, Good luck with your choice. Buy anything from Wacom and I’m sure you’ll be very happy.

raru

#6

I use a 9x12 Intuos3 on a 30" and it’s great, but when I use it on a 15" MacBook Pro, it’s noticeably more accurate. I wouldn’t get any larger than the 9x12 Intuos3 is. I think the I4’s have different sizes now, I think it’s the large. Just check the dimensions.

For sculpting and painting, I use a Cintiq 12wx on an Ergotron Neo Flex LCD arm. To me, it’s a world of difference in ZBrush when compared to an Intuos and worth the investment if you can swing it. It’s a work horse for sure. I like the screen size of the 12wx for ZBrush because all of the interface buttons and the outer zone, where you click and drag to rotate, is easily within reach. The res is also dense enough to where you don’t see pixels.

Really though, since you’re currently using a mouse, any Wacom tablet will be an improvement for you. Definitely worth it :+1:

#7

I still use a mouse, I find it much easier for general button clicking and quickly dragging points around. The only time I feel a tablet is better is when drawing onto a surface, whether it be details or painting. If I was forced to choose one above the other, I would choose the mouse.

So my advice is that if you haven’t used a tablet before then don’t expect to fall in love on the first date. They can be quite awkward in certain areas.

#8

funny how individual the preferences are. I use a 6x8 Intuos 3 for 3d [including Zbrush] and it’s a perfect size to me - just a great tablet all round. I also have a ‘sketchbook’ setup with my laptop with a 12WX Cintiq connected to it and I use it only for 2d. It’s beyond awesome - I was hesitant about buying a Cintiq but it makes a world of difference for drawing… I’m not awefully keen on using it with Zbrush though :slight_smile: So yeah all round I’d say an Intuos is the way to go if you’re using it for many things and don’t want to spend 1 or 2k. But definitely a Wacom.