Not so slick, slick.

December 21, 2007 1:02 PM

Drawing with a tablet, drawing on an ice-cube...

So, several years ago I got my wife, who is an artist, a PC tablet to try out, she hated it because to her it was like trying to draw on an ice-cube. Not enough friction/tactical resistance for her.
It has been quite awhile since that failed experiment, and I'm idly wondering if the tablets have gotten any better in that regard? (she is starting to do hand drawn animation now, so there might be a big enough reason to try them out again if they have improved enough)
If so, any recommendations?

posted by edgeways to Technology (12 answers total)

Tablet drawing takes a lot of getting used to. I doubt they've changed all that much, though. Wacom is still selling Intuos3, which has been around for a while, and as far as I know, is still what the pros use.
posted by devilsbrigade at 1:12 PM on December 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

Here's a review of the Electrovaya Scribbler SC3100. The review says that "The screen is slightly textured so that you feel like you are actually writing on something with friction rather then slipping across a slick surface."
posted by burnmp3s at 1:17 PM on December 21, 2007

I generally tape a bit of paper over top of the drawing area of my tablet, which makes it feel much nicer.
posted by jjb at 1:23 PM on December 21, 2007

I've done the paper-over-tablet thing and you have to switch out the paper after a while since it gets all crinkly. When I first did the paper thing, I thought I was a right genius for figuring this amazing thing out, but within a few weeks I dropped it again. Primarily because of sheer laziness, secondarily because when you're coloring large regions and you have to press pretty hard, it feels like you're grinding the tip of your stylus to a nub (not to mention wear and tear on those pretty hand muscles).

I have a Graphire 4, whose surface is made of hard, clear plastic, and feels different from the original Graphire 1 or 2s, but probably not enough to stop feeling "slick."

The problem here is control, though. If you have money to burn, you might consider one of the draw-on-screen tablet/monitors that Wacom also offers. It won't solve the friction problem, but it'll help alleviate the issue of control loss since you're more directly connected to the image you're working on. Be warned that the cheapest one starts at $1000.
posted by reebear at 1:47 PM on December 21, 2007

i had the same thing happen to me. I use a Wacom Bamboo and I hate to sound like a corporate shill...but damn, it works!
posted by Hands of Manos at 1:58 PM on December 21, 2007

I'm seconding jjb's suggestion, paper taped over the tablet makes the whole experience more bearable.
posted by allthingsfixable at 2:21 PM on December 21, 2007

Hmm, maybe drafting vellum or similar durable paper would hold up better than regular copier paper.
posted by oats at 3:12 PM on December 21, 2007

My Intuos 3 came with an assortment of stylus nibs.

Felt nibs are textured and give more traction, but I find them too rough for everyday use. I use the brush nib, it has a tiny spring that makes it feel softer, and set the sensitivity to very low using software, this gives a lot more control.

One of my coworkers just removed the smooth overlay and replaced it with a piece of roughed up polystyrene. This is more permanent than the picee of paper.
posted by Dr. Curare at 4:21 PM on December 21, 2007

When I bought my Intuos3 I used the normal nibs for about a day before I swapped in the black, textured nibs, and it felt a lot better. Too bad there's only one textured nib in the initial package versus three of the slick ones, but you can order replacements for the textured nibs on the Wacom site if you've got a pen that can take them.
posted by chrominance at 5:27 PM on December 21, 2007

If it's within your budget, I highly recommend the Wacom Cintiq. (Reebear referred to this above, but not by name.) It feels like paper to me when I draw on it, and since it is its own screen, is MUCH more like paper to draw on.

Magic paper. With Undo.

Expensive, yes. But a computer-using artist's dream.
posted by tomboko at 6:53 PM on December 21, 2007

if the tablet is old enough and cheap enough, maybe a quick run with some 150 grit sandpaper across the plastic would give it just a little texture?
posted by jenkinsEar at 8:56 PM on December 21, 2007

Response by poster: The Cintiq is what inspired me to ask this question actually.
posted by edgeways at 2:14 PM on December 22, 2007