Does anybody have any pointers on using a tablet. I seem to get disoriented when using it. When I draw things never seem to come out where I want them. So I just use the mouse. I would like to use the tablet for the pressured lines and all. Should I lay it flat, I usually have it propped up on my lap. Any tips?
Thanks,
Vince
Tip # 1
Put away your mouse and force yourself to do all navigation etc. using the pen tablet. Forget using the mouse as it will slow down your transition. After a few weeks of that you will become very comfortable with the unnatural hand eye coordination needed to relate the pen movement on the tablet to the cursor movement on the screen.
Tip # 2
Orient the tablet directly in front of the display and flat on a stable surface. If you normally draw at a tilted angle then you can use a piece of styrofoam or a block of wood or a book to create a tilt of your tablet. If you normally draw on a flat surface then that’s fine too. You mostly want the tablet oriented straight on to the display. Not off to the side etc. that just creates additional shifts in your hand eye orientation.
Tip #3
Using drafting tape, attach a thin sheet of paper on top of the drawing area of your tablet. This is a great way to improve the tactile feel of the drawing surface and keep it from not feeling so slippery.
Tip #4
Take a cheap cotton glove and cut off all the fingers except the little or pinky finger. This will act as a barrier between your drawing hand and the surface of the tablet. It counteracts the sticking that can occur from sweating of your hand against the tablet itself. Particularly if you don’t have paper taped on top of the tablet surface.
Tip #5
Experiment with the tablet properties settings until you find settings that best suit your style of drawing. Most tablets allow a range of settings for pressure and tilt sensitivity. You can make these settings general or software specific.
Tip #6 If your tablet has function keys etc. learn to set them with short cut keys to help speed up your workflow. It’s a trial and error process but worth the time.
Hope these help. -JK
Thanks JK, you always take the time to help the less experienced. I would have never thought of tips 3 and 4. Now maybe I can get half way across my pad without figuring out how to pick up my stuck hand to keep on going. And tip 1 of course is the key.
Thanks Again.