How are you doing, comic-wise?

[robotthepirate]

And all this isn't allowed to take up a lot of my free time, otherwise I'll fall behind on RTP.

Will you be using your tablet for RTP too?

If nothing else it'll help with your production time. With the circular Select tool and "Stroke" options, you should be able to crack a page out in a half hour or so.

Not yet. If I can work out how to get it looking just right then maybe, that "circular Select tool and "Stroke" options" is certainly useful, didn't know I could do that.

[Phact0rri]

yeah stroke in illustrator with a tablet is pretty rad. but guess it depends if your use to using the ink tool, and plotting a grid and what not, like I have to do at work. in which case a tablet doesn't help for time.

[Mastermind]

What tablets do you guys use? I'm tempted to smash my piggy bank and get an intuos4.

[McDuffies]

I dug up my old Wacom from under coats of dust and discovered that it still works well even though I have to push hard to get it into usb port (the plug's dented i suppose), it's good for colouring and illustrator although I'm not too keep to actually draw with it these days.

[IVstudios]

What tablets do you guys use? I'm tempted to smash my piggy bank and get an intuos4.

Currently I use a Cintiq, which is awesome. I also have a bamboo that I use less often, but it's nice and portable and works well. In the past I've also used a Graphire3 and a Intuos3 both very good.

Basically all Wacom tablets are pretty much awesome, but if you can afford one of the big fancy ones I recommend it.

[Humbug]

I got an intous3 on my rig, and since I started working with my laptop more often these days, I pulled out my dad's Sapphire rather than constantly plug and unplug my intous. Man, this thing is oooold, I think it's more 10 years old and it still works great. No need for fancy tablets so long as I got pressure sensitivity.

[Mastermind]

I wish I could afford a Cintiq... But currently I'm torn between the cheaper Bamboo and more pro Intuos4. Can't stop thinking about that 1 gram starting pressure.

[IVstudios]

I wish I could afford a Cintiq...

If you have the patience for ebay, you should be able to get a used one for about half the normal retail price (that's how I got mine).

[Risky]

I have a Compaq L2105 (no pressure anything) touchscreen, good for fingerpainting or using stick-like styluses.
Advantages: Cheap as hell. Huge. Multitouch. Draw directly on the screen. Very responsive to small inputs. VESA compatible (any monitor arm should work with it).
Disadvantages: You can draw with your elbow, so don't rest it on the screen. A bit like painting. Very responsive to small inputs like a fly flying near your screen. No pressure sensitivity levels (it uses some sort of radar/sonar).

I also have a HP tx2500z convertible laptop.
Advantages: It's a computer, very portable, a bit heavy but not too big (11"). Wacom tech, touchscreen doesn't activate when using pen (so you can use your finger, or rest your hand on the screen and use the stylus). Decent ATI graphics (HD3200). Wacom tech. Cheaper than a Cintiq when bought used.
Disadvantages: Hot. Can overheat and melt itself and die (so be careful buying used). Can be more expensive than a Cintiq new (it's a computer). Tablet only usable flat. Way bigger than an iPad.

Last but least I have an Aiptek Hyperpen. Cheap and big, comparable to an Intuos. Replacement parts are cheap as well. It's not quite as good as an Intuos, but did I mention they are cheap? Decent settings, including the all important "map tablet surface to smaller part of itself". Lots of function hotspots if you are into that.

[Mastermind]

Ha! In my country, if it's cheap, it's either broken or has a brick inside. Even the stolen stuff. The tax turrets are set to snipe any attempts of shipping from the U.S.

I had a Pentagram o'pen wide, some people seem to know how to use it but mine was terrible from the start and then broke for no reason. It's nice they make sure there's no returns by making them so scratchy.

[McDuffies]

The tax turrets are set to snipe any attempts of shipping from the U.S.

Man, here too. If it's anything over 10e, they're gonna double it's price with tax. You can only get anything without being cheated if you know someone who visits from abroad often.

[VeryCuddlyCornpone]

The tax turrets are set to snipe any attempts of shipping from the U.S.

Man, here too. If it's anything over 10e, they're gonna double it's price with tax. You can only get anything without being cheated if you know someone who visits from abroad often.

Dang. If I ever visit the lands of my ancestors I'll bring you guys some quality products.




MILLIONSOFPEACHES.COM

[McDuffies]

Dang. If I ever visit the lands of my ancestors I'll bring you guys some quality products.

Oh I got my connection.
Though I'm testing whether new laptop cable will pass the test these days.
who are your ancestors anyway?

[VeryCuddlyCornpone]

General pan-European collection, my mother's family is Polish, my dad's is Irish, German, French, and English.

[robotthepirate]

Wacom of some variety, doesn't say what it is on it, unless CTE-440 is its name. It wasn't very much money when you consider how much they can cost. Possibly the cheapest Wacom they sold at the time. But I still love the little thing, does what I want it too.

Also you may have unleashed a monster, IV. Playing around with select and the stroke tool I found it really easy to make Robot even without my tablet. The result is pretty clinical so I don't think I'll use it for the actual comic but there's potential for pose modelling and I reckon I could manipulate it pretty easily to make animation. It'll be harder for the other characters but still very do-able.

General pan-European collection, my mother's family is Polish, my dad's is Irish, German, French, and English.

My diverse ethnic background involves a mother from the north of England and a father from the south of England, before that everyone seemed to stay put. Though I may have a very distant strand of Jewish.

[IVstudios]

Also you may have unleashed a monster, IV. Playing around with select and the stroke tool I found it really easy to make Robot even without my tablet. The result is pretty clinical so I don't think I'll use it for the actual comic but there's potential for pose modelling and I reckon I could manipulate it pretty easily to make animation. It'll be harder for the other characters but still very do-able.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Using the computer to make straight lines can make them a little too straight. The best way I've found is to use the select/line tools to make the original line, and then trace over it with the pen. Gives a much better line than just free handing it and it still has that hand drawn look.

[MariaAndMichelle]

Michelle's got an old Wacom Graphire, bought off eBay. It works pretty well for the most part. It has its issues, but it's served her well for about seven years now, so we can't really complain. Built to last, it is.

The tax turrets are set to snipe any attempts of shipping from the U.S.

Man, here too. If it's anything over 10e, they're gonna double it's price with tax. You can only get anything without being cheated if you know someone who visits from abroad often.

Dang. If I ever visit the lands of my ancestors I'll bring you guys some quality products.




MILLIONSOFPEACHES.COM

[McDuffies]

General pan-European collection, my mother's family is Polish, my dad's is Irish, German, French, and English.

So you're practically half-Mastermind.

[VeryCuddlyCornpone]

General pan-European collection, my mother's family is Polish, my dad's is Irish, German, French, and English.

So you're practically half-Mastermind.

Exactly! And a little bit RTP, and a little bit KWill, and a little bit Ti-Phil and... do we have any Irish CGers?

[McDuffies]

You're a bit of Bono.