Holy shit, apparently everyone has a wide screen monitor except for me. I'm still using a single CRT at home, Striff even has a wide screen painting hanging on his wall, how do you guys afford this razamataz?
Sorry I don't have a picture of my desk right now (and it's pretty sad at the moment anyway), but I wanted to ask: does anyone use a tablet PC or a convertible laptop for drawing straight onto the screen? Or should I just go ahead and buy a huge Wacom tablet? I am really interested in being able to draw directly onto the screen without having to pay for a Cintiq 21UX :P
rawkstar: I've been thinking about getting that H.R. Giger book
Personally I don't think the bigger the tablet the better. Most of what I use a tablet for is fine detail and short strokes. Before you drop that much coin on something so big and expensive make sure you won't end up treating it like a smaller version, but hey at least you have the bragging rights
Being left handed I don't use the pen for menu navigation like most righties do, I use the mouse in my right hand for that so that alone cuts down on the size of tablet I need. It's funny to look at some older tablets and its obvious that the user really didn't need a tablet that big after all. Its really silly when you see coffee rings or post'its covering the drawing space that is obviously not being used.
The Cintiq might SEEM like it would be more natural to draw on, until you find out that its meant to be more like painting on your monitor rather than a monitor that lays perpendicular to the desktop. If you adjust the stand so its as flat as it can be you have to stand up, lower your desk, or get a really high chair and hunch over.
Unless someone else is footing the bill its better just to get used to the tablet/monitor combo, its really not that hard to do in a week or two. We had a guy from wacom come out and demo the Cintiq 21UX, it wasn't as impressive as I thought it would be. The screen is not as easy to replace as a tablet and if it gets scratched you have to send it in, its not something they allow you to do on your own. Also the Cintiq is pretty thick and heavy so its not like drawing on a tablet and the stand it comes on doesn't really get it low enough to the table to feel natural. Because of the cord placement (sticking out the middle in the back of the unit) you can't lay it flat on the table. The back is also vented so even if you could you would fry the unit.
The rep suggested getting new work stations that have large cut outs, for the cord, or just cutting holes in the existing desks, which would anchor it in one spot. Because of the weight and fragility you really don't want to take the thing off the stand and put in your lap which would feel more natural. Really the Cintiq is more of a nice gimmick that is a step in the right direction but not fully there.
At work I just recently switched back to the smaller tablet that they provided us with, and I do notice the difference. It probably depends on if you feel better treating it as if you were painting on canvas (using your shoulder), or all hunched over scribbling on paper (using your wrist).
Thanks for all the help, guys! I'll send a photo of my desk when I get my new tablet I'm using a 4x5 right now that's sort of driving me nuts, so I think I may just plunk down the money for a larger one. Thanks again!
Replies
Cool setup though (computer-wise).... wish I had it
I really love that anatomy sculpture/reference Rockstar. I've been meaning to get one for quite some time.
rawkstar: I've been thinking about getting that H.R. Giger book
Being left handed I don't use the pen for menu navigation like most righties do, I use the mouse in my right hand for that so that alone cuts down on the size of tablet I need. It's funny to look at some older tablets and its obvious that the user really didn't need a tablet that big after all. Its really silly when you see coffee rings or post'its covering the drawing space that is obviously not being used.
The Cintiq might SEEM like it would be more natural to draw on, until you find out that its meant to be more like painting on your monitor rather than a monitor that lays perpendicular to the desktop. If you adjust the stand so its as flat as it can be you have to stand up, lower your desk, or get a really high chair and hunch over.
Unless someone else is footing the bill its better just to get used to the tablet/monitor combo, its really not that hard to do in a week or two. We had a guy from wacom come out and demo the Cintiq 21UX, it wasn't as impressive as I thought it would be. The screen is not as easy to replace as a tablet and if it gets scratched you have to send it in, its not something they allow you to do on your own. Also the Cintiq is pretty thick and heavy so its not like drawing on a tablet and the stand it comes on doesn't really get it low enough to the table to feel natural. Because of the cord placement (sticking out the middle in the back of the unit) you can't lay it flat on the table. The back is also vented so even if you could you would fry the unit.
The rep suggested getting new work stations that have large cut outs, for the cord, or just cutting holes in the existing desks, which would anchor it in one spot. Because of the weight and fragility you really don't want to take the thing off the stand and put in your lap which would feel more natural. Really the Cintiq is more of a nice gimmick that is a step in the right direction but not fully there.