Graphics Tablets for Inkscape? Recommendations Please.
I'm planning on doing a rather Inkscape / Gimp intensive open source project in the next month or three and I'm contemplating buying a Graphics Tablet.
Any recommendations on what to buy / not buy for use with Inkscape?
For example there are cheapie Genius tablets and there are really expensive Wacom Intuous tablets. Do you really care about features like pen slant? Can Inkscape use it?
John Carter Phone : (64)(3) 358 6639 Tait Electronics Fax : (64)(3) 359 4632 PO Box 1645 Christchurch Email : john.carter@...2193... New Zealand
John Carter wrote:
I'm planning on doing a rather Inkscape / Gimp intensive open source project in the next month or three and I'm contemplating buying a Graphics Tablet.
Any recommendations on what to buy / not buy for use with Inkscape?
For example there are cheapie Genius tablets and there are really expensive Wacom Intuous tablets. Do you really care about features like pen slant? Can Inkscape use it?
the wacom graphire 3 that i got for $45usd does not support the pressure sensitivity that i need for drawing.
how exactly will you be using the tablet and what os are you using?
On Wed, 25 Apr 2007, dwain wrote:
John Carter wrote:
I'm planning on doing a rather Inkscape / Gimp intensive open source project in the next month or three and I'm contemplating buying a Graphics Tablet.
Any recommendations on what to buy / not buy for use with Inkscape?
For example there are cheapie Genius tablets and there are really expensive Wacom Intuous tablets. Do you really care about features like pen slant? Can Inkscape use it?
the wacom graphire 3 that i got for $45usd does not support the pressure sensitivity that i need for drawing.
Curious. Places like... http://reviews.cnet.com/Wacom_Graphire3/4507-3147_7-30566997.html say the Graphire3 has 512 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Are you saying... * The Graphire3 you have doesn't have pressure sensitivity? * 512 levels isn't enough? * That feature of Graphire3 isn't supported by the OS / Inkscape you are using?
how exactly will you be using the tablet and what os are you using?
I'm planning on using Inkscape & Gimp on Ubuntu Linux "Feisty Fawn".
The project I'm planning is a comic book / graphics novel on General System Architecture & Design in the heritage of "The Fortran Coloring Book" and "Why The Lucky Stiff's Poignant Guide to Ruby"
John Carter Phone : (64)(3) 358 6639 Tait Electronics Fax : (64)(3) 359 4632 PO Box 1645 Christchurch Email : john.carter@...2193... New Zealand
John Carter escribió:
On Wed, 25 Apr 2007, dwain wrote:
John Carter wrote:
I'm planning on doing a rather Inkscape / Gimp intensive open source project in the next month or three and I'm contemplating buying a Graphics Tablet.
Any recommendations on what to buy / not buy for use with Inkscape?
For example there are cheapie Genius tablets and there are really expensive Wacom Intuous tablets. Do you really care about features like pen slant? Can Inkscape use it?
the wacom graphire 3 that i got for $45usd does not support the pressure sensitivity that i need for drawing.
Curious. Places like... http://reviews.cnet.com/Wacom_Graphire3/4507-3147_7-30566997.html say the Graphire3 has 512 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Are you saying...
- The Graphire3 you have doesn't have pressure sensitivity?
- 512 levels isn't enough?
- That feature of Graphire3 isn't supported by the OS / Inkscape you are using?
how exactly will you be using the tablet and what os are you using?
I'm planning on using Inkscape & Gimp on Ubuntu Linux "Feisty Fawn".
The project I'm planning is a comic book / graphics novel on General System Architecture & Design in the heritage of "The Fortran Coloring Book" and "Why The Lucky Stiff's Poignant Guide to Ruby"
The Graphire 4 I mentioned has 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity (just like the Intous), but has less programmable buttons (2 and a wheel, which you can mess around with some X magic)... I can tell that the Graphire 3 and 4 pressure sensitivity is perfectly supported by the Linux wacom drivers.
John Carter wrote:
On Wed, 25 Apr 2007, dwain wrote:
John Carter wrote:
I'm planning on doing a rather Inkscape / Gimp intensive open source project in the next month or three and I'm contemplating buying a Graphics Tablet.
Any recommendations on what to buy / not buy for use with Inkscape?
For example there are cheapie Genius tablets and there are really expensive Wacom Intuous tablets. Do you really care about features like pen slant? Can Inkscape use it?
the wacom graphire 3 that i got for $45usd does not support the pressure sensitivity that i need for drawing.
Curious. Places like... http://reviews.cnet.com/Wacom_Graphire3/4507-3147_7-30566997.html say the Graphire3 has 512 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Are you saying...
- The Graphire3 you have doesn't have pressure sensitivity?
- 512 levels isn't enough?
- That feature of Graphire3 isn't supported by the OS / Inkscape you are using?
then i'm not seeing the pressure sensitivity in either inkscape or gimp, unless i'm missing something, which i could be. the settings in the driver are extremely limited. i have a serial intuos gd (1) and i saw pressure sensitivity in corel painter and draw and adobe illustrator, but not in inkscape or gimp.
but like i said, i could be missing a setting somewhere. i have noticed though that in inkscape i cannot set anything in the input device setting in preferences. i'm using windows xp pro and inkscape will allow the tablet to operate, but i can't set anything. when i change to the stylus, the settings box goes blank and settings for the puck cannot be changed. i had the same problem with opensuse 10.2. i could not get the tablet driver, the os and the program to shake hands for some reason.
how exactly will you be using the tablet and what os are you using?
I'm planning on using Inkscape & Gimp on Ubuntu Linux "Feisty Fawn".
The project I'm planning is a comic book / graphics novel on General System Architecture & Design in the heritage of "The Fortran Coloring Book" and "Why The Lucky Stiff's Poignant Guide to Ruby"
you might want to look into a different brand of tablet or buy a wacom intuos3.
dwain escribió:
John Carter wrote:
I'm planning on doing a rather Inkscape / Gimp intensive open source project in the next month or three and I'm contemplating buying a Graphics Tablet.
Any recommendations on what to buy / not buy for use with Inkscape?
For example there are cheapie Genius tablets and there are really expensive Wacom Intuous tablets. Do you really care about features like pen slant? Can Inkscape use it?
the wacom graphire 3 that i got for $45usd does not support the pressure sensitivity that i need for drawing.
how exactly will you be using the tablet and what os are you using?
Depending on your needs, that might be an Intous (excellent tablet, pro level) or a Graphire 4 6x8 (as the 4x5 is a tad too small, which I own). The configuration of the drivers might be a bit tricky, but well worth the time invested into doing so. Support for Wacom tablets in Linux is absolutely incredible, I'm not familiar with other makes and brands, but I'd assume a varying situation. I went with Wacom just because of that.
On Apr 25, 2007, at 3:18 PM, John Carter wrote:
Any recommendations on what to buy / not buy for use with Inkscape?
For example there are cheapie Genius tablets and there are really expensive Wacom Intuous tablets. Do you really care about features like pen slant? Can Inkscape use it?
One main difference I am aware of is that the Wacom Graphire line does not support tilt, while the Wacom Intuous does.
When properly configured, Inkscape will take advantage of that for the calligraphy tool.
On Wed, 25 Apr 2007, Jon A. Cruz wrote:
One main difference I am aware of is that the Wacom Graphire line does not support tilt, while the Wacom Intuous does.
When properly configured, Inkscape will take advantage of that for the calligraphy tool.
Anyone with actual experience of that?
For example, does it perhaps merely mean that the calligraphy I do in Inkscape becomes as sloppy and untidy (slantwise) as the calligraphy I do with Ye Olde Pen and Ink.
Or does it provide a vital level of control required for readable calligraphy under Inkscape?
I'm painfully aware that the one time I created a Font, I found I had a Font that was as ugly and unreadable as my own handwriting... giving me a valuable lesson in the downsides of unlimited control. :-)
John Carter Phone : (64)(3) 358 6639 Tait Electronics Fax : (64)(3) 359 4632 PO Box 1645 Christchurch Email : john.carter@...2193... New Zealand
John Carter wrote:
On Wed, 25 Apr 2007, Jon A. Cruz wrote:
One main difference I am aware of is that the Wacom Graphire line does not support tilt, while the Wacom Intuous does.
When properly configured, Inkscape will take advantage of that for the calligraphy tool.
Anyone with actual experience of that?
Yes. :)
For example, does it perhaps merely mean that the calligraphy I do in Inkscape becomes as sloppy and untidy (slantwise) as the calligraphy I do with Ye Olde Pen and Ink.
I'm a vector person because I don't do well with "traditional" tools. My handwriting is far less sloppy with the tablet than with a nib. Then again, liberal use of Undo doesn't hurt either. ;)
Or does it provide a vital level of control required for readable calligraphy under Inkscape?
For me it's essential. Then again, I use the calligraphy tool as a general brush too. The reality is, you'll make due with whatever tools you have available. I'd personally say, if you plan to make money doing work, or if you are an artist, it will probably be worth the investment for you.
-Josh
I have a Graphire3 tablet and have used it under Linux (ubuntu) for a couple of years now. The pressure sensitivity works great in GIMP, but to be honest I've only used it a few times (without pressure sensitivity) in Inkscape. I've got to explore that more.
Are there any tools in Inkscape other than calligraphy that can make use of the pressure sensitivity?
participants (6)
-
dwain -
Gian Paolo Mureddu -
John Carter -
Jon A. Cruz -
Joshua A. Andler -
Richard Querin