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Getting used to the new tablet PC :3
13 years ago
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Don't wait for the queue to shrink—the commission docket is rarely empty.So, you guys know that my Cintiq 12wx died, and rather than opting to replace it with another tablet, I was encouraged to try a tablet PC this time around. :3 Obviously, it was going to be well worth the risk if the benefits panned out. I'm not quite ready for a full review of the ASUS Eee Slate EP121 yet, but I'll share what I've concluded so far.
-I've seen people complain about the battery power, but I think these people are forgetting that they're dealing with a pretty powerful tablet PC here, not an iPad. Three and a half hours of battery power to be totally untethered while drawing has been pretty fantastic. I also can't think of a lot of situations where I'd NEED to be away from an outlet for that long... curled up in my bed, sitting on the living room couch, or anywhere else (even at a table at a con) will most likely have an outlet, and if it doesn't, 3.5 hours isn't a terrible sacrifice to make for mobility and power.
-That said, it's not going to compare to the new laptop, obviously. I am using Sai and may really never end up pushing the tablet to its limits. If it can handle Photoshop or Painter, I'd have to be very gentle with it. Regardless, since the thing is a glorified sketchbook for me, I don't intend to push it too hard -- and it CAN be upgraded if necessary.
-The pressure sensitivity is obviously lower than I'm used to on the Cintiq, but this can be balanced with a slight alteration in my process and the acquisition of a nicer pen. :) Which I plan to get, as the default one has no buttons. I wasn't really using the ones I had on my Cintiq pen, but the next point will explain why the lack of a button on the default pen has been tricky.
-No express keys! Ahh! :D I am spoiled. I need undo (at the bare minimum -- and I am willing to use the right-click function on the pen for this, if I must... if there's only one shortcut I can have, Undo is that shortcut). I need pan, zoom, brush size, and recently added to my arsenal -- toggling transparent color on/off (mostly for sketching/inking). Right now I am making do with the Bluetooth keyboard and an awkward positioning of my left arm to keep it handy, which means I'm not steadying the tablet with my left hand the way I'm used to. Again, this can be accounted for if I find a suitable, small, very minimal keypad that I can perhaps affix to the leather case so that I'm mimicking the accessibility of those buttons.
Other than that, that's it. Sai is very quirky on the tablet, and doesn't like to let you access the taskbar while it's maximized. It also doesn't handle dual touch very well, so I haven't figured out how to keep touch functionality activated while I'm trying to paint. That's Sai's fault for ALWAYS having some temperamental issues, though, and I have a feeling I'll figure it out pretty quickly.
The good news is, sketching and inking on this thing is actually incredibly relaxing and very easy. The bad news is, I'm basically starting over from square one learning to paint. So, my clients will hopefully be forgiving if my painting is a little slow, but you all will be seeing nicer, faster sketches from here on out, as I will enjoy doing them much more. If worse comes to worst, I will figure out how to use the Intuos to color until me and the tablet have had it out and practiced together a bit more. ^_~
★ THIS IS RELEVANT! :D ★
Stephen Fry: What I Wish I Had Known When I Was 18
http://www.openculture.com/2010/05/....._i_was_18.html
-I've seen people complain about the battery power, but I think these people are forgetting that they're dealing with a pretty powerful tablet PC here, not an iPad. Three and a half hours of battery power to be totally untethered while drawing has been pretty fantastic. I also can't think of a lot of situations where I'd NEED to be away from an outlet for that long... curled up in my bed, sitting on the living room couch, or anywhere else (even at a table at a con) will most likely have an outlet, and if it doesn't, 3.5 hours isn't a terrible sacrifice to make for mobility and power.
-That said, it's not going to compare to the new laptop, obviously. I am using Sai and may really never end up pushing the tablet to its limits. If it can handle Photoshop or Painter, I'd have to be very gentle with it. Regardless, since the thing is a glorified sketchbook for me, I don't intend to push it too hard -- and it CAN be upgraded if necessary.
-The pressure sensitivity is obviously lower than I'm used to on the Cintiq, but this can be balanced with a slight alteration in my process and the acquisition of a nicer pen. :) Which I plan to get, as the default one has no buttons. I wasn't really using the ones I had on my Cintiq pen, but the next point will explain why the lack of a button on the default pen has been tricky.
-No express keys! Ahh! :D I am spoiled. I need undo (at the bare minimum -- and I am willing to use the right-click function on the pen for this, if I must... if there's only one shortcut I can have, Undo is that shortcut). I need pan, zoom, brush size, and recently added to my arsenal -- toggling transparent color on/off (mostly for sketching/inking). Right now I am making do with the Bluetooth keyboard and an awkward positioning of my left arm to keep it handy, which means I'm not steadying the tablet with my left hand the way I'm used to. Again, this can be accounted for if I find a suitable, small, very minimal keypad that I can perhaps affix to the leather case so that I'm mimicking the accessibility of those buttons.
Other than that, that's it. Sai is very quirky on the tablet, and doesn't like to let you access the taskbar while it's maximized. It also doesn't handle dual touch very well, so I haven't figured out how to keep touch functionality activated while I'm trying to paint. That's Sai's fault for ALWAYS having some temperamental issues, though, and I have a feeling I'll figure it out pretty quickly.
The good news is, sketching and inking on this thing is actually incredibly relaxing and very easy. The bad news is, I'm basically starting over from square one learning to paint. So, my clients will hopefully be forgiving if my painting is a little slow, but you all will be seeing nicer, faster sketches from here on out, as I will enjoy doing them much more. If worse comes to worst, I will figure out how to use the Intuos to color until me and the tablet have had it out and practiced together a bit more. ^_~
★ THIS IS RELEVANT! :D ★
Stephen Fry: What I Wish I Had Known When I Was 18
http://www.openculture.com/2010/05/....._i_was_18.html
Glad you're having fun with it. ^^
I do all my work on a Samsung Series 7 Slate, which is almost a sibling to the EP121. They both definitely run photoshop quite well without very little qualms! I look forward to seeing the art you put out with yours.