Selecting a PC Drawing Tablet

A PC drawing tablet is the perfect bridge between the traditional and digital realms of art. If you're tired of the old pencil and paper and are ready to hop into the world of Photoshop, Painter, and Art Rage you're really going to want to get a drawing tool that will give you the control that you just can't get with a mouse.

Why Draw with a Rock
When You Could Use a Pen?

The advantage of a drawing tablet is that it gives you a similar feeling to what you have with a pencil. Of course, it's not exactly the same, but it's a thousand times better than using a mouse.

If you think about it, the mouse is really like a rock - the same type of drawing tool that cavemen used such a long, long time ago. Thankfully we don't have to suffer through this, because as an artist having a lack of control, especially when you're used to using tools like a pencil or brush, can be extremely frustrating.

Which Tablet is Right for You?

There are lots of different options available to you, but there is one company that stands out above the rest when it comes to drawing on the computer and that is Wacom. I bought my first and only pc tablet about eight years ago and it still works perfectly today. That really says something about the quality of Wacom, and you can feel confident that even though compared to the pencil it may seem expensive, unlike a pencil it will never run out and you should be able to get many, many years of use from it - perhaps even a lifetime!

While the price range goes from under $100 to over $1000 I suggest that you go for the cheaper option so that you can see if you really like drawing on the computer before you invest a lot of money into this type of tool. My tablet has 4" x 5" drawing surface, has pressure sensitivity, and is USB powered - meaning that I just plug it into the computer and there is no need for an external power source.

Where can You Get a PC Drawing Tablet?

Generally speaking, you can get a tablet at any large electronics store. You have probably walked by them many times without even noticing what they are, but I assure you that they are there. If you don't have access to one of these stores then you can always order online and one of the great things about tablets is that as long as you are buying a Wacom brand tablet that has pressure sensitivity there is almost no way that you can go wrong so you don't have to worry about ordering the wrong product. As long as it fits within your price range, you should be good to go.

So don't be scared by the technology or the cost of a tablet versus traditional drawing tools. The time and money that you spend learning to use a tablet will bring you years of enjoyment because there's so much more that you can do with your art when you take it on to the computer. Remember that without a tablet, you're just drawing with a rock!