Digital BW, The Print

I got a graphire a year or so ago, and use it plenty for photoshop
business - and the usefulness of the touch sensitivity is great and really
has to be used to be appreciated. I do have a problem with the control
aspect of it though, and I pinned it down to the slipperyness of the pen
point on the pad - for me it is too slick, there isn't much feedback from
the tip, and I find I slide all over it when I'm trying to do something
slowly, or finely detailed. So I've stuck a sheet of paper over the pad and
its much much better, because the tip doesn't necessarily slide when I apply
more pressure, I can draw a hard, thick line without it becoming scribbly.
This probably has a lot to do with individual sketch style too mind, I'm
pretty loose and iterative with pencils, whereas some people tend to be more
controlled. I'd like an angle sensing system, to vary the width of the line
(pressure to control the darkness), but the ones that offer such a feature
are too expensive for my application.

I do find it tricky to use the pen for things other than sketching business,
partially because the double click is tricky, partially because of the extra
concentration it takes to use. Mice are easier to use in conjunction with
keyboards.

I'd recommend a graphire for any work that favours a naturalistic sketchy
style of working over a precise, but my sister, who has bad rsi in her
wrists and hands finds it unusable - possibly a matter of finding the best
way to use it.


sandy noble @ www.euphy.co.uk