WACOM technique for idiots

[galumph]

I'm totally crap at WACOM digital pen drawing. I've spent an evening doing sod all other than produce somthing that looks like it was done in paint. Any hints on good WACON technique?

[evillittleman]

wrong section you want tutorials and instruction. I've used a wacom for a while and they take a little getting used to. There are a few different settings for the driver itself that changes how the 'pen' is mapped to the tablet. If your'e on Windows it's a control panel if Mac OS its own little application dealie.
One important setting under mapping/speed is aspect which changes how your drawing is mapped to the screen.
aspects
One to One: means you can only draw on the screen the actual size of tablet, so if it's 6X8 then there will be a 6X8 square on your screen you can draw in and it maps your strokes faithfully, but can be a pain in the ass because you can't use the pen tool like a mouse and it's alittle claustrophobic.
proportional : scales the size up to fit the screen I use this
and to fit : which is like proportional but there is something about it that bugs me and I donnt recall what that is.
Anyway play around with the setting and find out what feels comfortable. But it does take alittle getting used to.
One more thing the search functiion at the top of the board and it does come in handy, as this topic may have been covered in much greater depth than what I provided.

[galumph]

Cheers.

But i think my issue is that I cant grow the line thickness with the pen like I can with the brush. And when i do free hand stuff, when I go over the lines with another thicker line, the result looks like a tracing.....

Oh well. First stuff i did looked OK. I guess i'll get the hang of it. I think I prefer the brush, but using the pen to select an area to fill is excellent.

[evillittleman]

The line thickness issue has to do with the program you are drawing in. So Corel Painter (I think) and Expression both have variable line. That should be your next question, in the instruction and tutorials section, recommendations for inexpensive or cost effective drawing progams. My girlfriend is coming home soon and I have fetch to fetch her Martini, or I will be severely beaten, so g'nite.

[AgentHelix]

Moving to the Tech section.

[suryrony]

few tips :
at first like at the drawing lessons try to draw with your arm and not the wrist.
one great thing to practice your ability is to play those web games like pop-up and tetris with the tablet.
about the inking\weight thing...there is an option in the tablet preferences that let's you test and decide how much pressure you want to use , in painter and photoshop the inking should work , try to re-install the drivers.
one little trivial thing , don't work too close too the screen with the tablet board, it tends to create shekes that will creep you out about the "crap" tablet you bought. also don't position yourself too close since it narrows your view .