Pinging Art #3: Wacom Intuos4!

In the heart of Kuala Lumpur there lies a place of called Plaza Low Yat. It is called an "IT Mall". Everyone knows it as THE place to buy anything electronic. I'm told that in US they call them "Fry's" or something like that. Or was it "Curry's"? No, wait- I think that's British.

Hm... fries and curries...

Well, anyway... in KL it's Plaza Low Yat.

Mind you this place which exists in perpetual organized chaos is not quite like the chain-store atmosphere of Fry's. It's simply an entire marketplace-like mall consisting of miscellaneous little outfits dedicated to selling electronics and electronic media.

I hate malls, so I have never been there in my life.

But due to certain circumstances which require I obtain a new graphic tablet, I decided to venture to the only place I could be certain to 100% find a Wacom Intuos 4 which I had long coveted.

My main worry was the price. I had already visited other stores in search of my dream tablet. I was really hoping not to have to resort to going to Low Yat, but tiring of condescending shop assistants trying to fob off old stock to me at jacked up prices (Think Intuos 3's at 30% more than recommended prices) I figured that intense competition would help me find a tablet my poor budget could afford.

Of course, on arriving there on the first day of the end of Eid, I ended up avoiding maybe 50% of the usual crowds. Not too bad at all. But as it turns out, lots of the vendors in Low Yat aren't above trying to fleece naive-looking girls looking for esoteric pieces of computer equipment either.

I hope I don't come across as too pompous when I say I am neither. But after some intense search, a lot of walking, price checking, and some very interesting observations on the art of dodgy salesmenship yielded an interesting experience.

"Oh those models aren't out yet, try this one, this is the latest!" (Intuos 3, HAH!)

"My price is the best miss! My competitor says he's selling them for 300 ringgit less but I assure you, he has none in stock! I checked!"

Fortunately I DO check. And competitor has them in stock for price within and below my budget. I emerged triumphant with a brand new shiny Intuos 4 and a hole in my credit card.

Well, a metaphorical one, ok?

So what can I say about it? (the tablet, not the hole). After my teeny A6 Graphire 2, the Medium Intuos4 really is very very nice. I can draw directly on the comp with this thing, and I found that the bundled software it comes with works much better than Photoshop for drawing and painting.

One of the first things I drew with the tablet. A self portrait where I look like a deranged killer. You'd look like that too if you'd spent your whole day in a mall.

It has to be said the Intuos 4's control is so much better (I still have more control with my chienese brushes, but let's not compare apples and oranges here). I am definitely enjoying learning to use it, ranging from the funky LED buttons and the touch wheel that lets me change brush size on the fly. It will come in handy when I go back to full colour comics again.

Overall...

Let's just hope that it's as hardy as my old Graphire 2. Now that was a solid piece of work...

UPDATE:

So far I find it quite possible to create an entire comic digitally. In fact I think the textured surface and the standard nib do a pretty good approximation of pencil on paper. I haven't quite experimented with the different nibs (felt and brush) yet. We'll see how that goes, but for the meantime, sample of the digital comic making process:




I still think my rough blues had more energy though.