ISO50

Well, considering you are looking at a tablet as a replacement for a mouse and not primarily for drawing (although that might be something you’ll consider in future), I’d say lean towards the 9×12 – however, if you’re going to do any sort of drawing (like in Painter or in Photoshop or even Illustrator), then the 12×12 is an excellent size. One thing to consider is when you’re mousing around, you are actually dragging the pen across the surface – I don’t know how well it responds to pick up and put down movements (you may want to test this out before taking the plunge), which would be more natural, *if* the cursor followed you across the screen (which it won’t). This is one thing that I quickly gave up on when I tried a tablet to replace my mouse, and instead found the combination of both to be a good trade off (but then again, I don’t suffer from RSI, at least yet)

I use two monitors and find 6×11 works perfectly. Image on one, panels on the other it is very helpful between switching from spanning both screens to actual pixels and keeping true perspective. Not to mention is makes perfect wrist rest for white apple keyboard.

Long time reader, first time commenter.

I love my 6×11. For wide-screen or dual-screen layouts, it’s totally perfect.

I have an illustrator friend with the 12×19…it’s ridiculous. Too big for the desk, she sits it in her lap and works like that.

I have the 4″x6″ and have no issues with it at all. I don’t have to move my arm too much… just my wrist more than anything. I should note, though, that I also tend to do my hand sketches at a relatively small scale – so if you’re the type of artist you uses a large sketch pad, you’ll want to go larger with your tablet as well.

I never use a mouse anymore. I’ve been using this tablet for probably 6 years at this point, and I’ll never go back.

i like 6×8 or 6×11. anything smaller will kill your wrist anything bigger will kill your shoulder. i sound like a cripple…
although if you do want to go bigger, there’s always the remapping(resizing) options in the wacom preferences.

I own a 6×8 Intuos. Right now it’s collecting dust. I do mostly photo editing and find the mouse to be more precise for me. However, I am keeping the tablet around because I will be using it in the future. I did use it for a little while and since I’m left handed, I can work the tablet and the mouse at the same time. So you’re in luck if you’re a lefty.

It felt weird to use a tablet for the first time but I can see where using it often will become second nature with practice.

I’m still stuck with the crappy mouse that came with my iMac. I think it’s time to look into something more comforting and stylish. The white pill look isn’t doing it for me.

Get the biggest one you can. It really gives the whole digital painting a lot better effect. Don’t be worried about having to go from one side of the tablet to the other, its no big deal.

I have one of the BAMBOO ones, i think its somewhere like a 4×6 and its great for professional use. this is my second one, i upgraded from a cheap $50 tiny one, which i used just to see if i would like it or not. Once i knew that i went to something more in my price range (bamboos are $100) next i will be upgrading to a 9×12 big daddy. if you have never used one, it will probably take about 3 days to a week to get used to it… but i dont even use the mouse that came with mine, now.

I recently buyed a 9×12 for a 22″ monitor, but I feel 6×11 would be the right size.

6×8 w/out a doubt

do you know about this new product that is coming out http://www.candledragon.com/ I think that if it performs as good as it looked on the lecture I sat in… this product will be a good competitor for wacom tablets… check it out

I absolutely love my 9×12, it works great with my wide-screen monitor. I have also used a 6×8, but I like the freedom and space I get from the 9×12. Though, I only use it for illustration and fine tuning, I’ll never give up my mouse.

9×12 works perfect, although you better have space for it on your desk. I don’t and because of that, I don’t use it that often.

6×8 is the perfect size.
Anything bigger and I feel like its falling off my desk.

Definitely 6×8. Anything smaller is to inaccurate, anything bigger will make your arm tired and would be useful only if the tablet had a screen.

I use a Cintiq 12WX. Its great and has enhanced my work greatly. I say that if you’re going for a wacom and can afford it, go for a Cintiq. http://www.wacom.com/cintiq/12wx.cfm

I like the small one. Feels like sketching in my Moleskine.

I’ve been using wacom tablets for over 10 years now… absolutely indispensable. I started off with the 4×6 at the very beginning, but have been much more comfortable singe graduating up to the 6×8. Good compromise on the tablet/desk-space ratio. 6×11 will likely be my next…. though I’d be curious to try the feel of the 9×12. Definitely go for the Intous, though… much better feel than their lower-end Graphires.

Scott… what was the deciding factor in getting a tablet?

I have a 6×11. I work with 2 screens so it’s really nice to have the extra room. Basically, half of the tablet is one screen. So I put it between my screens next to the keyboard. I would also recommend if you have a really big, widescreen monitor. When I’m just working with just my labtop screen, I’ll change the proportion so I’m only using half the tablet.

A word of advice: Once you start using it, it will feel weird, but use your stylus and ONLY your stylus for about 2 weeks straight and you’ll get used to it really fast.

Bigger is always better. With that said, I replaced my 9×12 with a 6×11 over a year ago and couldn’t be happier.

I got a second hand 12×12 intuos 2 not very expensively.
It’s perfect except it’s no way to take it with me.
You can map the area of the board, so you don’t need to move your hands all around if you’re used to small boards.
The only thing bothers me is that there’s no way to use 2 monitors and the wacom perfectly at the same time. You definitely want to map the board to one monitor, but then you can no longer use wacom pen to select the panels on the other monitor.

6 x 8 is the way to go. Also on all the tablets you can fully customize the speed and sensitivity settings. So you can set up a 2:1 ratio to move freer around the screen and just zoom in to have more control on finesse brush work in photoshop.

Cosign on not getting the smallest. I have it, and it’s virtually useless.

I had used a 6 x 8 for years creating fonts on a 1600×1200 CRT. It worked great. I’ve sinced moved up to a 24″ iMac (1920×1200) and found it was a little cramped. The 6 x 11 IMHO is the most well rounded size for larger displays up to 24″. I think it’s important to pair your new tablet with the display you will be using for years to come.

http://tinyurl.com/5n6ufo
*I have my tablet paired to my main display, and set it to ignore my secondary display that I use for itunes, firefox, and chat. I use a mouse for that screen.

Never had any problems with Intuos3, one of the most reliable peices of hardware I’ve ever purchased. Has stood up to many sudden red lights in the back seat of my car.

My vote is
6 x 11.

Hi Scott,
a quick comment on the Wacom Tablet: I’m working on an Wacom Intuos tablet, A4 size. Lovin it! No problems wth the size and you get used to moving around with the pen. Note: working on two screens simultaniously doen’t work so good. If you try to draw a circle, you get an oval. So if youre working on 2 screens, I’d sugest you get a tablet with wide-screen measurements. Goodluck!

PS> Lovin’ your work. Keep it up!

I’ve been using an Intuos A4 tablet for over 8 years now. Probably just the right size. Any bigger and you may have problems with desk space. I love Wacom stuff – my mouse was relegated to the dustbin years ago

Sorry to hijack your question a bit Scott, but after all this great advice, how about if you plan to use it for photoshop work.

Same rule of thumb on size?

And how about improving the work?

i have a 6×8 inch one and i find it to be the best size, any smaller is pointless and you cannot get into details any bigger and the strokes you need are so huge that you have similar detail issues, the a4 size might be ok, but i have used this a5 size one for years and its served me very well.

I’ve been using the INTUOS 3 A5 size, which has been perfect for everything I need. It fits neatly with my laptop case with my powerbook. I guess it really depends on whether you just want to be moving your wrist for most tasks (like a mouse) or if you need to apply longer strokes.

http://www.wacom-europe.com/index2.asp?lang=en&pid=126

INTUOS A3 for sure…i use it on my 15″ macbook pro…kicks ass

I have a Intuos 3 6×11 and love it. They start to get too big and cumbersome if you go much bigger.

Now if you can fork out 2g’s and get a Cintiq 21UX (20UX indefinite backorder)…get that! They are absolutely the best! Using a Cintiq has made a huge difference, even after using an Intuos tablet for a few years.

I use the 6×8 Intuos and love it. It’s big enough for what I need without taking up too much desk real estate. I usually use mouse mapping instead pen mapping, so the amount of space is never an issue for me.

I’m using a 6×11 with two 20 inch monitors. It has good proportions for sure. Sometimes I wonder about going bigger (9×12 or 12×12) but then think that’s getting too big, unless you do a whole lot of production type photo touch ups.

A 6×11 would be a great place to start and you’d probably use it for years and years.

If I had all available to me, I’d still only use the 6×8. It suits me perfectly.

I see I’m not alone in recommending the 6×8… it’s the BEST!
I often work on 2 x 24′ monitors and I still find it to be the perfect size.
I’ve tried the 12×12 and it’s too huge…
Happy Tablet using…you’re gonna wonder why it’s taken you so long to make the switch… I can’t even use a mouse anymore, it feels ridiculous!

First, let me say I am a professional graphic designer for a large print & design copany, and didn’t seriously start using a tablet until about a year into my job. Now I feel I cannot work well without it. Once you get used to it (it took me a week or so) every movement seems more precise and faster! And controlling Photoshop & Illustrators tools is much more comfortable with the pen than with the mouse.

I am using a 12×12 as I write this from work. The 12×12 is great as long as you have a large enough workspace to put it. However the 9×12 is cheaper, and offers pretty much the same exact amount of “useable” drawing space if you have a standard resolution monitor and use the “force aspect ratio” setting which I do and which I will explain in a minute.

For “home” work I use my widescreen laptop, and I use a Wacom 6×11 tablet because the 12×12 is too large by far to move around a lot, and the 6×11 almost matches the aspect ratio of my laptop screen when I use the “force aspect ratio” setting.

The Force Aspect ratio setting makes your tablets active area (the drawable area) match the ratio of your monitor. At work I use a standard ratio monitor (4:3) and because my screen is a rectangle and the 12×12 tablet is obviously square, if I didn’t use the forced aspect ration, all the circles I draw would come out as ovals, and all my squares would come out as rectangles, because I always use my pen in “pen” mode, which matches a point on the tablet to a point on the screen, unlike “mouse” mode in which the pen moves like a standard mouse. Because of this forced aspect ratio the bottom 3 inched of my tablet are not used (they area can be set up to control multiple monitors, but I only use one at the moment).

With my 6×11 tablet about 1 centimeter along the right edge of the tablets work area is not useable when I match my tablet ratio to the laptops screen ratio.

The reason I match the ratio, and use the pen in “pen” mode, is because aside from the very nice (and expensive) Cintiq tablets, these settings are the closest you can get to simulating drawing on paper with a pen or pencil (or brush).

I mention the ratio issue only because I was unaware of this when I first got a tablet, which is why I had my company shell out more money for the 12×12 when they could have saved $100 or so on the 9×12. I was smarter when I bought my own tablet for use with my laptop.

You should find the tablet in the size you like that is closest in aspect ratio to your monitor, this will give you the best results when you use you tablet, and prevent you from wasting money on size you can’t use.

As for which size, big or small. I have both, and I like both. The smaller tablet is definitely a lot more portable, so ifyou intend to take it with your along with your MacBook, I would highly recommend a smaller tablet.

A bigger tablet feels less confining, and gives you just a bit more control when working on things zoomed far in.

You might think that 12×12 would require large arm movements, but really, they are no larger than if you were drawing onto an A4 sketchpad. Even with the larger arm movements, the pen is so much more comfortable than the mouse you won’t notice it.

In anycase, as long as you get a Wacom Intuos I doubt you will be dissapointed.

9×12. get the neoprene case for it and the airbrush pen with the wheel. 9×12 will fit in most laptop briefcases and bicycle delivery style bags, as well as most carry on style luggage.

the size of the surface is the key reason to select the 9″x12″. i’ve been drawing on letter size paper my whole life, so it’s a natural fit to what i’m used to holding and visualizing. on the smaller pads i found that the overall tini surface affected how i had to hold it and position my hand. i do not want to be thinking about mechanics while i’m making something.

bag:
http://www.sparco.com/cgi-bin/wfind2?spn=A49F580

pen:
http://www.wacom.com/intuos/Intuos_Airbrush_tips.pdf

9X12

I would recommend the Intros 9 X 12, since thats what I use everyday for everything at work. I love it and the reason why I got my tablet at that size is due to the idea that it was close to that of a sketch book page. So you don’t have to worry about running out of drawing space making long strokes. After you get accustomed to using the pen, setting up the shortcut side buttons and the screen aspect ratio, you will find that your productivity will go up so much!

Go for the 9 x 12

I think ultimately depends on the intended use and the size of the screen you are working on. For architectural use, I use a larger pad, I’m hoping one day to have reason to purchase the 12k US$, digital drafting table. The 6 x 8 is what I use for graphic work and it is perfect for what I need. I also operate 3 monitors off my Mac, this affects the active area to a degree but you can adjust this in personal settings. Bigger is not necessarily better…it ultimately depends on how you intend to you use the tablet, think about the number and size of monitors you have and how much active area on the pad you need. If your doing serious illustrations or something or architectural drawings I’d go 9 x 12, but for most graphic work 6 x8 suffices. Dont install the accessory software, it effs things up. I don’t think the NIK Colour effects that useful. Johnathan’s comment looks most succinct regarding the technical aspects of using a tablet.

Tansi, faites bien/shalom

First thing you have to work out, is wether you’ll use the tablet in regular tablet mode or mouse mode. I’m probably one of the very few people who use the mouse mode, but it makes logical sense in my head. For mouse mode the 6×8 is fantastic. If you’re using it in the regular mode (maps to screen points) I’d get the tablet that reflects the ration of your screen most accurately. You’ll know within the first week (it only took me a week to learn) if you chose the right size, so you can always send it back and get an upgrade if you’re not sure.

Make sure you draw as much as you can in the first week!

i think 6×11. small enough so that your keyboard is just above it on your desk and still within reach, but large enough to get any work done. anything larger and your keyboard is far away. also it fits the format of a widescreen monitor.

GRAPHIC DESIGN OR ILLUSTRATION???

having owned a fair amount of Wacom products, for starting out I would suggest a Wacom 6×11. This is a widescreen format and would closely match the proportions of that new MacBook Pro you purchased. Its a very reasonable device for what we would normally consider as everyday design work.

On a side note I would recommend a 9×12 if you think your going to be doing a lot a sketch work/”traditional” illustration in say Photoshop. Most industrial and product designers per example usually have a larger tablet. Many of the folks who do the concept art for “Star Wars” have the largest tablet money can buy.

On a personal note I recently purchased a Wacom 12ux, which although has a smaller “drawing response area” it allows you to actually draw on its built in screen, making the transition of hand/eye coordination a snap. Something of which usually takes weeks or months to fully become accustomed to.

Also having a “6D Art Pen” versus the standard pen is a nice addition. Gives you the feeling of having a wider brush or a marker.

Hey man,

I saw you at the show in Clearwater, the Connext Project, I got to talk to you for a little bit at your stand before your set. I’m a sophomore at Ringling. Awesome show by the way, it seems like that asshole from mtv3 cut you off short though.

I have an intuos3 9×12, and it works great. there is a bigger 12×12 if you really want the space, but the 9×12 works great with a single or dual screen. the labs at school have 6×11 and they work, but the 9×12 just has that nice breathing room, not to sound like a dork, ha.

9×12 is the way to go

“One thing to consider is when you’re mousing around, you are actually dragging the pen across the surface – I don’t know how well it responds to pick up and put down movements (you may want to test this out before taking the plunge), which would be more natural, *if* the cursor followed you across the screen (which it won’t).”

Just to be clear, Joyrex, to mouse around on a Wacom you shouldn’t be dragging the stylus at all times. You should basically be “hovering” above the tablet surface. If you’re dragging the stylus across the tablet, that translates into holding down the mouse button and moving the mouse.

As for the pick up and put down movements, you can choose between “mouse mode” and “pen mode”, pen mode being the most common. In pen mode, the stylus surface essentially corresponds with the screen surface, whereas in mouse mode the two planes are independent.

I have a huge old Intuos (the original Intuos) 12×12. Too bulky to keep out on my desk, but great for certain projects.

I’d say go for the A5 wide Intuos as its the perfect balance between large enough to be precise but not too large that a 10-hour stretch of illustrating will tire you out…

Intous 3, 9×12 here… been using them since carpal tunnel busted up my right arm.. so being left-handed lets me draw with the left and use the key commands with the right… I could never live without it.. using a mouse is like painting with a bar of soap!

Let me throw my support behind the 4×6″
Unless you are making huge movements with your arm like an oil painter, you’ll be moving your pen in very minute movements. you will never need any more space. Trust me.

I have the 6×11 and think it’s the optimal size. I use two monitors (the one on my laptop and a 24″ flatscreen), and this one seems to cover the real estate nicely.

Of course you can control the portion of the tablet that is actually used in the settings – so you can always make it a bit smaller if you like.

Scott, I think that you should consider what size your sketchbook drawings usually are, and thus the length of the stroke you are most accustomed to making. My drawings are usually done fairly small with black ink pens, and I’ve found that Wacom’s 4×6 (their smallest, I believe) is the perfect size for me.

I use the 9×12, though I now have a 30″ display, and wonder if a 6×11 wouldn’t be more fitting. It’s most useful for doing intricate pen work in making vectors – I find it really awkward to draw with, but after almost a year am still getting used to it.

Question for the Wacom users – anyone had trouble with their mouse? My right click function is growing more and more stubborn, and sometimes requires 3-4 clicks just to get the right click menu to open up. Do I have a dud mouse? Or are others experiencing this?

This brings me to an idea:…