Wacom Bamboo Splash Plus Corel Painter Lite

Wacom Bamboo Splash with Corel Painter Lite

 

Right now, Corel is bundling the Wacom Bamboo Splash with Corel Painter Lite for $99.99 on their site. I think it’s a very good deal for someone who is new to digital drawing and wants to try it out without spending a fortune on a tablet PLUS software.

I don’t know how long this bundle deal will be available. If you aren’t interested in Corel Painter Lite, you can also buy the Wacom Bamboo Splash on Amazon (my favorite place to buy things) for even less money. Click here to read more about this tablet and/or buy it!

Click here to read my review of the Bamboo Splash!

 

 

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New Wacom Bamboo Mini Stylus

Wacom Bamboo Mini Stylus

Wacom just launched the Bamboo mini stylus for $14.95 on their web site.

It’s only 1.85 inches long and dangles from your phone’s headphone jack. The dangling might annoy some people.

Like it’s larger stylus brother, it comes in various colors (pink, green, blue, red, white and black).

Wacom Bamboo Mini stylus

Bamboo stylus mini by Wacom

What do you think about it? I think it’s seems a little too stubby, but I’d have to use one to be sure.

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New Bamboo Stylus Pocket

Bamboo Stylus Pocket

 

Wacom just came out with a new Bamboo stylus that seems exactly like the old one except it can expand so it is smaller than the original. Wacom boasts that it can be stored in the headphone jack of your iPad or other touch screen device, but I can’t figure out how just by looking at it.

So far, I haven’t found any videos of the Bamboo Pocket stylus in use.

What do you think?

 

Perks to Wacom Bamboo With Anime Studio 8 Upgrade

Anime-studio-pro-8

Wacom and Smith Micro have formed a partnership. In doing so, upgrading Anime Studio 8.1 will allow artists to use finger gestures on the Wacom Bamboo multi-touch tablets. The update also contains 30 new features and performance upgrades.

Multi-touch allows animators, graphic designers and digital artists to be more efficient and save design time. You can use more than one finger at once which saves time performing ordinary commands. By making the process more user friendly, digital artists can use finger taps and gestures to design, create, adjust scenes and objects as well as zoom, drag and drop, scale and rotate designs.

Anime-studio-debut-8

Anime Studio Pro is retailing at $199.99 and Anime Studio Debut is $49.99. Currently, Debut is selling for $34.99 and Pro is priced at $139.99 on Amazon.

If you don’t own a Wacom Bamboo tablet, you can read more on my Wacom review site!

Wacom_bamboo_connect

Which Wacom Tablet To Buy?

Featured

Here’s my top five Wacom tablets list. Click on the menus at the top for the full reviews!

My Top 5 Wacom Graphics Tablets:

Wacom Cintiq 24HD Tablet DisplayWacom Cintiq 24HD Multi-Touch Tablet / Display (Links to Amazon)- Best of the Wacom tablets. The Cintiq 24HD multi-touch is the largest graphics tablet display and is considered the holy grail of drawing tablets. For serious and/or professional artists, designers and animators.

Wacom Cintiq 22HD Tablet / Display (Links to Amazon)- Expect the same high quality as the Cintiq 24HD, but for about $500 less and about $1000 less than the 24HD multi-touch.

Wacom Intuos5 Pen Tablet – Excellent for a professional designer/artist. Available in different sizes and a wireless option.

Wacom Bamboo Splash Tablet – Great for an artist who has never used a tablet before and seriously wants to make the leap from standard drawing to digital.

Wacom Bamboo Create Pen and Touch Tablet – Great for someone who is interested in the same things that the Bamboo Splash offers, but wants more drawing space. Also, this Bamboo tablet  is bundled with more software than the Bamboo Splash.

:: Click here to read more or buy a Wacom tablet from Amazon! ::

intuos5 wacom tablet computerBuying a Wacom Tablet:
I’m a self taught graphic designer who has used several different graphics tablets throughout the years and I’m offering my personal Wacom tablet reviews here. Having been disappointed by other brands, I was happy when I found Wacom. I had some confusion researching which Wacom tablet was right for me so I thought writing this Wacom tablet site might help other people make a decision.

For me, Wacom is the frontrunner in graphic design tablets. I believe they are a great company and more importantly, they design and produce high-quality products. I’ve used the other brands in the past and have been disappointed.

Related Articles:

How to Choose a Wacom Graphics Tablet
Graphics Tablets for Kids
Wacom Cintiq 24HD Graphics Tablet Display Review
Wacom VS a PC Tablet
Which Wacom Bamboo Tablet is Best for Image Editing?
Why Buy Wacom Intuos4?

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Graphics Tablets for Kids

Kid-friendly versions of digital drawing pads

Your young child may love drawing now, but the idea of dropping a lot of coin on an expensive Wacom tablet that might get broken easily is not something I would want to do. I’ve put together a list of fun digital tablets that are intended to not break your pocketbook or your heart if your kid decides to use it as a hammer. Click on each link to read more about each one on Amazon!

Genius Kids designer graphic tablet
Genius: the Kids Designer Graphic Tablet

 

 

boogie board paperless graphic tablet writing pad
Boogie Board Paperless LCD Writing Tablet

 

 
Graphic Tablet with Cordless Pen DigiPro
DigiPro Graphic Tablet with Cordless Pen

 

 

Genius G-Pen 4500 Tablet with Mouse and Pen
Genius G-Pen 4500 Tablet with Mouse and Pen

 

 

wacom bamboo touch graphic tablet
Wacom Bamboo Touch Tablet – This tablet is the lowest priced of the Wacom tablets, but it only uses your hands and not a pen.

 

crayola colorstudio digital drawing stylus
Crayola ColorStudio HD iMarker Digital Stylus – Not a drawing tablet, but great if you already own an Apple iPad.

 

 

Digital graphic tablet ivista
Flexible Digital Graphic Tablet by iVistaTablet List price is a little high, but you can usually find it for $35-$40 on Amazon

 

IPen kidpix pen mouse tablet

I-Pen Kidpix Pen Mouse

 

 
LaPazz fun pad digital tablet
Lapazz FunPad Pressure Level Graphic Tablet

 

How to Choose a Wacom Tablet

A Simple Guide to Choosing the Best Wacom Tablet

Choose based on level of artist/ designer:

Beginner/ Entry level – Never used a graphics tablet. Only knows pen and paper.

Intermediate – Has digital graphics software experience and could benefit from using more than just a mouse to create.

Advanced/ Professional Designer – Works in the design field as a designer and/or animator. Already uses a tablet, but wants/needs something a step up.

 

Choose based on type of artist/ designer:

The Casual Artist – Likes to draw or paint in their free time, but wants more than a sketchbook.

The Casual Photographer – Wants to manipulate photos.

The Hobbyist – Enjoys arts and crafts projects. For example, scrapbook making.

The Serious Photographer – Wants to enhance, manipulate or alter photographs with precision.

The Serious Graphic Artist/ Designer – This person is an artist and might be using a beginner-type tablet. Wants to translate their classic skills into digital skills.

Kid-friendly

 

Choose based on budget:

High > $500

Medium $200 – $499

Low < $200

Also, check out the Wacom Inkling and the Bamboo Stylus for the iPad if you are looking for something other than a graphics tablet.

What qualifies me to review graphics tablets?
I’m a freelance graphic designer and I’ve been using graphics tablets for years.  I have experience using Wacom and non-Wacom tablets. Back when there were barely a handful of affordable tablets available, it was easy to decide on which one to buy. Today there are numerous graphics/ digital tablets available for novice to professionals and in different budget ranges.

I created this web site as a way for people to find and easily choose which Wacom tablet to buy. >> Read more in my FAQ here! <<

Digital Art Software Part 1: Beginner Software

Recommended software for beginners

Depending on how you plan to use your Wacom tablet, you might not need professional or expensive software. Some of the more basic Wacom models come with some software already, but the Bamboo Touch doesn’t include any software.

Here’s a list of my top design software choices for beginners with product features.

Adobe Photoshop Elements

  • Easy-to-use editing options
  • Make photo books, cards, calendars, and other creations that look just the way you want
  • Interactive Online Albums and on mobile devices for sharing
  • Automatically organize all your photos and video clips from one convenient place
  • Enjoy automatic online backup with 2GB of free storage; access your photos and videos virtually anywhere


Corel Painter Essentials

  • Simple-to-use home art studio that makes it easy to draw, paint or turn your photos into paintings
  • Great way to get started with digital art
  • Tutorial-based guidebook and accompanying video tutorials/sample files teach you the application


PhotoFinish 4

  • Image editing
  • Photo editing
  • Digital painting


Photo Impact Pro 13

  • Breeze Through Everyday Photo Tasks
  • Improved ExpressFix Wizard
  • Improved High-End Image Editing
  • Hundreds of Special Effects
  • Photo Project Wizard

Click here to browse all digital software on Amazon

–>Next Article: Software for Advanced Digital Artists

Bamboo Stylus for Apple iPad

Now the Bamboo stylus is designed for the iPad!

wacom bamboo ipad stylus

I really like the stylus for the Bamboo models and especially now that there is one created to be compatible with the Apple iPad. There are even applications made specifically for the iPad:

  • Penultimate – note taking
  • Autodesk Sketchbook Mobile – sketching
  • Good Reader – file manager
  • Adobe Ideas – add your own touches to an image
  • Doodle Buddy – simple doodle pad
  • ArtRage – painting

wacom bamboo stylus photoThe Bamboo stylus is a sleek and simple design. It feels very natural – like holding a pen or pencil. It is also compatible with the iPhone4 and has limited support for the first generation Samsung Galaxy Tab. And there are plans to make the Bamboo stylus for the iPad compatible with other touch screen devices in the future.

The tip of the stylus is 25% narrower in diameter than other graphic tablet pens (6mm versus 8mm). This made it easier for me to make precise and finer lines than other graphic tablet pens. I especially noticed a difference with my handwriting.

Wacom Bamboo Stylus for iPadLike all Wacom tablets, it takes a little time to adjust to using a pen on a graphics tablet, but once you do, you won’t be able to tell you aren’t writing on paper.

I’m excited about this new Bamboo/iPad pen! No more finger marks on my iPad/ iPhone4 and it will be much easier to take notes and sketch on the fly.

 

Click here to buy the Bamboo Stylus for iPad from Amazon

Read the full Wacom Bamboo tablet review here

 


Wacom Tablets and Photography

Are Wacom tablets useful for Photographers?

 

Cintiq 24HD with Canon EOS Rebel SLR

Some say yes and some say no. I am not a professional photographer, but I do find it handy to have a Wacom tablet when I want to retouch my photos. I remember using a mouse to edit, draw and paint in Photoshop and Corel, and I do not miss it!

The reasons for using a pen tablet are simple. The interface makes painting and drawing so much easier and faster. A pen is more natural and comfortable than a mouse. You’ll get less hand cramps! The pen has an eraser and side buttons which can be customised to deliver keystrokes, mouse actions and many other actions.

Thanks to the light-weight tablet, it’s very portable and can be set on your lap. With the accurate pressure sensitivity, you can make broad, calligraphic or detailed strokes and other cool effects. It can be awkward to switch between using a keyboard and tablet so Wacom makes it easier on you with buttons and a radial menu that is customizable.

There are other tablet makers out there, but I prefer and highly recommend Wacom. I’ve tried other tablets in the past and was never fully satisfied. I feel like I wasted money when I should have just waited and saved up for a Wacom. The pressure sensitivity in the battery-free pens is the best I have ever used. I also believe Wacom stands apart because their tablets are extremely well-made.  The wide range of tablet options, sizes and features also make Wacom tablets stand above the rest.

Overall, I believe anyone who works with image editing, painting or illustration software should strongly consider a Wacom tablet.

Click the links below to read more reviews!
Overview

Intuos5

Cintiq 24HD
Intuos4
Cintiq 21ux
Cintiq 12wx
Bamboo

Click here to read more or buy a Wacom tablet on Amazon!