Finally trying out a Wacom digitizing tablet for drawing and photo editing

My first impression is that it's very easy to use. I didn't know what to expect. They were simply on sale, and I've always wanted to try one, so I got the medium Intuos Pro. I'm still waiting for it to charge so I can go wireless, then I'll give it a better look.

Meanwhile, it's still useable (of course) while it's plugged into the USB. However, my desk is very small so I plan to use it on my lap, thus also keeping my arm relaxed, so I'm prepared to wait. People online say it takes 6 hours for a full charge.

Some people on Amazon, etc, complained about the cord between tablet and USB. I agree it's a bit loose at the tablet end, but basically it works. The wireless feature requires plugging in a little USB wireless port to the back of my Mac, and I've decided to remove it when not in use, because I think it might keep the tablet in semi-sleep mode. I'm just not sure, and there's no instructions about whether you are supposed to leave it affixed to the computer. My rule of thumb is to unplug anything not necessary, to prevent wasting power.

Here's a sense of the size of the item - it's almost as big as its box, but weighs less than you might imagine. It's like having an oversized iPad on your lap. The specs say 12x15" and 2.2 pounds roughly. Check out the specs of the various sizes at wacom.com if you're concerned about this. Also note that the sensitive drawing area is only between the four little white 'corner marks' on the surface - not the whole thing.

I was shocked with delight when I started up Photoshop. The pen must contain something that the tablet can sense without the nib having to touch the surface. The mouse moved when I moved my hand (with the tablet pen in my grip) towards my trackpad! You can move the mouse as usual, without setting anything at all, or in my case a trackpad, PLUS whenever the pen is hovering above the tablet, it moves the cursor on screen.

Until I purchased a table, I had been wondering  how this works - how does the tablet and Photoshop know where the brush strokes are going to start. It's so obvious now. Hold your pen above the tablet and orient your position where you want it to start drawing, then drop the nib to the surface. Then your pen handling controls kick in. Right away I could tell that Photoshop brush strokes range from barely noticeable to quite thick strokes, depending on how firm I press with the pen.

That's all for my initial reaction to the product. I can't wait to sit back a bit, cordless in another hour or so, and try out some more features. I don't even know what the buttons on the tablet do, nor the button on the pen.

It's an exciting addition to my drawing tools for sure.