It wasn't until 1998 that I discovered that by using a digital drawing pad I could interface with a computer in a meaningful and useful fashion. That is when I first entered the world of working with a computer to help me do some of my work. Since then we have seen vast improvements in computing speeds, and plenty of pretty amazing programs. I would never want to go back to doing everything by hand. But the key to it all - as it was back in 1998 is the digital drawing pad. It allows me to use a virtual pen instead of a mouse - which I would compare to trying to draw with a bar of soap. It sure isn't ideal for any kind of detail work.

There are a number of sizes available and I've tried them all. My favorite (so far) is the Wacom Intuos 5 Medium as shown below.

Today I picked up the latest and best digital drawing pad I've owned to date ... a Wacom Intuos 5 - medium size. There is one better - a Cintique that allows you to draw on the screen but with the amazing graphics currently available with my Mac moniters I'll stick with the separate drawing pad. There is a learning curve of course as with just about everything. The tricky part is to learn to draw with your hand in one place while you look elsewhere - the computer screen. I tell those I talk to the secret is to give your mouse to someone you trust and then tell them that NO MATTER WHAT they are not to give it back to you for five or six days. It's my bet that you will never go back.

I also purchased some screen capture software today, meaning I could do a quick demo for you showing just how simple drawing with a digital tablet can be. Here's the video...

-grampa dan