Digital Art trouble

gohanss487 2017-01-01 22:25:53 UTC #1

I just got an Intuous Pro for Christmas but I've never done digital art, for some reason the pen seems to move around too much and my art is so much worse. Which I'm pretty good at traditional art but I cant transfer it when it comes to digital. Is there anyone that knows how to help me with my issue?

keii4ii 2017-01-01 22:32:24 UTC #2

First, make sure to install the tablet driver is installed properly. Not the one Windows prompts you to install/ auto-installs, but the one you get from Wacom.

Secondly, don't expect the tablet stylus to feel like a pencil or a pen. It's its own thing. You know how a paintbrush is totally different from a pen? It's that different, though it is neither a paintbrush nor a pen.

Some people retain a distinct preference for traditional media even after getting used to digital, and there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone has their own strengths and preferences.

shazzbaa 2017-01-01 22:35:27 UTC #3

What do you mean when you say the "pen seems to move around too much"? Do you mean like, the lines feel like they're too wobbly? To some extent, that just takes a lot of practice -- just because you can paint with acrylics doesn't mean you're already good at watercolours, and in the same way, just because you can draw well with pen doesn't mean you'll immediately be good at tablet. Your art is gonna look worse because you're learning a new medium!

That said, there's some "line stabilisers" out there, like Lazy Nezumi and that sort of thing -- I can't really recommend any of them since I don't use one myself, but it might be something useful to look into at some point? but I definitely recommend just practicing more with your tablet and getting used to using it.

gohanss487 2017-01-01 22:39:08 UTC #4

I'll try following your advice but It seems like it moves around so much for little movement which makes it hard for me to draw with it. But thank you for the advice!

keii4ii 2017-01-01 22:44:15 UTC #5

Does the tablet surface correspond to your screen?
Meaning, if you move your stylus from corner A of the surface to corner B, does your cursor move from corner A to corner B -- every time you do it? Or, if you bring your stylus to the center of the tablet, does your cursor immediately move to the center of the screen, regardless of where it was before?

If it doesn't do that, the tablet driver may not have been installed properly.

Another possible cause is if you have a huge screen and a small tablet... I have a 27" monitor, and I can't work with smaller tablets.

gohanss487 2017-01-01 22:47:22 UTC #6

I have the small tablet, and it does move immediately to wherever the pen is, but my screen isnt large, the driver works fine. I think its because of how sensitive and fast it is I just might not be used to it.

gateofselidor 2017-01-01 22:47:32 UTC #7

It sounds like this is your first tablet? The hand-eye coordination for using a tablet is quite different to using traditional media, and it's going to take a little while for your brain to catch up and learn how to work with it. Your art won't look as good initially, but with some practice, it will feel a lot more comfortable and look great.

Shanny8 2017-01-01 22:51:01 UTC #8

If the tablet has touch screen options, try turning those off until you can get used to working with the tablet. Also like @shazzbaa said, check with the Wacom site and make sure you're downloading the correct drivers. If you're using Photoshop, follow @shazzbaa's advice and download/get Lazy Nezumi; if you're using Clip Studio, there is a stabilizer option on its main screen.

gohanss487 2017-01-01 22:51:54 UTC #9

It is my first tablet, and that just might be it! Sorry for the bother, I'm just so knew to digital art so I want to know if theres anything wrong or if its just me so I can improve and hopefully pass my skills onto this new medium and possibly become better.

gohanss487 2017-01-01 22:53:02 UTC #10

I dont have Photoshop or clip studio, I have the programs that came with it which is Corel painter.

Shanny8 2017-01-01 23:00:58 UTC #11

@gohanss487 not familiar with Corel Painter. I'm sure though there is someone who uses or has used Corel Painter on here...

gateofselidor 2017-01-01 23:02:29 UTC #12

Clip Studio is excellent for comics, and regularly goes on sale for a very low price. Photoshop is great, but not worth the very high price when there are so many cheaper options. I haven't used Corel Painter in years, but I recall it having lots of great brushes, but being quite difficult to use. I'm not sure what it's like now.

Personally I would wait until you adjust more to using a tablet before trying a stabiliser, but it's going to depend on the person. I can't use stabilisers at all, they just get in the way.

spadesart 2017-01-01 23:15:52 UTC #13

It sounds like the driver is all good but yeah the small tablet will definitely take more getting used to than say, a medium size or large sized one. (mine's about the size of a sheet of paper so it wasn't too hard to get used to) My school had the really tiny ones and it took almost half the year to get the hang of them, just keep practicing with it. I recommend trying out Paint Tool Sai (its...........kind of easy to find it free since those downloads come up before the actual site you buy it from if you catch my gist nudge nudge) since it has really good stabilizing functions that can help you out (they saved my life)

keii4ii 2017-01-01 23:27:26 UTC #14

I used to use Corel Painter until the version I had was no longer compatible with my equipment. It's a great program, but the different brushes behave SO differently. It may take a lot of trial and error till you 1) get used to the tablet, and 2) find the brushes you like!

Evan 2017-01-01 23:31:57 UTC #15

How the tablet works is that the surface in which you can draw on is mapped proportionally to your screen. Unless the ratio between your tablet screen and computer screen is 1:1, a small movement on your tablet will result in a larger movement on screen. I see two solutions. The first is to practice and get used to using small movements across your tablet to draw. The second option to going into your tablet properties and if you turn on mouse mode, it will change the proportion between the space you move your pen and the space your cursor moves on screen to 1:1 and if you take your pen off the tablet, the cursor won't move to a different spot if you place the pen back down in a different spot and thus, it won't be as sensitive anymore.

Quinineer 2017-01-02 00:40:45 UTC #16

I only just got a tablet not long ago, and it does take some time to adjust. For me, it was about two days before I was very comfortable with it. You may take a shorter or longer time.

One problem I had was treating the tablet like a mouse. You cannot lift up the pen and put it somewhere else and expect it to be in the same place, because a tablet is mapped to your screen.

Also, pen pressure. You need to get used to it, but once you have, you'll wonder how you ever did without it in the first place.

bsienk90 2017-01-03 18:08:57 UTC #17

-Check Drivers are up to date
-Play around with your tablet settings, sometimes you can adjust speed and mapping
-Make sure the pen pressure is on
-and practice, it takes a bit to get use too. When I got my first tablet, it felt like it was going all over the place too.