setting up my animation studio help Cintiq or Tablet?

[Kathleen]

Hi, everyone,
New to animation, I am trial-ing TVP 9.5, waiting to buy 10, I think, and am running an intel Mac, v.10.6.8. I have a 9X12 Wacom tablet and am wondering if the Cintiq is more adaptable to my fine art and illustration work for animation than the tablet. What do you think?
Kathleen
PS I am so happy to have found these forums - you are all so helpful and friendly that I know I will be a constant visitor, thanks!

[idragosani]

New to animation, I am trial-ing TVP 9.5, waiting to buy 10, I think, and am running an intel Mac, v.10.6.8. I have a 9X12 Wacom tablet and am wondering if the Cintiq is more adaptable to my fine art and illustration work for animation than the tablet. What do you think?

I use the Wacom Intuos3 9x12 and it works well, especially if you like to use large sweeping gestures when you draw (although you could do that with the big Cintiqs, I think). I've never tried the Cintiq but I know several artists and animators who swear by it, and others who swear by the regular tablets.

[slowtiger]

If you can animate with a plain Wacom, go for it. I'm not that lucky, I needed the Cintiq before I could do that.

[Kathleen]

idragosani, I like my Intuos 3 9X12, too - love to draw with it and have found when I put a piece of graphics 300 paper over the work area, the drag on the pen is so close to a real pencil that it is uncanny. Go through a lot of tips, tho...
Slowtiger - how is the Cintiq different for you than the tablet? is it easier to draw directly?

[idragosani]

idragosani, I like my Intuos 3 9X12, too - love to draw with it and have found when I put a piece of graphics 300 paper over the work area, the drag on the pen is so close to a real pencil that it is uncanny. Go through a lot of tips, tho...

I do the same thing... put paper over the tablet surface, it makes it feel more natural. I've been told that you can draw more precisely and accurately using a Cintiq, especially useful when animating. On the flipside, using a tablet, you can sit up straight and look ahead while you draw, so you aren't straining your neck and shoulders, whereas with a Cintiq you are hunched over it, watching your hand, like you would sitting at an animation table.

[Paul Fierlinger]

My advice is to first think a little further ahead about what your goals are. If you want to experiment with animation but have no plans to become a full time animator; if you plan on applying techniques you have already defined as a painter and learn how to make them move, go with the Cintiq.

But if you plan on one day getting into lots and lots of animation, don't treat animation as an exact continuation of your painting. The tablet makes for far more efficient animation but requires new skills to learn, new ways of drawing to accept, new ways of defining what a line can do. You will draw better than you ever have before and it will become easier for you to change styles and techniques because you will become open minded to drawing things in ways you had never thought of before.

In short, using the Cintiq is keeping one foot in the analog world and one in the digital world. It is a conservative approach, which might match your plans. The tablet will push you to progressive ideas and open a new world for you, but perhaps this is not what you want to do.

In my opinion, it is a mistake to choose one over the other just because it should be easier.

[Kathleen]

Thanks Paul, good words and thoughts. I love my wacom tablet and have found it does just what you say for my drawing. My goal is to animate stories, 2d, in my loose, illustrative style, and the tablet does lend itself to this sort of movement. I wasn't looking for "easier" just wondering if the Cintiq lent itself to my style.



Idragosani, I appreciate your input - sitting hunched over is no fun! I do love my tablet so will be sticking with it!

I want to also scan in my drawings on paper and work over them in TVP. This is why I am testing the trial version, to see how compatible the brushes are with my drawing style.

Thanks all!
K

[Soom]

Hi Kathleen
I am in animation since 1995, and I was used to work classically on paper, and that's the way I like it best. But the digital world evolved and in early 2000's I had to get a tablet, so I got Intuos 3 6"x8". I've used it for years, mostly for Flash animation and some Photoshop work, and didn't complain much, but then recently I've started working on a classical feature film done on TVPaint. So I did a little research and decided to invest into Cintiq 12", because I believed it would make me feel much more like working in the 90's on paper (I didn't go for the 21" Cintiq, as its too expensive for me and it also is difficult to carry around, although I'm sure that working on it is even a bigger pleasure). And I was not disappointed - working on Cintiq for me is the closest to analog way of working. But it's not true for all of my tasks: TVPaint is masterfully suited for Cintiq - the interface and all the functions are really convenient for Cintiq use, also keyboard use is minimum (which is amazing, cause my keyboard is behind the Cintiq and using it requires some effort). Drawing in some software like Photoshop is also easier with Cintiq. But when I need to work on something different, which involves extensive keyboard use, or precise clicks, or even worse - doing Flash animation, then it might become a pain. For example when I work on Flash, I use a regular tablet, cause Flash is a total failure on Cintiq and I need the keyboard a lot also. So in conclusion, I don't think I would have got the Cintiq if not for TVPaint.
Of course it's also a lot about how you are used to work, and in the end - what is the result you wanna get and the feeling you wanna feel and the software you intend to work with. Like Paul said, think well of your long term intentions. Cintiq is not a cheap investment and is not suited for everyone. I know people who learned to do wonders with a regular tablet and they wouldn't even look at Cintiq's. Coming from a regular tablet to Cintiq also requires quite some relearning and getting used to new ways of working, so your intentions need to be quite dedicated.
Personally, if you intend to work on TVPaint or draw a lot, I do recommend Cintiq over the tablet.
If you have the chance, try finding somebody with a Cintiq in your area, and play around with it...
Or well, you can always sell it - prices for used Cintiqs in good condition are so high, that you wouldn't loose much

P.S. I also like the paper feeling, so I use Wacom hard felt nibs with my Cintiq - feels like a soft pencil on paper.

[Kathleen]

Hi, Soom,
Pretty dedicated. My art and illustration and graphic design work have all led me to animation - I want my work to move - and tell stories - and sing - and get out there! I am hooked on drawing, it is my first love, line and gesture and character, for me, are everything. But I want it to MOVE!
I find I am becoming more and more interested and drawn ( ) to TVPaint...so your words are very helpful. May try the smallest Cintiq and see how it goes. My designer nephew (Leapfrog) says they couldn't do a thing without Cintiq.
Thanks


Personally, if you intend to work on TVPaint or draw a lot, I do recommend Cintiq over the tablet.

[idragosani]

Kathleen, do you have any samples of your work anywhere? I'd love to see what you've done!

[Elodie]

I'd like too ^^

[Kathleen]

Kathleen, do you have any samples of your work anywhere? I'd love to see what you've done![/quote]

I'd like too ^^

I do - thanks for your interest - I'd love to show you some - how do I do that? I've scanned in or photographed some of my recent work, but the files are big and in all different formats. What are the steps to get the images here?

[Paul Fierlinger]

Start by asking Elodie to do it for you...

[idragosani]

I do - thanks for your interest - I'd love to show you some - how do I do that? I've scanned in or photographed some of my recent work, but the files are big and in all different formats. What are the steps to get the images here?

What a lot of us have done is create our own thread under viewforum.php?f=18 (Digital Paintings, Drawings and user gallery), using your own name as the title "Kathleen's Drawings" and uploading images from there ("Upload Attachment", down below the edit window).

[Kathleen]

Start by asking Elodie to do it for you...

Paul - I just sent her an email about this - good idea!