4x5 tablet - how to draw smooth lines?

jaz · #1 02-19-2003, 03:26 PM

I'm struggling a bit with this...If I have a large drawing - Say 3000x2000, I have difficulty drawing the hair smoothly. The reason is that I have to size the drawing on the screen small enough that I can comfortably draw a single stroke on the 4x5 tablet. The slightest movement is then effectively magnified by the zoom ratio. Maybe this would be a good time to start attempting more abstract hair renditions...

Thoughts?

ajlec2000 · #2 02-19-2003, 06:21 PM

Are you using a Wacom? Have you tried playing with the 'tablet area" and "display area" settings on the "Mapping/speed" tab in Wacom Tablet Settings.

jaz · #3 02-20-2003, 09:22 AM

Yes, I'm using a Wacom set to map the entire display to the tablet area and using zoom-to-fit...

The issue is that with a 3000x2000 image, the hair may be over 3000 pixels long (including curves). In order to draw the hair in one continuous swoop, you must zoom out quite far so that the image fits within the drawing area of my (4x5) tablet. (Actually the graphire2 tablet area is slightly smaller than that). When you do that, because you are zoomed so far in, any slight jitter in the pen is magnified by the zoom factor. I'm not sure there's an easy answer . A couple solutions would be:

1) Abstracting the hair and not attempting to make long, 3000+ pixel swoops on a 4x5 tablet
2) Get a bigger pad
3) Work on the hair at a reduced resolution and then upsample it
4) Work on smaller drawings...

crazy_cat · #4 02-20-2003, 09:32 AM

I have a 9x12 and have no problems with the larger size drawings. That is the main reason I went to the large pad. I can also map two desktops on the tablet which is great for working on two things at one time!

fugitive · #5 02-22-2003, 02:11 AM

Unless your making posters, why work so large? It doesn't seem necessary to me.

jaz · #6 02-22-2003, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fugitive
Unless your making posters, why work so large? It doesn't seem necessary to me.

It's necessary if you want to maintain good image resolution when you print. I've found you need a minimum of 180 but optimally 256-300dpi, and that's assuming you're using a good interpolative printing program such as qimage...

fugitive · #7 02-22-2003, 01:07 PM

I don't agree, as art is not photography, with all it's fine detail. The detail we paint is not the same, it's broad in comparison to a photo. I can only go to 8.5 X 10 on prints, but have no problem with 72-150ppi, and the images themselves are not very large. 1-2 meg.

jaz · #8 02-22-2003, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fugitive
I don't agree, as art is not photography, with all it's fine detail.

It's not a matter of art being photography (and by the way, photography *IS* art). It's a matter of accurately representing in print what you have drawn.

Quote:

The detail we paint is not the same, it's broad in comparison to a photo.

It has nothing to do with relative detail compared to a photograph and has everything to do with accurately representing what you have drawn.

Quote:

I can only go to 8.5 X 10 on prints, but have no problem with 72-150ppi, and the images themselves are not very large. 1-2 meg.

The fact it that most printers need an image of between 180dpi and 300dpi. If you send the printer a 72 dpi image than the printer or the printer driver is going to use a very simple interpolation algorithm which will introduce jaggies and other artifacts into the equation. I can you show you many examples of 72dpi art that I have printed which have become horribly distorted due to not enough information in the file. If your max print size is 8x10 than you can probably get away 1200x1500 images but there are many times when a 3000x2000 or larger image is a necessity.

Jaz

blkros · #9 02-23-2003, 09:00 AM

I find that I don't like the quality below 600 dpi. It makes for really big files, yes it does, but, I don't get the jagged edges either.
Also, Illustrator defaults to 600 dpi, because thats the quality the printers need.

My $.02 worth.

ajlec2000 · #10 02-23-2003, 01:02 PM

I hesitate to say anything as everyone else in this thread has a more thorough knowledge of this subject. However wouldn't changing to "Entire Tablet" increase the area of sensitivity on the tablet. If you than change the orientation to "Portrait" you would have a nearly seven inch vertical. This should decrease the ratio between tablet and screen.

jaz · #11 02-23-2003, 02:39 PM

It's already set to entire table for me. The Graphire2's entire tablet area is: 3.65" x 5"

That's the max you can get out of it...

ajlec2000 · #12 02-23-2003, 03:09 PM

Curious. Mine goes to 6.5x 7. If you don't solve this problem take some consolation in knowing that you prompted me into learning more about my tablet.

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