Question about tablet size.

[Rsin]

Ok I am stuck here, in the past few days I once again looked into buying a Wacom tablet. I am not sure on the size I should be getting. Right now I can either get a 4x6 for about 180$ or go for the 6x8 for around 300$. I use photoshop cs2-cs3 and work on a 17" screen. If the 4x6 is ok for the screen I am using I wouldn't mind saving the 130$. I am no way near the lvl most of the people on here are, you guys are truly impresive. I consider myself a new school artist, working mostly with graffiti, tattoo design, but I also paint canvas. I do alot of pen, pencil, color'd pencil drawings also designer vinyl toy design. I wouldn't say anything I do is real detail'd. I would like to try my hand at the stuff you guys do, I have the ideas and think it would be fun and challenging. I will most likely be using the tablet ever day, for a few hours at a time. If anyone could point me to which one is better I'd appreciate it. I was about to buy the 4x6, but don't want to get it then realize its too small to do anything with.

Rsin

[J Wilson]

It has less to do with the amount of detail you use, and more to do with the size you are comfortable drawing at, or the amount of arm motion feels right to you. Some artists love to get a nice arm sweeping motion when drawing. Others don't mind smaller strokes. To a degree you can get used to either working condition. The only real "must" in my opinion is to get a drawing pad that matches your display working areas so you don't have wasted pad space. If you buy a regular pad, but use a two display set up, or a wide screen, you won't be able to use the whole pad as you'll have to have it mapped similar to your displays. For example, I have a fairly big pad, but I can only use the top half since I switched to a dual display set up. If I had a small pad I'd have a truelly tiny amount of space to draw in.

[Rsin]

Ok thanks I think I might just try to get the 6x8. Its more then I wanted to spend, but everything I keep reading says to spend the money on a good tablet you like, then spend 100$ on something like a Bamboo. I figure if it turns out to be too big or I don't like it I can just sell and buy a smaller one. I can't wait to see what I am able to do on one of them.

Rsin

[joeparis]

If you buy a regular pad, but use a two display set up, or a wide screen, you won't be able to use the whole pad as you'll have to have it mapped similar to your displays.
Everyone has their own way of working but it's possible to assign a key on the tablet that will allow you to toggle between left screen/right screen/dual screen.

I have the A4 Wacom and a dual screen setup, with one screen very wide. If I constrained the tablet to fit the dual screen then I would have less than half the drawing area to use! Toggling means that I have the whole drawing surface available and, with a quick touch of the hotkey, I can access the other screen where I have my browser, etc. open.

Being right-handed, I toggle with a right-hand key leaving the left free for work.

[J Wilson]

Everyone has their own way of working but it's possible to assign a key on the tablet that will allow you to toggle between left screen/right screen/dual screen.

I have the A4 Wacom and a dual screen setup, with one screen very wide. If I constrained the tablet to fit the dual screen then I would have less than half the drawing area to use! Toggling means that I have the whole drawing surface available and, with a quick touch of the hotkey, I can access the other screen where I have my browser, etc. open.

Being right-handed, I toggle with a right-hand key leaving the left free for work.

Ah true, that could work too. I like to keep my palettes on my other screen, so that would be too much toggling for me, but I can see that working well for some people. Lucky for me the large pad I bought years ago is actually almost TOO big for my tastes, and so I feel fine using just the top half.

[joeparis]

I like to keep my palettes on my other screen, so that would be too much toggling for me,
Yup, I thought that might be the case.