Graphics tablet.

[maryanddavid]

I'm not even sure if I am calling it the right thing.   My 13 year old girl is showing promise as an artist, and she is wondering about a pad that she can draw on for the laptop or pc.  She had an ap on her tablet but it seems pretty limited. Is there something cheap that she can learn the ropes of digital drawing?
Any suggestions appreciated.

[CrazyFoxMachine]

Wacoms are the good stuff - depending on the laptop she has of course!

http://www.wacom.com/en-gb

They're around 50-100 normally - and aye "graphics tablet" is entirely the right thing to be looking for!

[maryanddavid]

Thanks CFM, Ill point here in that direction.

[Professor Bear]

You can get cheapo tablets for around 20 quid if you look about, as you're really only looking for reliable pressure sensitivity from a starter tablet.

[James Dilworth]

Can't go wrong with a Wacom Bamboo.  I've been using mine for the past 7 years.

These days be about 50 - 60 quid in Currys.

[amines2058]

Can't go wrong with a Wacom Bamboo.  I've been using mine for the past 7 years.

These days be about 50 - 60 quid in Currys.

I'll second that James. Had my Wacom Bamboo a few years now and love it. Although the initial getting used to the hand eye disconnect is strange. That paired with MS5 and you can do it all. Especially with Manga Studio 5 being on offer for about £10 every other week.
The ideal combo for the beginner artist.

[Jim_Campbell]

Although the initial getting used to the hand eye disconnect is strange.

This may be something everyone but me realises early on, but: for years, I had my tablet to the right of my keyboard, where I would usually have had a mouse mat (back when we used to use such things). Then I noticed that D'israeli drew himself using a tablet directly in front of him. Although you still get a hand/eye disconnect in this position, it's waaay less than in the standard as-if-it-was-a-mouse position.

Chers

Jim

[Fungus]

Agree with all that. The disconnect reduces over time but it remains there and consequently that irritation means I rarely use the thing. When I do, it's straight ahead, sat on a cushion for height/angle reasons.

[IndigoPrime]

This may be something everyone but me realises early on, but: for years, I had my tablet to the right of my keyboard, where I would usually have had a mouse mat

I've used an A6 Wacom as my primary pointing device for years. It reduces RSI (at least when I remember to put the bloody pen down, rather than holding it while typing), and enables you to 'snap' the cursor from point-to-point on the display, rather than scrubbing the thing across the screen. Once you get that into your muscle memory, it's significantly faster than using a mouse or trackpad. (I also have a trackpad with my Mac, to the left of the keyboard. This is used for OS X gestural control that the Wacom can't cope with, and also as the primary pointing device for a week or so whenever RSI pays a visit.)

[Darren Stephens]

Another vote here for the Bamboo. It's an awesome little  tablet, ideal foe the hobbyist/beginnee, which I used for years until I upgraded to its bigger brother, the Intuos 5.

[maryanddavid]

Thanks for the tip, looks like Bamboo for Christmas. A stupid question , does it come with drawing software?

[Hawkmumbler]

Yes, but it's not up too much. Think I only used it once to test out the actual quality of the tablet. Your better off waiting until Manga studio5 is back on sale, which I presume it will be before years end.