Graphics tablets are pointing devices for computer input - similar to a joystick, a touchpad, a trackball or a computer mouse. They consist of a tablet and a special pointing tool in the form of a pen or a puck-like computer mouse with a crosshair.
Impulses emanating from the pointing tool moved over the tablet transmit information to the tablet such as, for example, the coordinates of a specific position, the pressure of the pen and possibly also other keys that have been pressed.
In contrast to a touchscreen, however, nothing can be displayed on a graphics tablet, it is used exclusively as an input device. Newer and higher-quality models offer other ways of transmitting or recognizing information, such as by tilting or rotating the pen, by finger pressure or by using several different tools.
Chapter in this post:
Current graphics tablets on offer at Amazon
What are the advantages of graphics tablets?
Using a stylus to control a cursor has several advantages. On the one hand, more precise control is possible than with a mouse, which has a positive effect not only when working with a cursor, but also when using various tools in graphics applications - such as brushes. In addition, the impulses emanating from the pointing tool can penetrate paper, which in turn allows the tracing of pictorial representations into the computer.
With many graphics tablets, program functions that are used particularly frequently can also be assigned to special keys on the surface of the device. The information transfer due to the pressure sensitivity and the possibility to use absolute and not only relative coordinates are further advantages of graphics tablets. They allow you to carry out work that cannot be done with a mouse, such as digitizing construction plans by precisely following the lines on the paper template.
What can a graphics tablet be used for?
The most important areas of application for graphics tablets include digital painting and digital image processing. Graphic, industrial, fashion and textile designers also like to use a graphics tablet to create a quick digital sketch to illustrate their ideas and quickly exchange them with others.
Scanning in sketches made on paper is therefore no longer necessary. Graphics tablets are also ideal for illustrations and for editing audio and video recordings. During a beamer presentation, annotations can be added immediately using a graphics tablet or mathematical calculations can be presented and stored digitally at the same time, which is particularly helpful in the context of so-called offshore tutoring or online tutoring.
In addition, graphics tablets are often used to create 3D computer graphics with programs such as Mudbox or ZBrush, because the tools used by such programs are also significantly controlled by the amount of pressure used to affect the geometry.
My tips & tricks about technology & Apple
The page contains affiliate links / images: Amazon.de
