To Wacom or Not to Wacom

[papaf1]

I know that people use drawing tablets for creating textures and other art work, but how many use them with 3ds Max and how useful are they. If you do used one, what do you recommend. I’ve been looking at Wacom Tablets, but I’m not sure that’s the best choice. There seems to be a few people having issues with 3ds max and Wacom Tablets, but I’m sure others are using them with great success. Recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[blank000]

I use Wacom Intuos. If you think of getting one because it will be useful in Max - don't. You won't do anything faster or "better" with a tablet. And you will move object on first click A LOT!
But, if you're thinking of getting one because of your wrist (like i did), then go for it. I started having serious issues with my wrist and within a week of working with tablet only, they were gone.

[training]

Hi, i use a basic wacom bamboo [discontinued now] in Photoshop and Inventor. its great for both but its not possible with MAX tho im my opinion. You have to be more accurate on clicks and moving the cursor than on other applications and a pen introduces more errors on accurate clicks and movements for vertices and poly sub selections making it impossible to use for me. 

I would not recommend it on max.

Steve

[papaf1]

Great feedback guys thanks, this is what I was looking for. Based on this info, I think I'll be using it more for texturing and creating images. Has anyone used a tablet for Viewport Canvas? It looks like this might be usefull here, being that it's allot like Photoshop, but I know we're still talking 3ds Max.

[ekahennequet]

I've been using an old 6 x 8, Intuos 3 tablet for many, many years working in Max. I used to use the Wacom for only Photoshop work, but I forced my self to change this habit because of strain on my wrist and arm. If you've never used a tablet, then initially you'll have an adjustment period of getting used to the tablet for about a week because you still need to use the keyboard for variety of shortcuts. I never use a mouse unless I have to. I do modeling, UV mapping, texturing, and everything using the tablet. My right-click is assigned to the bottom portion of the pen, and the middle-click assigned to the upper. For zooming, I use the scroll pad on the tablet. You can also map the keys that come with the tablet for whatever keys you use most, such as Ctrl, Shift, Alt, etc. I love it.

[Onslaught_2000]

I agree with most of the guys in here. Unless you plan to use mudbox, zbrush, sketchbook pro, photoshop. a tablet is not the best mouse replacement for programs like 3ds max. I have a wavom intous 4 and a surface pro 2, and i dont use the pen in max. mouse and keyboard is your best options.

[ekahennequet]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I agree with most of the guys in here. Unless you plan to use mudbox, zbrush, sketchbook pro, photoshop. a tablet is not the best mouse replacement for programs like 3ds max. I have a wavom intous 4 and a surface pro 2, and i dont use the pen in max. mouse and keyboard is your best options.

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I totally diagree. It's a matter of personal preference and your own ability to work well with it. Wacom + keyboard has completely replaced the mouse for me. It has for many years.

[Steve__Burke]

Hi Anna.

To the original question, I have been using a wacom tablet in max for 16 or 17 years; and just recently updgraded my tablet to a a new Intuos Pro. My last Intuos survived more than a decade of long hours.

I didn't buy the tablet for max, I bought it for painting mostly but I can't really model without it now.

For me, a stylus is a much more fluid and precise tool and that applies in modeling as much as it does with texturing.

I use a wireless mouse also but that's mostly for web browsing, etc. where I don't want the stylus constantly in my hand.

My recommendation would always be to go with wacom and to go with the standard size: approximately 6 x 8 ish. The large and small tablets are best suited to specific use cases. Too small of a tablet is hard to control and a large tablet is possibly great for a sketching session but not for all-around work.

Wacom is, as far as I know, the only maker that doesn't require a battery in the stylus. That is key for me. Also, they have the pen feel and click pressure down perfectly after so many years. Using a pen that requires just slightly too much pressure can be incredibly frustratiting.

[ekahennequet]

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@spam1 wrote:

Hi Anna.

To the original question, I have been using a wacom tablet in max for 16 or 17 years; and just recently updgraded my tablet to a a new Intuos Pro. My last Intuos survived more than a decade of long hours.

I didn't buy the tablet for max, I bought it for painting mostly but I can't really model without it now.

For me, a stylus is a much more fluid and precise tool and that applies in modeling as much as it does with texturing.

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That's been my case exactly. I've only two Intuos in the past 17 years. My first one was the smallest one that I used only for digital painting. My second one is the larger one, and I'm still using it. My wrist and arm are grateful. So many things become obsolete in just a few years, but my Wacoms have done really well. I also have a Cintiq 21UX, and that's reserved for sculpting and painting. I've never gotten used to working well with it in Max mostly because the keyboard is hard to reach due to space requirement, which takes up a lot more than a tablet.

[marcusgarcia]

To give an honest answer, yes, it is very much possible to efficiently use 3ds Max with a drawing or graphics tablet. As will all forms of creative mediums, the level at which you are able to achieve and work at is solely dependent on YOU! The artist. I ran through more than 4 mouses per 5 months at a time due to my constant 12+ hour sessions of modeling every day. As to take a gamble and otherwise challenge myself, I started using a simple Ugee drawing tablet I had received in 2013-2014 as a gift. After 3 years of using the program with nothing but a stylus, I can honestly say that the program has never been more fun. I have since upgraded to the Cintiq Companion 2 for all my work, and I mean ALL of my work. If you are looking for a utility that will make you the next 3D all-star, you will not find that neither here nor there. As with all creative endeavors, your ability to adapt and effectively utilize each and every tool/program that comes your way is dependent on your own willingness to learn, progress, and evolve beyond your current understanding. As I am left-handed, granted I am also ambidextrous through my own discipline, the fact that I could not model using my dominant hand always seemed like an issue from the start. After a year or so I worried of the rust that may have accumulated, in which it did. I took the risk and began to dig deep so that I could understand how to fully utilize 3ds Max without the restraint of the ever linear, point-A-to-B mouse. I can confidently say that I have RETIRED any and all uses of the mouse. Once you become familiar with your shortcut keys (which you should regardless of preference) navigation and work flow while in viewport becomes almost second nature. I currently us 3ds Max, Unreal 4, the Adobe suite, and Substance Live almost in tandem of each other at any given time. As per my own work ethic of always being ready to adapt and learn regardless of subject, give the stylus a shot. Set a hot key on your stylus for the mouse middle click and become familiar with the viewport shortcuts. Hold the middle click+Alt and you will orbit your object. Hold middle click alone and you will pan. Hold CTRL+ALT while sliding the stylus with middle click and you will zoom. These simple functions should help to overcome the so called "lack-of-intuitiveness" I have heard oh so many times from my fellow peers and aspiring artists. Is it for you? Perhaps, maybe, maybe not. At the very least, I can guarantee that you will learn more about the program than what you knew prior.  

[designtablet]

I have a XP-Pen Star G640S tablet and use the medium size one for Revit - the small one is OK too but I just found the medium size one (XP-Pen DECO 02)more comfortable.

I've used a tablet for CAD since 2015 as mice are horrible for repetitive clicking on points

Tablets are way faster than mice for drawing, obviously. Stop wasting your time, and go buy a cheap XP-Pen G640S ( xp-pen.com/goods/show/id/371.html ). You'll work twice as fast.

[KarlAkimor]

Cintiqs and tablets are better to protect you against repetitive action injury than a mouse.

[han201501]

If you have the cash , I suggest getting a Wacom.
for Wacom , the only problem that they’re quite expensive. XP-Pen is good tablet for beginners.
I own a G640s(https://www.storexppen.com/buy/64.html), I've owned it for only about four days, but it isn't bad imo. stylus pen has interchangeable pen tips.active area of 6 x 4", 6 round customizable shortcut keys, for quick access to customize,It’s lightweight too so good for tossing in your bag on your commute.it really isn't a bad tablet.
The most important thing is just $ 40...

[latinsteps]

Thank you @marcusgarcia! Your generous and thorough answer has reached me precisely 7 years after you wrote it, to answer the very same question I had on this specific topic!  I appreciate it very much and will start experimenting with using my recently-purchased drawing tablet in place of mouse.  Thank you also for the hotkey and mapping suggestions - my exact questions also.

[RobH2]

I really admire those of you who can use a Wacom in Max. I've tried over the years and just can't do it. If you don't have any carpel tunnel issues and you are planning to spend money on something to aid you in Max, I might suggest a Space Pilot instead. Once you start navigating with one, you take a lot of load off of your mouse hand. There is nothing more tedious than navigating in 3d with a mouse and nothing more liberating than a Space Pilot or Mouse. 

If you retouch in Photoshop a lot and don't have a Wacom, then maybe it's a good reason to get one. And of course you can also use it in Max, as we can see above, many people love it. I just can't do it. In a perfect world, if you have the cash for both a Wacom and 3dConnexion device, get both. They both will "set you free." But, if the budget is limited and you don't have wrist issues, go with the 3D mouse first. 

[latinsteps]

@RobH2, subsequent to posting my comment it turns out ironically I did just that, and ordered one of the 3DConnexion SpaceMouse kits actually - something I learned about only recently! I love the idea of using both hands and it seems like an intuitive way to work with a 3d app. I'm looking forward to getting some experience with the setup.
Thanks for pointing it out out!

[RobH2]

You will fall in love with it. What's best about it is that it works in other programs like Unreal Engine and Sketchup, etc., in programs where navigation is particularly difficult. I find it very hard to navigate manually in Unreal Engine but the Space Mouse solves that. If you like flying/travelling around in Google Earth, prepare for a fun time flying. 

This thread being about Wacom, don't get me wrong, a tablet is fantastic as well (I have one too), but mostly where you are drawing and where 'pressure' really makes a difference. 'Pressure' sensitivity doesn't do anything in 3d. If someone already has a Wacom and they learn to use it effectively in 3d, that's fantastic. But to reiterate, if you only have money for one or the other, and, you spend most of your time in 3d, go for the 3d mouse first, and get the Wacom later.