Accessories

The increased control over selections and editing tasks in Photoshop are amazing. As an example, using the Quick Mask mode in Photoshop, you can easily and quickly define a mask that would be extremely time consuming with a mouse, using pressure to control the width of the selection. The included nik filters are pen aware, making it easy to apply the filters to the exact area of your image that you want.

Pen Buttons The pen offers two programmable buttons which you can vary within different applications.

You’ll want to spend some time getting used to using the pen and trying out different brushes to get an idea of how much control you have. If you find the settings too sensitive or not responsive enough, the Control Panel application allows you to fine-tune the tablet globally or for individual applications.

Corel’s Painter and Painter Essentials programs were made with a tablet in mind, with full support for pressure to control width and color intensity. Tilting the pen at an angle changes the way paint is placed on the canvas just like a real brush or air brush would do, making painting a fun process.

Pen Tip: A pressure-sensitive pen tip allows you to control the weight of a line in applications such as Photoshop.

Conclusion
I’ve been a fan of Wacom tablets for years now, regularly using the Intuos3. The new Graphire4 has added a number of features that make it an appealing choice for many users, especially those who won’t be spending several hours every day using the tablet. The 4x5 version, while smaller than I would use for desktop work, has earned a permanent place in my laptop bag when I travel.

Requirements
• Windows 98 SE or later
• Macintosh OS X 10.2.8 or later
• Available USB port

For more information, contact Wacom Technology Corporation, 1311 SE Cardinal Ct., Vancouver, WA 98683; (800)922-9348; www.wacom.com.