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[Unosuke]

So I've got it in my head that I'm gonna start a comic. And the way I figure it, the best way to go about getting my doodles online is to get a tablet so I can just draw straight on the computer. More specifically, I want to get this one, mainly because it's cheap and so if I decide all this nonsense isn't for me, no huge loss (I have a habit of flaking out on things but I've wanted to do a comic for a long time and this time around I'm determined.)

I guess my question (and the point of this thread) is: Is this the right tablet to get for a beginner? I know wacom is the biggest name in tablets right now, but do you get the most bang for your buck? I heard of one brand name a while back that is a lot cheaper but worked just as well, and I can't think of their name right now. Anywho, any advice you have would be much appreciated.

[Spluff]

There's pretty much no other brands that are worth buying, from what I've seen.

[Eris]

I have a (tiny) Wacom Intuos 3, which is the step up from the bamboo, but according to amazon is a fair bit more expensive (though I remember seeing some going pretty cheaply on ebay a while ago). I really love it; it took a little while to get used to, drawing on a tablet is pretty different to drawing on paper, but it is a lot of fun.

The Bamboo is marketed as a beginner's tablet, being pretty basic. Wacom is a big name probably for a good reason, so I say for $46 you might as well go for it.

[JD]

Cheaper than the one I was shooting for.

[Teh Geek Lord]

I've seen them available at Staples recently, granted its the two smaller ones, the 4 x 6 intous 3 for 99.99 and the 6 x 8 intous 4 for 199.99.

The tablet I'm using now is a wacom intous 3 9 x 12, which was 499.99 when I purchased it a year ago, but its done wonders for digital art. 

The $100 4 x 6 would be a good starter choice in my opinion. 

[jeph]

Anything by Wacom is fine. I've used everything from their cheapest to their most expensive product and they are all reliable, solid products for making digital art.

The learning curve on a tablet is, in my experience, really steep though. It's not like drawing on paper or painting or using a Cintiq or anything else. You might have a different experience than me but a large part of why early QC art is so shitty is because I was learning how to use the tablet as I went.

[JD]

It's like drawing on glass.

[Eris]

Something simple that I have found helps with the lack of friction is to tape a piece of paper over the tablet surface. Won't work with a cintiq, and is probably only a quick temporary fix, but it helps with the learning curve a little.

[Wayfaring Stranger]

I used a Graphire at first, and the surface was really hard to draw on, but the Intuos has a more nicely textured drawing surface on it, providing a little bit more friction.  The Graphire was okay (I think it's called Bamboo now?) but it's well worth the money to upgrade to at least an Intuos. 

[spinn]

Ah, wanted to post on this while I was waiting for registration. (and search doesn't work for me either? man this smf thing hates me...)

I just got a Bamboo Pen & Touch, and they've textured it somewhat, so it feels more like writing with pencil. Though the touch part refuses to work for me properly. Don't know if that "fun" one is textured as well, but it feels a little more paperish than other wacom tablets I've had.

Unosuke: the "mouse" for wacom tablets (which are basically just another stylus, but mouse-shaped) are a lot more annoying to deal with than you'd think, so I wouldn't consider that mouse a selling point if you're thinking of it replacing your existing mouse. This bamboo touch/pen was actually just $84, which isn't too much more than the one you linked, and it's new.

[JD]

The search hates everyone.

[Akima]

I use an Intuos 3. It works, it doesn't break down, it's well-supported with drivers on all the operating systems and graphics software I work with... I can't think of anything bad to say, except that it won't give me a foot massage...