I did it. I tried to draw in CAD/Autocad/Nanocad apps with a drawing tablet. So here you will find my review, that it is specific for designers and architects (read: technical drawings, architectural drawings and so on) and not for illustrators, photo editors, animators – because the use in that case is obviously an advantage.
Why did I throw away the mouse?
- I would like a day to be able to digitally draw
- for photo retouching a tablet is very pleasant.
- even if I chose ergonomic mouses, I had pain in my hand because of the number of clicks
- all mouses I bought crashed/died in 1 or 2 years. I have a countless number of dead mouses… 40 € per year at least. And I don’t want to start this business with vertical mouses also: I would prefer to learn how to use a tablet instead of continuing to buy new ones.
Do I suggest to use a drawing tablet with CAD software?
The answer is yes. Let’s see it in detail.
FIRST TEST
I don’t suggest very economic tablets, even if you are not a good illustrator and you think that it could fit for your case: the pen is always less comfortable (a mini mini stylo) and the accuracy is very poor. Zooming, right click and orbit become very difficult. I tried (and unluckily bought) a small Wacom Bamboo Pad. I suggest this model only for who don’t draw, only for Office Suite and similar…
Don’t do this. DON’T.
SECOND TEST
After I bought that scr… terrible tablet, before giving it up, I tried a Wacom Intuos Pro Medium – very very nice. A friend of mine gently lent it to me. It is beautiful and very comfortable. I don’t want to spend words on the use of Photoshop, Illustrator and so on. I take for granted that the use of a drawing tablet is the best for who sketches.
USE OF OPERATING SYSTEM
So… let’s go on the use of the O.S. In my case, it is Windows 10: after you exercise a little bit (one day maximum), the use is ok. You have to avoid the conflicts between the drivers of the tablet and the drivers of windows, but once easily solved, everything is ok. The tablet seems to be too large for this purpose, but no problem at all, it is still comfortable. You will immediately prefer it to the mouse.
USE OF 2D and 3D CAD
Ok, let’s start with the difficult part… using the drawing tablet with 2d and 3dcad software, such as Autocad, Rhinoceros, Sketchup and so on.
Keyboard+tablet: I usually draw by using the mouse and the keyboard contemporarily, so I think that for who use only the mouse should be easier. For who draws like me (but also to write numbers while designing)… I suggest a precise but smaller tablet. As you can see from the photo, since the Medium Tablet is very big, I have to put it in front of the keyboard. I am faster with a Small Tablet, by having the keyboard on the left, and the tablet on the right. If you also work outside, or with a laptop… smaller is surely the best choice – unless you are also a great comic illustrator and you absolutely need a bigger tablet.
Tracing lines, polylines etc.… is even pleasant… I really enjoyed. Simple, smooth.
The difficult part is (as you were imagining): zooming, orbiting, panning.
Pan is easily configurable after you exercise a little bit. You can put the command where you want – on one of the key of the tablet, on one of the buttons of the pen, by clicking the command on the keyboard… and after you understand where you prefer it, no problem at all.
Orbit acts the same. I imagined that this was the hardest part… but I was wrong. Similarly to pan, after you choose the button/key you prefer… it is easy! The reason is that you always orbit from a precise point, without moving in the meanwhile.
Zoom is the hardest part without any doubt. But with the right settings, it will be much easier. At first I used the Wacom Ring with left hand and the pen with right hand. Now (after several months) I am using directly a button on the pen – personalized by me according to the function. That’s it. Now it is extremely easy for me. It only takes time to find YOUR comfort.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
Every movement is easy to learn and to adapt. I suggest to use a tablet of a friend for some times, to understand if you would like to use it or not, and not discourage at the beginning. It will become easier easier and easier. I do not use mouse anymore, even if in some cases could be best, because in the complex, the pen is much more comfortable. Anyway I suggest to buy a very good tablet, with some incorporate wheels/ring and buttons, to help you in the personalization, otherwise It would be really difficult to adapt.
DO YOU WANT TO START SHOPPING?
Here there are my Amazon-affiliation links. The price is the same for you, but in this way you will help to run my business. Wacom is not paying me for this, and my choice was personal. Since I want to recommend only products I used and I was happy with, here you find my selection:
First one: Wacom Intuos Pro Small – the one I bought at the end. And I still love it (this edit is on jan. 2021)
Second one: Wacom Intuos Pro Medium – the one I tried at the beginning. Perfect for graphic designers.