FOR CREATIVE WORLD TRY IT.LIKE IT.BUY IT ISSUES JANUARY 2023 #01 2023 FIRST SIGHT WACOM ART SHOWCASE FIND YOUR OWN STYLE WITH WACOM INTUOS AND GET INSPIRED BY LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL TALENTED ARTIST REPRESENTING OUR NEWEST MODEL OF 2023 : WACOM CINTIQ 16 BEGINNER ARTIST REVIEW: WACOM ONE TRY AND FIND OUT WHICH WACOM PRODUCT ARE SUITABLE FOR YOUR BUISNESS
CONTENTS NEWS Wacom News : Wacom Cintiq 16 REVIEW Best for beginner Wacom One ART SHOWCASE with local talented aetist Chuah INSIGHT Wacom for your buisness
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WACOM CINTIQ 16 2023 HOT NEWS : WHAT’S NEW? 2023 NEWEST WACOM MODEL EXPERIENCE The Wacom Cintiq 16 is one of Wacom’s least expensive pen display tablets. Aimed at students, enthusiasts graduating from the Intuos line, and jobbing creatives who can’t justify the price of a Cintiq Pro, the Wacom Cintiq 16 offers a cheaper way for artists to master Wacom’s industry standard drawing tools. In years gone by, Wacom was the only real choice for artists wanting a drawing tablet or creative display – and the Cintiq range has alway dominated in that area. Fast forward to today and there are numerous options to consider in all price ranges, from the seldom heard of Artisul D13 across the spectrum to the Apple IPad Pro and Apple Pencil. The Wacom Cintiq 16 burst onto the market last year and it’s going after a very specific audience, with the headline feature being the price. A 1,920 x 1,080 display, a Pro Pen 2 and 72 per cent colour gamut are all fairly standard features, but the Wacom Cintiq 16 boasts 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, the ability to use the newer Pro Pen 3D and very minimal parallax. On its release, it was the cheapest in the pen display range, though now there is another option: the Wacom One, which is aimed at beginners. NEWS
NEWS DISPLAY & DRAWING EXPERIENCE The display is 15.6-inches diagonally and has a screen resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 (full HD). It has a TFT (thin film transistor) liquid crystal display (LCD) and, rather than an etched glass screen, this one has an anti-glare textured overlay. The onscreen feel is a very personal choice and if you love that ‘sliding on glass’ feel that you get with Pro models and the iPad Pro, this model is not for you. It might not be as bright as the Cintiq Pro but it certainly didn’t feel like an issue in normal studio working conditions. It has a colour colour gamut of 72 per cent as opposed to 94 per cent (or higher) as stated for the Cintiq Pro and the Artisul D16 pen display. That’s certainly going to put a certain group of user off, perhaps pro photographers or those working in the higher end of the design market. There are flip out legs on the rear of the Cintiq, which allow you to work at a 19-degree angle. As with the larger and Pro model, there is no stand, but Wacom has created one for this range. There are no express keys on this model and Wacom doesn’t include the Express Key remote, but it WACOM CINTIQ : STYLUS The Pro Pen 2 has always delivered in terms of sensitivity and build quality. As with most pens in the Wacom family, you don’t have to charge them and that can’t be said for close competitors like the Huion KAMVAS and, of course, any of the Apple Pencils. Huion has started giving out two Pens with the latest models, which would help, but a chargeless pen will always be the gold standard. The Cintiq 16 works with the Pro Pen 3D (sold separately), which is worth purchasing if you do a lot of 3D modelling and find an extra button is needed. There is a slide-out pen holder on the right side of the Pro Pen 3D, which can store spare nibs and a tool to remove them from the Pro Pen. The 8,192 levels of sensitivity is the same as the Pro line. “you don’t have to charge them and that can’t be said for close competitors like the Huion KAMVAS and, of course, any of the apple pencil”
REVIEW BEST WACOM FOR BEGINNER NEW EXPERIENCE FOR NEW ARTIST Despite coming in at a more affordable price, the Wacom One upholds the brand’s reputation for producing high-quality, high-performing drawing tablets. While it’s designed to be more of an entry-level offering, this tablet delivers fantastic value for money and some great specs. When the Wacom One was released back in 2020, traditional graphics tablets were already facing competition from general-use tablets – especially the iPad Air and iPad Pro, as a result of Apple releasing its screen-extending SideCar feature. More advanced tablets such as the Wacom Cintiq and XPPen Artist 15.6 Pro distinguish themselves by offering larger screens, programmable keys and other value-adding features for experienced creatives at a lower price point; but more basic, entry-level tablets such as the Wacom One face steeper competition. Still, this tablet is more affordable than most graphics tablets for the build and spec quality it delivers; enough for it to rank among some of the best drawing tablets currently available. Plus, it’s far more affordable than an Apple model, making it a great option for entry-level creatives or students using digital art software.
REVIEW The Wacom One is designed well, and is clearly made using more durable materials than used by some of the budget brands competing with the company, although this does make the tablet a little heavier. Nevertheless, it’s compatible with Windows, Apple and even some Android devices (although, for the latter, you might need an adapter), plus the Wacom One also works with a range of different styluses. The stylus included with the Wacom One is unlikely to leave you wanting. Wacom is known for making ergonomic, well-weighted pens, and I’d go as far as to say that the one here is one of my favorites, with the only caveat being that it has only one programmable button. Setup is nice and easy, once you get past its wide array of cables; simply download the Wacom drivers online and you’re good to go. For me, as more of a hobbyist creative, the Wacom One delivered pretty much everything I needed. Would it be nice to have at least one programmable key, so I don’t need to reach for my keyboard? Sure. Would a few more height options from the foldable legs make the device a little more ergonomic? Most definitely. Still, I really enjoyed my time with this drawing tablet, and would strongly recommend it for artists who don’t want to splash out on a general-use tablet, or who don’t quite feel like they need the full gamut of workflow features found in more advanced drawing tablets. It also help me to with work it run really smooth on it. Overall, though, the Wacom One was a joy to use. The screen could perhaps do with offering a little more resistance for a more pen-to-paper experience, but it’s pleasingly responsive and smooth.
ART SHOWCASE ILLUSTRATOR INSIGHT Wacom is one of the industry leaders when it comes to drawing and graphics tablets. With virtually no lag and 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity in the included battery-free Wacom Pro Pen, the Wacom Intuos Pro is the best drawing tablet on the market for professional artists. ILLUST BY CHUAH
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INSIGHT ENABLING MORE INNOVATIVE WORLD Graphics tablets have long been considered professional tools for illustrators, image editors and CAD specialists who need an intuitive, almost classic input device for their creativity. In recent years, more affordable products have somewhat adjusted this assessment; and not least the current challenges of distance learning make drawing tablets interesting for pupils, students and teachers as well. In connection with graphics tablets, Wacom has been able to build up a high reputation over the past almost four decades. The pioneer launched the first tablet with a wireless pen as early as 1984; since then, the name Wacom has become almost synonymous with the entire class of devices. With the “One by Wacom”, the Japanese manufacturer wants to specifically address the education market. It is therefore fitting that the pen tablet is the first Wacom product (and probably the first graphics tablet ever) to be awarded the “Works With Chromebook” certificate and logo. The special thing about it: While dedicated driver software is required for working with the Mac or Windows PC, Chromebook users can get started right away — the connection with a free USB interface is sufficient. This is also important for organizational reasons: Schools can hand out the tablet directly to teachers and students without having to worry about installing a driver in advance — and IT departments are still rather rare in educational institutions anyway. There is also no need to register the individual users. Unfortunately, Wacom does not consistently use the USB-C standard for the connection, which has long been established in the Chromebook market as well. Instead, the One comes with a USB-A to micro-USB cable. While the former connection is usually found as an alternative in current Chromebooks, the latter keeps the tablet itself flat (which would also have been ensured by a USB-C port). But is ultimately fiddly.
INSIGHT The approximately notepad-sized and 0.3 inches high drawing surface of my test sample (the “Small” model) is slightly roughened and thus aims to convey the rather dull feel of drawing paper. In fact, the included EMR pen experiences a gentle resistance that is pleasantly noticeable. Anyone who has ever tried to draw or even write with a stylus on a glossy touch screen will quickly appreciate this. Furthermore: The surface of the drawing tablet is completely resistant to the often unavoidable (and necessary for stability during “pen guidance”) placing of the heel of the hand. It doesn’t offer multi-pen support like USI compatible touch displays. The drawing surface itself is highlighted with a matrix; the edges next to it seem quite wide at first, but offer the heels of the hands additional contact surface for drawing on the edges. Which brings us to the pen: Wacom traditionally relies on its own EMR technology. The advantage of Wacom’s patent: Compatible pens charge via electromagnetic induction and therefore do not need batteries. This saves stress (and weight), not least in the classroom: because fewer small parts mean less wear and tear. And as a creative, you don’t run the risk of “running out of energy” at some point during your flow of ideas. In addition, the market is also well equipped by third-party EMR pen providers; so you do not necessarily have to rely on Wacom’s own pens — but you should check the full operation beforehand. The stylus included with the One tablet fits quite well in the hand and is slightly wider towards the tip to provide additional support for the index finger. Wacom includes two additional nibs. Unfortunately, the EMR pen cannot be magnetically attached to any of the tablet’s sides, as is the case with the iPad, for example. Instead, it slips into a textile loop on the right side of the device after work (which I initially thought was just a bulky logo tag). In order to lug the tablet and its pen around in school bags, this is probably even the more robust solution. DRAWING LIKE PAPER Graphics tablets are not just for artists: The “One by Wacom” is aimed specifically at the education market
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