subject: Graphics Tablets UK [print this page] Digital art is one of the fastest growing types of art out there, because especially in the learning stages, digital mediums offer what was previously not possible:
Practicing one's art with no cost for art materials & supplies.
This means that once an artist (or student) gets a computer and a graphics tablet, they can practice daily, for months and years, with no additional costs of paper, canvas, paint or pencils.
Furthermore the work being digital, this allows fast sharing and critique from the online communities, which help with both making the artist known, and getting the vital feedback needed to develop the skill.
The only problem is that graphics tablets are rather expensive, and people are usually reluctant to pay that high initial cost.
In fact, this is merely a perception and not a fact, and it is due to the popularity of Wacom graphics tablets. They some of the best and most popular, and also the most overpriced as well.
One rarely discovers this fact unless they dig deeper, when making their choice of tablets. However with more research, more viable alternatives to Wacom can be found.
Personally, I can vouch only for what I know and have used myself, and that is the Aiptek range of tablets.
Costing about one quarter of what a Wacom does (at the same surface size) Aiptek brings the tablet from the realm of the pro artist, to the hobbyist, the student, the learning teenager looking to express themselves visually.
