I have been planning to get a graphics pad forever in order to start drawing digitally, but I was a bit apprehensive considering that they're pretty expensive and I wasn't sure if I would be able to use them. I borrowed a basic beginner's tablet from a friend to test it out and was horrified. I couldn't even draw a shaky circle. The disconnect between what I was drawing (on the table) and where my eyes were looking (the screen) meant hand-eye coordination was useless.

Needless to say I was very discouraged and I was sure I'd never be able to use a tablet but I decided to look for a second opinion so yesterday I went to the Digital Media Lab at my school and asked if they had any tablets I could look at because I was thinking about purchasing one. They did. In fact, they just flung open a massive cabinet full of tablets and pulled out a brand new one in its box and everything, and shoved it into my hands and told me to keep it as long as I liked and bring it back whenever I was done.

The graphics pad they gave me wasn't full professional grade but it's at the top of the beginner class (meaning it's much better than the one I borrowed from my friend which is at the bottom of the beginner range). I've been working on the school one since last night, and I am so excited! It took a couple of tries to get the hang of it but I'm so glad that I didn't give up. To go from being unable to draw even a simple circle to being able to do a full (albeit super, super rough) sketch in a matter of hours is amazing progress (especially considering that I thought this was a lost cause).

If I'm this comfortable with the beginner tablet, I think the professional grade one will be well worth the investment. I've been saving for it and I was questioning whether it was worth spending all that money on, but now I'm definitely going to get it.

The tablet I want to buy is the Wacom Intuos4 (professional grade graphics pad), and the tablet I got from the lab yesterday (which is what I drew this with) is the Wacom Bamboo Fun (beginner/amateur grade). I'm also looking to see what software I might get too. I've heard a few people talk about Krita animation download, so I'm definitely going to have a look at that one and see what it's all about!

I would have tried to do more, but I'm so tired. This took hours and hours but I think it was worth it.

So here it is, my first ever digital drawing:

UPDATE: And my second....