Switch to a tablet and forget your Mouse
While a mouse is widely considered the ‘default’ mode of interacting with your computer, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the most efficient or the most natural. The truth is, your mouse is hurting you – both in the figurative and the literal sense. Many of us work at a computer for long periods of time and have experienced pain or discomfort in our hands, wrists or forearms at some point while working, but may not have stopped to consider why. Your forearm is made of two bones – the ulna and the radius. The natural resting orientation for these bones is achieved when your palm is held sideways, like you’re making a thumbs-up gesture, or reaching out to shake someone’s hand. When you place your hand on a mouse, you are orienting your hand palm down, which leaves the ulna and radius in their ‘prone’ or twisted positions. Maintaining this orientation for long periods of time can put stress on the muscles, tendons and nerves of your lower arm, which could eventually lead to discomfort or even serious pain. When working with a stylus pen, you are holding your wrist and forearm in a much more neutral orientation, which can make a difference when working at the computer for long days. Customisable keys Beyond the ergonomic benefits, one of the most compelling reasons for switching to a digital drawing tablet is the sheer level of workflow customisations and shortcuts that you suddenly have at your fingertips. While there are several makers of digital drawing tablets, we use Wacom devices in our offices, so this piece talks specifically about the features and functionality found in Wacom’s products. Most of the Wacom Intuos and Cintiq lines of hardware come with a set of physical Expresskey buttons built into the device, which can be used to mimic standard modifier keys like Ctrl, Alt and Shift, but they can also be completely customised for easy access to the tools and shortcuts you use most frequently. Holding a stylus in your hand at all times makes it a bit more challenging to execute
one reason for switching to a tablet is THE SHEER level of workflow customisations and shortcuts available Kyle Green, rendering tutor and curriculum director, Pluralsight
complex keyboard shortcuts that would normally require the use of both hands, but by programming predefined keyboard shortcuts into the various Expresskeys, you can execute some pretty complex tasks with just a quick tap of a button. The Wacom tablet software even allows you to program a completely unique set of Expresskey functions that can change dynamically based on the application you are using. Simply placing your fingers on one of the Expresskeys will call up an on-screen heads-up display that shows which key you are currently touching, as well as the currently assigned function of that key. I find this function particularly useful when I have a number of different key commands set up for my different applications. Flexible working To overcome the limitations of only having a few physical Expresskeys on the device, Wacom’s software also allows you to create customised on-screen tool palettes, giving you a high degree of flexibility for having nested menus and customised shortcuts, resulting in very little need to ever place your hands on the keyboard when working with many creative and design applications.
If you’ve worked exclusively with a mouse, using a stylus is definitely a different experience, so it may not immediately feel natural to you. But with a little time and practice, I have found that many artists fall in love with the benefits of the tablet, and for most, their mouse quickly becomes forgotten. Is a digital drawing tablet the perfect solution for absolutely everyone? Admittedly, no. While a tablet does offer some great ergonomic and workflow efficiency benefits, using a stylus can be particularly challenging if you have to frequently type with both hands on the keyboard, and if you are a 3D artist, swapping a three-button mouse for a two-button stylus can feel a bit like working with one hand tied behind your back. Just remember that switching to a tablet doesn’t mean you have to banish your mouse entirely. If you have room for both a mouse and a tablet on your desk, it is perfectly fine to alternate between both, just don’t be surprised if after a while your mouse starts to accumulate a lot of extra dust!