Wacom Settings In Illustrator

I have been using a 6×8 Wacom Intuos3 for the past 4 months, and can’t live without it. It has become a important tool in my Illustrator work. Not only is it more natural using the Wacom compared to a mouse, Illustrator has some tool features you can only use with a pen tablet. With some tools you can set how the tool responds to the Pressure, Stylus Wheel, Tilt, Bearing, and Rotation of the pen.
Definitions
Before we get into which tools utilize the Wacom’s pen features, it is useful to know the definition of Illustrator’s options associated with the pen.
- Pressure: The amount of pressure applied to tablet by the pen.
- Stylus Wheel: The location of pressure on the touch strip.
- Tilt: The angle the pen is tilted.
- Bearing: The direction the pen is tilted.
- Rotation: The orientation of the pen around its long axis.
Calligraphic Brush
This is probably my favorite Illustrator tool that utilizes Wacom’s features. You can either create a new calligraphic brush from the Brush Panel or edit an existing one. To create a new calligraphic brush, press the New Brush button at the bottom of the Brush Panel and choose New Calligraphic Brush from the options. This will bring up the Calligraphic Brush Options. You can also access these options of an existing calligraphic brush by double clicking on the brush you want to edit in the Brush Panel.

You can set the Pressure, Stylus Wheel, Tilt, Bearing, and Rotation for the Calligraphic Brush’s Angle, Roundness, and Diameter. This is a great place to experiment with different setting to see what kind of line you can produce. I like setting the diameter to the same point value will using Pressure for the setting. This creates a brush that you can easily create hair, grass and swirls with.

Symbol Sprayer Tool
Within the Symbol Sprayer options you can set the sprayer intensity using the same pen options as the Calligraphic Brush. Double-click on the Symbol Sprayer Tool in the Tools Panel to bring up the Symbolism Tools Options. Changing the Intensity with the pen options will also change the Symbol Shifter, Scruncher, Sizer, Spinner, Stainer, Screener, and Styler Tool. Experiment with the different Symbol Sprayer Tools to get different effects. Using the pen feature will gives a more natural variance in the Symbol Sprayer rather than the static default Intensity. Below is a simple example of using all the Symbol Sprayer Tools.

Eraser Tool
The Eraser Tool uses the same options as the Calligraphic Brush Options. You can create the same kind of line and effects as the Calligraphic Brush, but in reverse. I experiment with the Eraser Tool all the time. It helps train your mind to look at Illustrator elements differently. Below is an simple example.

Liquify Tools
The Liquify Tools (located on the Tools Panel) can utilize pen pressure. The Liquify Tool includes the: Warp, Twirl, Pucker, Bloat, Scallop, Crystallize, and Wrinkle tools. If you double-click on a particular Liquify Tool it will bring up the options for that tool. Under the option you can check the option for using pen pressure.

Get a Wacom
If you don’t have a Wacom yet, maybe some of these features will inspire you to get one. You can also enter a drawing from the folks over at SnapVillage for a Wacom Cintiq 21UX. Entering the drawing is open to anyone in the US, UK, Canada, Germany and France. All you have to do is fill out a short entry form. Good luck!

Leonaut.com
August 19th, 2008
Wacom Settings In Illustrator…
With some tools you can set how the tool responds to the Pressure, Stylus Wheel, Tilt, Bearing, and Rotation of the pen. Change settings in Illustrator to get the most out your Wacom….
Grant Friedman
August 19th, 2008
Great post Rype! I’m dying to get my hands on a new tablet. The one I have is ancient and needs replacement.
Esben Thomsen
August 19th, 2008
I would love to see your settings on the tablet itself
Rype
August 19th, 2008
Esben,
My Wacom is pretty much using the default settings. I like the pen pressure right in the middle. I haven’t played with the button functions on the Wacom, I stick to using the keyboard. I need to look at it more, because it would awesome if I could set a button to trigger Actions in Illustrator.
Esben Thomsen
August 19th, 2008
Well I got mine about a month ago, so Im also fairly new to the concept.
So far as I have seen, everything is possible in setting up the bottoms.. if you can find a keyboard shortcut for it that is.
But setting “space bar” and using the strips to zoom, well be very helpful.
Here is my settings: http://esbenthomsen.dk/img/Picture%203.png
.m
August 22nd, 2008
wow, thanks for the tips.
always on the lookout to push my wacom abilities.
Vandelay Website Design
August 27th, 2008
[…] Wacom Settings in Illustrator […]
a dude
August 30th, 2008
Okay,
I have a Bamboo (Wacom) and this doesn’t work!
HELP ME!!
Rype
August 30th, 2008
A Dude,
I was comparing the specs of the Bamboo vs the Intous on Wacoms site and it looks like the Bamboo doesn’t have “Application-Specific Settings”. That is probably the problem. That sucks!
http://www.wacom.com/bambootablet/compare.cfm
Noupe
August 31st, 2008
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September 1st, 2008
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September 1st, 2008
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Marlon
September 1st, 2008
Great subject for a post. I’ve been looking for practical stuff like this. However, I scanned up and down the article and couldn’t tell what hardware or what version of the software you were writing about. You could lock in more readers at the beginning if you re-assure them that this article is going to cover their particular set up.
Rype
September 4th, 2008
Marlon,
I should of made it more clear, but in the intro the post I say that I use the “6×8 Wacom Intuos3″. As for the Wacom software, I think I have the Wacom Pen Tablet, Driver Version 6.0.5. Hope that helps.
John
September 9th, 2008
about the Bamboo, what do you mean by “Application-Specific Settings”?
Does that mean that I can’t do anything with it’s pressure-sensitivity or other settings on Illustrator or other programs?
I’m planning to buy one, but that sounds like a deal-breaker..
Rype
September 9th, 2008
John,
I think that is what it means. You might be able to use basic pen-pressure settings, but not the tilt, bearing, etc… I know the Intuos is more expensive, but I think it would be worth it if you are looking to fully utilize the Wacom. You might want to contact Wacom just to be sure.
POLPDESIGN
September 9th, 2008
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Brenda
October 28th, 2008
I have the Intuos3… I highly recommend it.