My buddy Carlota loaned me her tablet PC for a day or two to try it out. James and I had been talking about getting a cheap laptop for conventions–lugging my full machine is a pain in the ass if we’re driving, and impossible if we’re flying–but I hadn’t even considered a tablet PC, because…y’know. I didn’t think they’d hit the key combination of cheap and good yet that I’d require.
So I borrowed it, installed Painter on it, and…I’m being seduced.
There are a few drawbacks. The screen is miniscule compared to the machine I’m typing this on, and having to click open the virtual keyboard to type is akin to having to enter your name in an arcade machine. Since there’s no keyboard, there are no keyboard shortcuts, requiring a slight readjustment of my normal workflow.
On t’other hand, megascribble was MADE for that kinda thing–I wouldn’t want to do actual fine work on it, but as a sketchpad that would allow me to do portable megascribble (which I’m infinitely more comfortable with than pencil) it’s calling me with its evil siren song.
Downside–close to twice what I was planning on spending for such a device. Being able to sketch in my chosen form while laying on the couch is tempting, but probably not worth the money. Upside, if a coupla hanging art payments for originals come in, that’d mostly cover it.
The real test will come tomorrow. Tomorrow I will lug it out to the Triangle Metro Zoo (which claims they’ll be open) which appears to be a Discount Lion Safari kinda place, but that’s all I need. We’ll see if I can sketch at the zoo with the thing.
If I can…well…that’d be something all right…
