You and Your Wacom

If you're like me, when you brough home your nice new Wacom Tablet, you pulled everything out of the box and started using it immediately, giddy as only a true geek can be. And, if you're like me, in your excitement, you gave only a cursory glance to some of the small extras that accompanied your pen. The nibs.

For a long time I simply forgot about those things. The standard nib always seemed to work just fine. Even when I did my Photoshop work I never gave the point of my pen a second thought. But I kept getting frustrated with the seeming lack of finesse I was experiencing when needing some soft effects on my illustrations and I just couldn't get what I was looking for. That's when I remembered the extra nibs tucked away in the pen box. I took a look and found the Stroke nib.



The Stroke nib is the one with the small spring added for greater finesse. The Stroke nib adds extra "give" to the pen, allowing for greater control of stroke pressure and thickness. When drawing, the Stroke nib also feels more natural.

I now make a habit of going back and forth between nibs as I work. When I do work in Illustrator, I use the Standard nib. But when it comes time to add texture and details in Photoshop, I grab the needle-nosed pliers and replace nibs. I've noticed that the strok nib actually reduces the finger stress I sometimes experience when I work.

If you have a Wacom, don't forget to experiment with the different nibs that come with your pen. They really do make a difference.