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The folks at Wacom have been around a long time making digital tablets that artists use to interact with their computers. More recently, video and audio editors and 3D animators have embraced pen-tablet technology as a more sensitive and intimate alternative to the mouse.
"Where have you been all my life?" is what I felt upon first experiencing the Wacom Cintiq 18sx. Released last year, the 18.1in. interactive LCD display tablet allows you to paint directly on the Cintiq screen or on the optional CintiqPartner tablet with the included pressure-sensitive pen. With an SXGA screen resolution (12801024) and 24-bit color, the images it displays are truly realistic and natural.
From the get-go, you'll notice a computer monitor mounted on a gimbaled base that's able to rotate to just about any angle needed. But the Cintiq 18sx is much more than a fancy display. Drawing and painting directly on the Cintiq's LCD screen - while at the same time being able to navigate application menus quickly with the same pen - makes for a very productive and creative flow. For those large and long jobs, there's also the relief from repetitive stress injury that a pen and tablet provide.
With 512 levels of pressure sensitivity, the Cintiq Grip Pen controls the cursor in any application with pen-point precision for painting those precise images or finding just the right frame of video to cut to. Best of all, you can jump between monitors while using the same pen! And as any artist will tell you, quick access to palettes and tools helps the creative process. It's also important to know that the pen can...