Graphics tablet facts for kids
A graphics tablet is a cool tool for your computer. It lets you draw pictures, make graphics, or even write by hand directly onto your computer screen. It's like drawing on paper, but everything appears digitally! You usually use a special pen called a stylus with it.
Graphics tablets are great for turning your physical drawings into digital ones. Instead of scanning a picture, you can just trace it on the tablet. Then, it shows up on your computer screen.
These tablets can also understand your handwriting. This is very helpful in places like East Asia. People there use them to quickly type Chinese characters into their computers.
Contents
Parts of a Graphics Tablet
A graphics tablet has a few main parts that work together.
The Drawing Surface
The surface is the flat part where you draw. It can be different sizes, but it's often a square. What you draw on the tablet usually shows up on your computer screen, not on the tablet itself.
However, some special tablets have a screen built right into them. These let you see your drawing directly on the tablet as you work. Many graphics tablets can also sense how hard you press. They can even tell when the stylus is just above the surface.
The Stylus
A stylus is like a pen you use with the tablet. It's how you give the tablet instructions. The stylus can also tell how much pressure you use. This is super useful in drawing programs. For example, pressing harder can make a line thicker or a color darker.
The Puck
A puck is another tool you can use with a tablet. It looks a bit like a computer mouse. A puck can tell its exact position and how it's turned. Some professional pucks even have a magnifying glass to help with very precise work.
Types of Graphics Tablets
Graphics tablets use different technologies to work.
Passive Tablets
Passive tablets use a technology called electromagnetic induction. The tablet sends out a small electromagnetic signal. A special circuit in the stylus picks up this signal. Then, the tablet reads the signal from the stylus to know where it is. The best part is that these styluses do not need batteries!
Active Tablets
Active tablets have electronics inside the stylus that need power. The stylus creates and sends its own signal to the tablet. These tablets are always listening for the pen's signals. This helps them read your input very accurately. Because the stylus has its own electronics, it often needs a battery. This can make it a bit bigger and heavier.
Optical Tablets
Optical tablets work with a tiny digital camera inside the stylus. This camera helps the tablet see where the stylus is.
Acoustic Tablets
Acoustic tablets are older types of graphics tablets. They have a small sound maker in the stylus. Two microphones near the tablet's surface pick up this sound. This helps the tablet figure out the stylus's position.
Capacitive Tablets
Capacitive tablets sense electrostatic or capacitive signals. These signals come from a special stylus or even your finger. You probably know capacitive touchscreens from smartphones and tablet computers. They are very common. However, they are not often used for graphics tablets. This is because they are not as precise and lack some features needed for drawing.
How Graphics Tablets Are Used
Graphics tablets are very useful for many creative tasks.
Because a stylus can sense pressure and how it's tilted, it's perfect for digital art. Artists use these features to change things like brush size, how clear a color is, the shape of a brush, or the color itself. This all depends on how they use the stylus.
Graphics tablets are also used for technical drawing and computer-aided design. They are popular for digital drawing, graphic design, and making sketches.
They are also used for online teaching. For example, teachers can use them for live lessons or tutorials. This is great when they need to show visual information. Some people prefer tablet computers for certain tasks. However, those devices often do not have sensors for pressure and tilt like graphics tablets do.
When you want to buy a drawing tablet, you can choose between one with a screen or one without. Tablets with a screen are usually much more expensive than those without.
Manufacturers
- Wacom Co.
- KYE System
- IBall
- Hanvon Co.
- Genius
- Huion
- Monoprice
- Ugee
Images for kids
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A graphic tablet.
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A large-format graphic tablet by manufacturer Summagraphics. You can clearly see the puck's external copper coil.
See also
In Spanish: Tableta digitalizadora para niños
