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Hey fellow AD'ers!

 

I recently added an Intuous Pro tablet to my setup, and was looking around to see if anyone had some great presets/configuration ideas for integrating the numerous buttons on the tablet with AD.

 

Thanks for any input!

2021 16” Macbook Pro w/ M1 Max 10c cpu /24c gpu, 32 GB RAM, 1TB SSD, macOS Sequoia 15.1

2018 11" iPad Pro w/ A12X cpu/gpu, 256 GB, iPadOS 18.1

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Hi Ronny,

 

Hopefully the default Wacom setup should provide a good user experience because they map it so that PhotoShop users have most of their shortcuts to hand - and because our users have requested most of the same shortcuts so that it feels familiar, we also should work reasonably well out of the box :)  I've recently added the Ctrl+Option drag modifier to the raster brush tools in the newest beta and this is the only thing that my tablet didn't have a handy option for, but when I asked Paolo he gave a great tip which was to assign the Ctrl+Option shortcut to one of the buttons on the stylus - that way you're only ever a click-drag away from being able to adjust size and hardness of your raster brushes :)

 

Thanks,

Matt

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Hey Matt,

 

Yes I was very happy to see the Control+Option shortcut added to the latest beta! For the most part the tablet works out of the box, I was referring more to the ExpressKeys and the TouchRing keys on the side, and how users set up those keys for different workflows.

 

One thing that I noticed does not work in AD is the setting to scroll through and select the active layer from the layer palette by using the TouchRing, which has 4 toggles to control 4 sets of controls, including brush size. I believe the reason is Photoshop uses the Command + [  and Command + ] keyboard equivalents for Select Previous Layer and Select Next Layer respectively, whereas AD doesn't have keyboard equivalents for those controls — YET?!?!

 

Seriously GREAT job guys - AD is one of the most exciting things to be happening to in graphic design in decades... can't wait for the public Affinity Photo beta to be released!!!

2021 16” Macbook Pro w/ M1 Max 10c cpu /24c gpu, 32 GB RAM, 1TB SSD, macOS Sequoia 15.1

2018 11" iPad Pro w/ A12X cpu/gpu, 256 GB, iPadOS 18.1

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Command+[ and Command+] you say.... hmmm... I was all set to just add those shortcuts but I've realised that we use that for moving the current object up/down in the z-order. I'll definitely have a think about what keys I could map to that so that you can access those options from your tablet! :)

 

EDIT - Got it, I'll add them as Option+Command+[ and Option+Command+] as that's what they are in Illustrator so it will make sense to anyone used to Illustrator and they can still be mapped on your tablet's express keys/touch ring

 

2nd EDIT - Done! That's in for the next beta :)

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OMG! That was FAST — You totally rock MattP!!!!  :D

 

Yes I think in general it's a great strategy to stick with the "traditional" keyboard equivalents not only to tap into users' muscle memory, but for external support in hardware, macro software and automated workflows, etc. 

 

BTW, I think there is an incredible opportunity to exploit multi-touch gestures on a laptop's trackpad, or an external touch trackpad, or Wacom touch-enabled tablets, to enable a more intuitive workflow. I use a mouse, a pressure sensitive Wacom tablet and the trackpad on my MacbookPro for my design work, and I enjoy switching among them for different tasks — and of course switching input devices also helps prevent repetitive muscle strain.

 

I would love to be able to rotate my canvas view using the native OS X rotate gesture. This is a VERY important feature for sketching, to be able to rotate the canvas quickly and intuitively (without having to switch tools). I would also love to use the gesture for actually rotating selected objects, so these gesture's could be context aware too.

 

Going further, and I have posted about it on this thread some more, would be to develop specific touch-enabled tools that mimic traditional physical workflows, like using straight and curved/french rulers to build up your drawing (pixel or vector)...

 

I guess what I'm getting at is that tablets like iPad and Wacom enable the building of tools which bring back the tactility and physicality of "analogue" design with its enjoyable PHYSICAL experience, while preserving all the advantages of the digital experience as well. I envision these tools as being living guides in the design process, as opposed to the stale guides we are accustomed to pulling off the rulers on the edge of the document...

2021 16” Macbook Pro w/ M1 Max 10c cpu /24c gpu, 32 GB RAM, 1TB SSD, macOS Sequoia 15.1

2018 11" iPad Pro w/ A12X cpu/gpu, 256 GB, iPadOS 18.1

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Hi Ronny!

 

As anticipated by Matt this is my Wacom stuff setup

I use an Intuos Pro Medium, a Cintiq13HD and ArtPen side by side with bundled ones.

 

Pens

 

Primary button: CTRL+ALT

To change size while drawing

 

Secondary button: ALT+Click

Eyedropper to pick colours

 

 

Keypads

 

Central Ring Button: SPACE

Pan

 

Other buttons

One to CTRL+Z  and remaining still finding the right config for AD...

 

 

 

 

I would love to be able to rotate my canvas view using the native OS X rotate gesture.

 

 

+1250000000  :P

 

Even if a shift+space would be enough for me 

DAUB® Brushes making tools for artists, illustrators and doodlers

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Canvas rotation is already wired up to the rotation gesture on your trackpad - but I've set it to just return without doing anything because I still need to fix some of the issues surrounding it... I've posted a video a while ago showing it in action and it's on my radar of things to sort out, so just give me a little time and I'll sort it out :)

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Thanks Paulo, and btw I love your brush tutorials and explanations, and amazing work too! I'll try some of your settings for my wacom!

 

You're welcome!

If you need some help with Wacom tools please ask!

I've a sort of love/hate relationship with them started 20 years ago...

DAUB® Brushes making tools for artists, illustrators and doodlers

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