should i use a mouse or a drawing tablet to start animating? [closed]

Question

THE PROBLEM: I need to figure out what I should use to start animating. I already have purchased a Bamboo Drawing Tablet, but I have not used it yet. I have also started on using a mouse, too. It kind of works, except that it is a little hard to control.

Many people have said that I should use the tablet, but to be honest, it feels awkward when I draw with it. It is also hard to control as well. And that is where my dilemma begins.

Maybe I just need to practice, some of you might say, but the truth is, I really don't have the time. I am waiting for a reply back from Animation Academy(which is kinda causing me to go crazy), and I hold a part time babysitting job, AS WELL AS balancing school.

I need to decide before I get a reply from my dream academy. If I don't get accepted into it, anyway, then I will be an animator who works at home. :P

Help me decide!(?)

Answer 1

lavenderkitt Probably the question will be closed because it is totally opinion based. But this is my opinion anyway.

It does not matter... for animation. For frehand drawing totally use the pen.

Animation is a diferent issue than drawing. Probably you need to define the keyframe of a 3D character... mouse. Probably you are animating circles and texts... mouse.

I feel a little strange about you are about to enter an animation school and you are just starting to use a mouse! You should be proficient in the use of a mouse then for the things you already know you are limited by using it, then you use the pen, or viceversa.

My real recomendation MAKE TIME to realy practice.

Probably you do not have the right software to use the pen. Download http://mypaint.org/ and draw with the pen, draw, draw and draw.

Answer 2

I'm not an illustrator by a long shot but I feel like illustration and animation greatly benefits from a display based pen.

I mean a Surface Pro, a Wacom Cintiq, or an iPad Pro.

I use my Wacom all the time for photography work and masking but drawing? Its shaky to say the least. Two seconds in an Apple store playing iPad Pro and Pencil got better results. If you're biggest issue is time, not budget, then I'd go that route.

You might also want to wait until you know if you're accepted. They might recommend certain hardware and software for you, often with discounted rates.