Cintiq 22HD

I thought I should write about the new Cintiq 22HD, I’ve been having a great time with mine; I got one about 6 months ago now.

I really enjoy using the cintiq,  I’m extremely happy with it and it gives a much different experience then using a wacom tablet.  For some reason the cintiq makes me want to do more character (acting) animation as opposed to animating objects/movement. I don’t know why.

Animating on it did remind me of when I used to do paper pencil animation on a light box in my teens, it has a similar feel to it, which is great.   But, there is nothing natural about it, I mean you are drawing on a glass monitor screen, but it is as close (at the moment) as you are going to get to drawing on paper. 

Using it can make you work faster (compared to the wacom tablet) if you use the right click radial menu preset buttons on the pen.  Not to mention the 11 preset buttons on both sides of the Cintiq.

 But it doesn't make me a better animator in my opinion, but what it is.....is a giant luxury.  It's like the limousine of the Wacom tablets and that’s what makes me animate on it more, it makes animating a joy, a really fun experience.  I can't imagine going back to an awkward Wacom tablet after using the cintiq for so long now.

But it’s not perfect.  Considering they can make tablets/ipads so thin you would think that the cintiqs would be way thinner and lighter by now, but to my surprise they are incredibly bulky and heavy which is the cintiqs biggest drawback in my opinion.  

So I don't think I will be totally impressed by the cintiqs until they make one light and thin enough that I can carry it to work under one arm.

 

Picking up the cintiq 22HD is like picking up a flat widescreen TV, and I hear that the cintiq 24HD even needs two people just to pick it up.

The good thing about the Cintiq 22HD as opposed to the 24HD is that you can take the 22HD off the stand and rest the cintiq flat on your lap like a drawing pad, sure it’s a little bit heavy, but if you rest the top of the cintiq against your table you wont feel the weight, I sometimes work like that and it isn't uncomfortable at all.  The 24HD would be way to heavy to even do that.

The cursor isn't  as accurate as it is with a mouse, there is a slight lag, but it’s so minimal that it doesn't ruin the experience for me and is not noticeable when animating / drawing.  But that’s another thing you think Wacom would have sorted out by now.

I would recommend buying it if you do have the money and if you are a serious artist that spends every day on it.  It isn't an essential device for animators in my opinion although it does give an amazing animating experience. For illustrators and architects it’s possibly more essential.  

If you get one, prepare to get addicted to it. 

As for me I have zero regrets getting one.