For a student, buying the Wacom Cintiq is most of the time a dream.
It was so expensive.

Let me tell you more about the alternative Wacom product I used to have.

However, note that it seems to be tricky to find a retailer if you don’t live in Japan.

The Wacom tablet I get cheaper than a Cintiq

Below, is a picture of my previous Wacom screen tablet, the Wacom DTI 520 that I bought in Japan, in 2007. I thought it would be good to share with you a few words about it. If I am not wrong most of you never heard about this tablet before.

Wacom-dti-r20-the-design-sketchbook
Wacom DTI-520 – 15” – I broke the glass, so I taped a new one from a photo frame. It was just perfect. I removed the pod behind, to turn the tablet into a sheet of paper. I could use it in horizontal and vertical positions as well.

Wacom is known for its graphic tablet for artists. However, they also produce screen tablets for professionals such as medical care, accountancy, retail shop, and so on. Something that Wacom does NOT advertise publicly.

wacom-dti-520-originalWacom-dti 520-white

Pro and cons

The look, the size, and the price are different. However, the pen is also pressure sensitive. :D
4 times lesser sensitive than the Cintiq, but personally I haven’t noticed any difference).
Feel free to have a look at some artwork I did with that tablet on Pinterest.

See also  How to Make the Most Out Of Your Art & Design School Studies

choutac-chung-wacom-dti520-the Design Sketchbook

  • The pro:
    – Perfect screen sizes that you can’t find in the Wacom Cintiq series:
    Wacom Cintiq is available in 13”, 22” and 24” while the DTI series provides the intermediate sizes 15” and 17”. Which are to be perfect. Cintiq 13” is too small, and Cintiq 22” tends to be too big and heavy.
    – They are much more affordable.
    – The precision of the pen is perfect. (The portable Wacom Companion is not)
  • The cons:
    – No option made for artists such as side buttons.
    – If you don’t live in Japan, it may be quite tricky to get it (You may try Ebay, or any official Wacom reseller of your region). If you live in the US or Europe you may look for these reference numbers instead: Wacom PL-521 LCD tablet or Wacom PL-720 LCD tablet,I found the official Wacom reseller for Singapore: Persol, a Wacom retailer. You may want to contact them.

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Hello! I'm Chou-Tac, a Product Designer from France.

If the sketching methods I’ve acquired aid me in my life and in my industrial design career, I believe that they can also help you reach your dream goal as a student or professional designer.

Leave a comment in the blog or send me an email at choutac@thedesignsketchbook.com : )

Chou-Tac

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  • Kevin Baron: “I’m 75 years old – I’m working full time in a school for engineering students. I came to this work…May 1, 00:43
  • Chou-Tac: “Hi Larry, Hope you find plenty of content you like here! You may like that one, it is about my…Apr 30, 07:51
  • Larry: “United States. 80. Improve my skills and learn new techniques, etc. Looking into micro Ink pens, etc.Apr 30, 04:13
  • Chou-Tac: “Hey! If you get started at drawing shoes, I invite you to try this easy tutorial: https://www.thedesignsketchbook.com/how-to-draw-the-nike-air-max-the-sneaker-1-minute-tutorial/Apr 27, 13:38
  • Chou-Tac: “Hi Gail, Meanwhile, I do have this tutorial about how to a draw sphere with contour lines: https://www.thedesignsketchbook.com/how-to-draw-a-sphere-product-designer/ Cheers, Chou-TacApr 27, 13:28
  • Chou-Tac: “Hi Edie, I believe the system is set has “book sent” already. This is why it did not resend it…Apr 27, 08:27
  • Edie: “Different email worked, thanks SO much! It looks great. You are so generous with your resources and tutorials.Apr 27, 04:03
  • Edie: “Trying from another email! nope – here is error I keep getting: Error 503 Backend fetch failed Backend fetch failed…Apr 27, 04:01
  • Edie: “Trying from another email!Apr 27, 04:00
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