Help with a pen mouse, please?

[Cyfa]

Hi. I'm wondering if anyone here uses or has experience with pen mice?

I'm starting to experiment more with drawing and the various brushes in MS Paint, but my traditional mouse just doesn't cut the mustard as it's so clunky and imprecise. I was thinking that it would be much easier if the mouse was shaped like a pen, and after a spot of googling, I discovered that pen mice are an actual thing - Yay!
However, I'm rather overwhelmed with their technical specifications and capabilities having never heard of, nevermind actually used one before. So, I'm hoping that someone here who has (had) experience with them for artwork might be willing to share some pointers, tips, advice etc before I go out and buy something unsuitable?
Thank you!

[ Just to be clear, I'm not after one of those stylus thingies that work with a specific drawing/art tablet. I have a desktop PC which I'm pretty happy with, so I just want something pen-shaped that acts like a mouse ]

 

[Santaman]

https://justcreative.com/best-pen-mouse/
^^ Maybe this helps?

 

[publiusr]

The old CRTs let you use light pens…sigh.

 

[Starscape]

It's the first I've heard of a pen mouse. They look a little chunky for drawing.

I use a graphics tablet connected up to my PC, the stylus is much more like a normal pen and you use the tablet essentially like a mouse mat. Maybe that's something worth looking at too?

Now, if you ask here for graphic tablet suggestions...

 

[Cyfa]

Thanks for the link, @Santaman Funnily enough, I'd found that review, but there were so many pens and options that it overwhelmed me somewhat. I've done a little bit more research since then, so I'll go back and give it another read and see if anything pops out.

My PC is old, @publiusr, but not that old!

The pen mice do look quite chunky, @Starscape, but I'm imagining they'll be easier to manoeuvre and position the cursor than a standard mouse, if not as ergonomic as an actual pen.
I'd ruled out a tablet & stylus because of the cost, but March is bonus month at work, so depending on how much (if any) I get, I might consider going down that route...

 

[BorgMan]

I would recommend a drawing tablet very, very much. And they don't need to be expensive: Wacom tablets can go as low as $55,- for a base model. When you want to splurge money, you can look at their screen offerings like the One or the Cintiq 16. Personally I'd steer away from anything not-Wacom, mainly because you know that when you get a Wacom, it's good.

 

[Argosy]

I agree with Borgman, if you're moving in this direction Wacom tablets are worth a look. They have a budget range which may fit your needs. There are other brands like Huion which are getting better all the time, but Wacom is the tried and tested brand.

Like with all things there's usually a period of acclimatisation needed, in this case the detachment of drawing in one place, while looking at another. But if you've been drawing with a mouse, maybe that adjustment period will be quite short. Definitely worth thinking about a tablet though, before you know it, you'll be moving on to Cintiqs.

 

[Michael]

I'm going to agree with those urging you to look into getting a Wacom instead of something as obscure and possibly obsolete as a pen mouse. There's a reason why so many digital artists worldwide work with a graphic tablet. And as @BorgMan rightly points out, there are definitely models on the cheaper side, and they are absolutely worth their money, if you're looking for a way to make digital art.

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

Even the absolute lowest tier for a Wacom tablet will be better than any 'pen-mouse' for drawing. I would personally recommend the small Intuos tablet for a starter, and I think they are as low as $70 now. These tablets are not screens, and you can use them on your PC. I use an Wacom Intuos Pro for work and a Cintiq at home for drawing and love them. I also use an Ipad Pro with an Apple pencil. All three of these devices have their pros and cons and appeal to different sensibilities with drawing.

The problem that may arise from a 'pen-mouse' is that, like a mouse, the pen might not know where it is in physical space so drawing with it could be clunky. Imagine drawing a straight line, picking up the pen and moving it somewhere else, and then having the cursor remain at the point where you originally lifted the pen. This may not sound annoying at first, but it is highly counterintuitive to drawing. I have never used one myself so this might not be how they actually operate, but this is the first thing I assumed would be awkward. With a tablet like the ones Wacom makes, the pad is the sensor itself so a point on it corresponds to a point on the screen so you can draw continuously. These devices also have pressure sensitivity, so if you do get into drawing digitally, you will be able to take advantage of weighted strokes and opacity of 'inks' in more complex apps.

Edit: Just checked the website. A small Wacom One is now $50! My first tablet the exact same size 20 years ago was several hundred dollars! A small Inuos runs at $70 with double the pressure sensitivity and a larger drawing surface. If you're looking for something less than that, the Inspiroy tablets by Huion are as low as $32. In my experience, these tablets are comparable to Wacom in features but the build quality is much less impressive to accommodate the much lower price point.

 

[Cyfa]

The problem that may arise from a 'pen-mouse' is that, like a mouse, the pen might not know where it is in physical space so drawing with it could be clunky. Imagine drawing a straight line, picking up the pen and moving it somewhere else, and then having the cursor remain at the point where you originally lifted the pen. This may not sound annoying at first, but it is highly counterintuitive to drawing. I have never used one myself so this might not be how they actually operate, but this is the first thing I assumed would be awkward.

~ This is a good point, and one I have to contend with using a mouse to (haphazardly) "draw" with. All I can say to you - and everyone else here - is:

You fiends!! You practically forced me to look into this Wacom tablet malarkey, and I found the 'One' for just under £30 (only a few quid more than a pen mouse). But then I saw the medium-sized version for £56. Very soon I found myself looking at massive, all singing, all dancing £900 versions! I WANT IT!!!

A quick check at my bank balance, and I stepped back from the £900 version...

Seriously though, thank you all so much for your input - it's been VERY helpful, and insightful. I think I shall be using one of these tablets quite soon - I'll see what payday looks like first, though. And you can pretty much guarantee that I'll be subjecting you to some of my crappy, beginner efforts here. Ha!

 

[BorgMan]

The massive, 32" Cintiqs, with their ergo stands clocking in at 15 Kg, are on my "I won the lottery and will treat myself first of all" list.

Too bad I don't gamble...

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

You fiends!! You practically forced me to look into this Wacom tablet malarkey, and I found the 'One' for just under £30 (only a few quid more than a pen mouse). But then I saw the medium-sized version for £56. Very soon I found myself looking at massive, all singing, all dancing £900 versions! I WANT IT!!!

This is a normal and appropriate response, lol. I'd suggest resisting the temptation to get something big. A small to medium sized one is a bit easier to learn on. I have a 24" Cintiq screen and it took a LONG time to get use to! Bigger is not necessarily better during the learning stage, and you can create amazing art from a small pad. Larger pads and screens I would recommend for people who paint large, printable pieces, or do a lot of 3d sculpting.

I'm super excited for you! I'm glad we could be helpful here!

 

[Firebird]

I'm paying close attention to the recommendations in this thread because I've been toying around with transitioning to all-digital art myself. I'd been thinking of getting an iPad and the 2nd gen Apple Pen, but the near $800 for the bundle (if I can wait for a sale) scares the hell outta me.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

Another vote for Wacom. Mine just died. Now that may not sound like a recommendation, but my tablet was seventeen years old and up until just a few days before it went kaput it worked perfectly.

I can’t think of anything else that has lasted that long, other than my IBM Model M keyboard which will provide housing for the cockroaches after the apocalypse.

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

My first generation Wacom lasted at least 12 years and my Cintiq HD 13 was running fine after 10 years. They were both in good enough condition to give away each time I upgraded.

 

[Cyfa]

You guys are really selling it! I find out if I get a bonus on Friday - and maybe how much - so after a new spare wheel for the car, hopefully there'll be enough left over for a Wacom tablet of some sort. If not, I'll just have to spend less on gin and chocolate in order to get one

 

[Professor Moriarty]

Gin and chocolate? Egad!

 

[Cyfa]

Ha ha! Not consumed at the same time

I'm paying close attention to the recommendations in this thread because I've been toying around with transitioning to all-digital art myself. I'd been thinking of getting an iPad and the 2nd gen Apple Pen, but the near $800 for the bundle (if I can wait for a sale) scares the hell outta me.

~ I meant to say earlier, that I hope you're finding all the suggestions & comments as useful as I am? And have you had any experience with digital art at all? I hope you continue to do some of your wonderful pen & marker pieces.
Other than MS Paint and a few filters in FotoSketcher, I haven't - I don't intend to give up traditional drawing/art, but I think that going down the digital route will be much easier & quicker for some of the ideas that I have.

 

[Firebird]

~ I meant to say earlier, that I hope you're finding all the suggestions & comments as useful as I am? And have you had any experience with digital art at all? I hope you continue to do some of your wonderful pen & marker pieces.
Other than MS Paint and a few filters in FotoSketcher, I haven't - I don't intend to give up traditional drawing/art, but I think that going down the digital route will be much easier & quicker for some of the ideas that I have.

Yup, I’m keeping all these suggestions in mind! I’d like a tablet that makes my process simple and easy, without breaking the bank to get there.

As far as digital art, I’ve not done much at all, apart from using Paint to work on some set blueprint restorations. I’ve heard a lot of good word on the Procreate app, so that’s gonna be what I’ll go with as I go down the digital route. I think there will still be times I do the traditional copic art, but it would depend on how much time one medium takes for me vs the other. Digital will be great when I’m drawing scenes that involve starship backgrounds. If I can rotoscope them or use filters to make them look like a drawing instead of using rulers to do it myself? You bet I’ll skip my pens and paper!

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

Procreate is one of the best drawing apps I've ever used, and the price is virtually nothing compared to what you can do with it. It's designed for simplicity and intuitive use. You can figure out how to use it just from playing around, compared to the daunting task of learning just the basic concepts of photoshop.