LESSON 13
DIGITIZER AS A DESIGN TOOL
STRUCTURE 13.0
OBJECTIVES
13.1
INTRODUCTION 13.1.1
SOME FEATURES OF COMPUTERS
13.2
DIGITAL INPUT DEVICES
13.3
EARLY TABLET 13.3.1 13.3.2
13.4
IMPORTANCE OF TABLET IN DRAWING GENERAL USES
ELECTRONIC DEVICES SIMILAR TO THE DIGITIZER 13.4.1 13.4.2 13.4.3 13.4.4
LIGHT DETECTOR DIGITIZERS TOUCH SCREEN MONITORS PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANT TABLET PCS
13.5
ADVANTAGES IN USING A DIGITIZER TABLET
13.6
PEN AND STYLUS 13.6.1 13.6.2
TYPES OF PEN HOLDING PEN WITH DIGITIZER
13.7
OPERATION OF PEN AND CURSOR ON THE MONITOR
13.8
USE OF DIGITIZER AND PEN USING SOFTWARE TOOLS
13.9
EXAMPLES WITH PRO-CREATE PAINTER CLASSIC SOFTWARE
13.10
ASSIGNMENTS 13.10.1 13.10.2
CLASS ASSIGNMENTS HOME ASSIGNMENTS
13.11
SUMMING UP
13.12
POSSIBLE ANSWERS TO SELF-CHECK QUESTIONS
13.13
TERMINAL QUESTIONS
13.14
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED FURTHER READING
13.15
GLOSSARY 1
13. DIGITIZER AS A DESIGN TOOL In the techno–savvy world of today, Computers play a very important role. This unit will introduce you to an advanced computer hardware or equipment that is a digitizer tablet which can facilitate and accelerate the drawing on computer screen greatly. First lesson will introduce you to various features and functions of a digitizer, the next lesson will teach you how to use a digitizer and the third and final lessons of the unit will discuss the computer generated line and art in detail.
13.0 Objectives After following this lesson you will gain: •
A computer-savvy awareness of more advanced techniques in the field of drawing and arts.
•
Understanding Computers and its attached Peripheral Devices;- CPU, Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse and printer.
•
Understanding computer operation: Switching on computer, sequence, understanding Windows operation, CorelDraw Use.
•
Understanding digitizer and pen features: Pen/Digitizer as interactive tool with CorelDraw software.
•
Skill in use of digitizer and pen: Drawing of lines and free hand shapes using tools from graphics software (CorelDraw, PenPlus), colour shapes and Auto Close option
•
Efficient working with a digitizer tablet and its purpose and functions.
•
Skill in handling a digitizer.
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13.1 Introduction Computers provide accurate and precise information, manage production processes, and are extensively used by engineers, designers, architects, scientists, business executives, managers, administrators, accountants, teachers and students for its efficient outputs and flexibility to work. Computers in industry have helped in process automation and business systems like Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) Software programs. The ability of computers has helped business organizations to store and maintain voluminous records. They have been used to store large amount of data 2
and has led to their application in libraries, documentation centers, employment exchanges, stock exchanges, hospitals and other various establishments. It may be recalled that in Course no. 102 on ‘Business Skills and Ethics’, you were introduced to the fundamentals of computers in lesson 10. the emphasis in this lesson is on one of the ‘Input Devices ‘, viz, the digitizer which is used as a design tool. 13.1.1 Some of the features of computers •
Speed: Computers can perform complex calculations at a very high speed. It can calculate by computing (add, subtract, divide or multiply, etc) large digits in less than a second.
•
Storage: The storage capacity of a Computer is very high. It stores voluminous data in small storage devices like floppy, compact disc (CD), pen drives, which can be easily put in your pocket, thereby conserving space.
•
Accuracy: The accuracy of a Computer is consistently high, though errors in machinery can occur but due to incorrect inputs. A Computer does not have intelligence of its own but operates on instructions and data given by us.
•
Versatility: Computers are highly versatile. They can perform almost any task, provided with a series of logical (within the computer) steps. If you want to have repeated calculations, which are complex and involves several steps to give results, computers provide them rapidly and accurately. Computers also facilitate the process of efficient decisionmaking. They draws and print graphs, and converse with the users through terminals.
•
Diligence: Being a machine, a computer does not suffer from tiredness or lack of concentration. Even if a million calculations are to be made, it will perform the millionth one with exactly the same accuracy and speed as the first.
13.2 Digital Input Devices There are various components of a computer. They are broadly understood as Input, Output and the Central Processing Unit (Fig. 13.1). Input
CPU
Output
Fig. 13.1 Components of a computer
The Input Devices are those devices by which we feed instructions to the computer. These are like Keyboard, Mouse, Scanner and Digitizer Pen. Similarly, 3
the Output Devices are those where we take output from the Computer. These are like Monitor for Display, Printers for taking print-out. The CPU is the brain of the Computer where all instructions we feed get operated or processed to present the output. We will cover one of the Input devices Digitizer and Pen in this section. During early ancient Mesopotamian times, the letters or even books were written on SLATES made of soft clay, known as Tablets. Each tablet was like a page of a book. The writing apparatus was known as Wedge Shaped Stylus that was thick on one end and thin on the other (Fig. 13.2). The writing style was known as Cuneiform (Fig. 13.3). THIN
THICK
Fig. 13.2 Wedge Shaped Stylus Fig. 13.3 Cuneiform
The stylus was made out of wood, metal or bones. The stylus was pushed into a soft clay tablet to write. After writing the slates were baked till they became hard. Later it was used like a book page.
13.3 Early Tablets Early tablets were known as spark tablets, which used a Pen stylus that generated clicks with a spark plug. The system worked with various kinds of sensors. Sensor is a component to sense a changed condition. For example, optical sensor works on light. The first graphics tablet was the RAND Tablet, also known as the Grafacon (for Graphic Converter), introduced in 1964.The RAND Tablet had a grid of wires under the surface of the pad that encoded horizontal and vertical coordinates with magnetic signal. In modern tablets, the horizontal and vertical wires of the grid are separated by a thin insulator. When pressure is applied to the tablet, the horizontal and vertical wires associated with the corresponding grid point meet each other, causing an electric current to flow into wires. Since an electric current is only present in the two wires that meet, a unique coordinate for the stylus is displayed. 13.3.1 Importance of Tablet in Drawing
4
A tablet is like a Drawing Board used for sketching images or tracing old ones, using special Stylus/Digital Pen or Puck (like a mouse). For sketching, the user draws with the pen or puck and the screen cursor is moved "drawing" a corresponding image on to the Computer monitor. Pucks are like the Mouse, but have buttons and a lens with crosshairs that allows users to select images with greater accuracy. Both, pens and pucks can be wireless devices or attached to digitizer tablets via cords or wires. X-Y Coordinates
B
A
C
Fig. 13.4
The drawings that you produce with digitizer tablets are stored as mathematical value of the coordinates of points and as line segments. For example, the three vertices of the triangle shown in Fig. 13.4 have got X–Y Coordinates.When drawing or tracing on the tablet, a series of x-y coordinates are created, as a continuous stream of coordinates or end points. The tablets are useful in illustration or design free-hand actions. Drawings or Design requiring precision or with more accuracy, such as mapping, are easy to draw using tablets.Tablets are available with different resolutions. Resolution is a parameter that gives the image quality that can be displayed on the Monitor. Higher the resolution, the better is the image. Graphics tablets are available in various sizes (A6 to A3-sized) with varying size of the active area (Fig. 13.5).
13.3.2 General uses Graphics tablets, with stylus-based interface have ability to detect pressure, tilt, and other attributes of the stylus and its interaction with the tablet, allow you to create computer graphics. 5
You can apply different pressure or tilt of the stylus (Fig. 13.6) on the tablet, and the pressure sensitivity or tilt angle can be used for modifying its attributes, such as brush size, opacity, and colour. This information input then can be used by graphics softwares to make use of for creating drawings and designs. Some of the graphics software are e.g. Corel Painter, Inkscape, PhotoShop, Studio Artist.
Tool ID 64 Bit Chip Switch status Data output • Pressure • Switch status • Tool ID
Modulator
Coil
Tablet sends and receives
Fig. 13.6 Cordless pen and digitizer tablet
Self-check Questions 1.
What are the significant features of computers that make then indispensable for any type of work all over the world? 6
2.
What are the input devices? Name them.
13.4 Electronic Devices similar to the Digitizer Electronic devices that are similar to Digitizers/Tablets are also sometime known as Sensitive Digitizers. These are: •
Light Detector Digitizers
•
Touch Screen Monitors,
•
Personal Digital Assistant (PDAs) and
•
Tablet PCs
13.4.1 Light detector digitizers The light detector digitizer operates through a light detection (LEDs Light Emitting Diodes). A series of LEDs are arranged in horizontal and vertical form thus forming a grid of light and when you press the point on the screen or on a digitizer a coordinate is registered. 13.4.2 Touch screen monitors Touch screens Computer Monitors used mostly in kiosks operate in similar ways, but they usually use either optical grids or a pressure sensitive film screen. They do not need a special pointing device. Touch sensitive digitizers uses an ordinary pen pencil or a finger and detects the movement of these by sensing the pressure generated when the tip is pressed on to the surface by the user. 13.4.3 Personal digital assistant Personal Digital Assistant is a hand held computer like a Mobile (Fig. 13.7) that is mainly used as an organizer for personal information, such as names and address directory, and appointments.
Fig. 13.7 Personal digital assistant
13.4.4 Tablet PCs Tablet PCs are the latest portable computers that run with Windows XP (A Software Program to operate) that can be operated with a digital pen. Handwriting can be saved as an image, and converted into typed text. The documents we create on these PCs are referred to as “digital ink” documents. Tablet PCs are an alternative to pen and paper. 7
13.5 Advantages in Using a Digitizer Tablet There are four main reasons why we use tablets: •
To have better control
•
Comfortable for drawings and sketches
•
Innovation and speed for work productivity
•
Using a pen tablet is easy
If you spend time creating and working with images on a computer, a pen tablet will be beneficial. You can go from light to dark, thin to thick or opaque to transparent in one pressure-sensitive stroke. The pen’s positioning is also faster than a mouse, allowing you to access every area of your screen. It’s easy to use a pen tablet because every point on the tablet has a matching point on the screen. When you move your pen over the tablet the cursor moves in precisely the same way on the screen.
13.6 Pen and Stylus The Light Pens are also known as Stylus (plural: styli) and is a writing device. It is similar to a modern ballpoint pen. Light pen is also a computer input device in the form of a light-sensitive ray used with the computer monitor. It allows the user to point to displayed objects, or draw on the screen, in a similar way as on touch screen but with greater positional accuracy. While using graphics software program in computers such as CorelDraw or Corel PHOTO-PAINT to create artistic strokes with a standard mouse, you will understand that Pen and Digitizers are User friendly or easy to use while drawing. Also note that use of mouse is not flexible except for shapes, which are already available in software library. 13.6.1 Types of PEN New and smart-alternative input device for computers that enables you to extend your drawing abilities & produce better result are digitizer pen for elegant drawing action.
Fig. 13.8 Wacom Pens
It helps you to easily make physical handdrawing actions of a pencil, pen, or brush. You can make creative drawings as sketching, cartooning, airbrushing, painting, erasing, or applying interactive line effects are faster and you can complete many drawings in a short time. Pen tablet technology is in use for most of the Drafting and Design work. 8
The pen or ‘Stylus’ (Fig. 13.8) has click-able function buttons. Most pens have specialized tips, to help you to activate the options of pressure-sensitive tools like those found in CorelDraw and Corel PHOTO-PAINT 13.6.2 Holding pen with digitizer You just hold the Pen like an ordinary pencil or pen but position the tip straight on digitizer. You can tilt the Pen to get a comfortable grip. The Pen tip can read up to 5mm off the tablet surface, so you don't need to be "touching" the surface when moving the cursor. The shape and feel of the pen is tapered waist and finger flare, is designed to minimize strain and maximize comfort. Pens are a powerful device used for creating or editing artwork when used with Pen Software's and other Graphics software such as; CorelDraw and Adobe Photoshop.
13.7 Operation of PEN and Cursor on Monitor i)
To move the cursor, lift the pen a little above the surface, and move it to the desired place.
ii)
The active area of the tablet always represents the entire screen.
iii) For normal action as mouse, tap the surface with the Pen tip just once "Single Click". iv) To end the action tap the same place with the Pen tip twice "Double Click". v)
Click the desired file option or icon, and move (Drag) the pen while touching the surface.
13.8 Use of Digitizer and Pen using Software Tools Using digitizer software and other graphics software, designs and various art forms can be created. With the options of CorelDraw software, following examples can be exercised to understand use of Digitizer and Pen for art work. 13.8.1 Examples with Pro-create Painter Classic Software i)
Freehand Tool Overview Choose Freehand Tool from Tool Palette Click on the Freehand Tool in the Toolbox. The freehand drawing tool is used to create drawn objects that are not variations of rectangles or circles. 9
ii)
Draw Curved Line (Fig. 13.9)
Choose Freehand Tool. Click and drag to draw the shape you desire. You can release the mouse button or tap the Pen tip once, and continue with the same object, by clicking the mouse or Tap the tip once to close the last node in the section you have just completed to extend the line drawn. The new line will automatically join to the end of the last one. iii)
Fig. 13.9 Drawing a Curved Line
Draw Straight Line (Fig. 13.10)
Click and release your mouse button or Tap Pen Tip to place the initial node for your line. Move your cursor to the desired end for your line. Click the mouse to place the end node or Tap the Pen once to place the end Node. You can draw lines of varying thickness by changing the size of the Line from Tools Palette.
Fig. 13.10 Drawing a Straight Line
iv)
Create Shapes & Fill with Colour (Fig. 13.11)
Using a Free-Hand tool from the tool palette draw shapes of a rectangle, square and an ellipse. Colour these with different Colours using Art Material Palette.
Fig. 13.11
Activity
10
1.
On computer: i)
Draw Curved Lines
ii)
Draw Straight Lines
iii) Create Shapes & Fill with Colour
Self-check Questions 3.
Name some of the devices which have similar functions as that of a digitizer.
4.
Write the advantages of using a digitizer tablet.
5.
What is the function of a freehand tool?
13.9 Assignments 13.9.1 Class assignments i)
Draw any geometrical design on your drawing sheet with a pencil and set up a colour scheme for it. Now draw the same design on the computer using a digitizer tablet.
13.9.2 Home assignments i)
Survey the market for different brands of digitizer sets or look into some computer hardware magazines in your library. Prepare a list along with their cost figures.
13.10 Summing Up In this class you have learnt about various components of computers. You learnt about the use of computers and its benefits. You learnt about digitizer tablets and stylus/pens as input devices to computer. You also learnt some of the similar electronic devices which are similar in use as tablets. As you do the exercises you will understand the various components of computers. You will learn how to operate computers, digitizer and pen. While learning you will be using one of the graphics software such as Pro-create Painter Classic, as a tool to make use of digitizer/tablet and pens. You will learn how to draw lines and shapes using pen with digitizer. You will also be able to understand pen usage and their user friendliness. While using pen you should take into account ergonomic behaviour and postures required when working with Computers.
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13.11 Possible Answers to Self-check Questions 1.
Salient features of computers are: Speed, Storage, Accuracy, Versatility, Diligence.
2.
The Input Devices are those devices by which we feed instructions to the computer. These are like Keyboard, Mouse, Scanner and Digitizer Pen.
3.
Devices similar to digitizer are: • • • •
4.
There are four main reasons why we use tablets: • • • •
5.
Light Detector Digitizers Touch Screen Monitors, Personal Digital Assistant (PDAs) and Tablet PCs
To have better control Comfortable for drawings and sketches Innovation and speed for work productivity Using a pen tablet is easy
A freehand drawing tool is used to create drawn objects that are not variations of rectangles or circles.
13.12 Terminal Questions 1. What is digitizer/tablet? 2. What are the advantages of digitizer/tablet? 3. Name devices that are similar to digitizer/tablet. 4. What are the various types of stylus/pens? 5. Describe some functions of buttons/switch of stylus/pen.
13.13 References and Suggested Further Reading 1.
Thakur, Atul Jan 21, 2005. Exercise Demos using Professional Software: CorelDraw
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2.
Besant, C.B. and Lui, C.W.K. 1988 Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing. East West Pvt Limited, New Delhi.
3.
Images and Features of Pen Tablets from Wacom速 Intuos速 2
4.
Internet Web sites: i)
http://www.microsoft.com/office/editions/prodinfo/tabletpc.mspx.
ii)
http://www.corel.com.
iii) http://www.adobe.com iv) http://www.answers.com
13.14 Glossary 1.
Versatility
Skillfulness in many things
2.
Diligence
Industriousness, careful hard work
3.
Processing
Preparing or putting through a prescribed procedure
4.
Stylus
A pointed tool for writing or drawing or engraving
5.
Ergonomic
The science which studies the relation between workers and their environments
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