HAVE YOU BOUGHT yourself a pen instead of a mouse yet? If you’ve been reading Better Photography for a while, you’ll know we hammer on about using a pen for Photoshop, Lightroom and Capture One because of the extra control it gives you, especially when making selective adjustments and drawing masks. Holding a mouse and also holding down its button as you drag it around your desk is simply not conducive to artistic endeavours!

And up front, let’s acknowledge it will take a little time to get used to using a pen. You’ve been using a mouse or your finger on a track-pad forever, so trying something new will take you a little out of your comfort zone. But stick with it and see how you feel at the end of a week. We reckon you’ll be hooked.

Wacom’s pressure-sensitive pens are recognised by two dozen or more tools and brushes in Photoshop, meaning you can dynamically adjust colour temperature, exposure, tone, contrast, and most other features, all by how lightly or firmly you press your pen to the tablet.

So, how do you get a pen instead of a mouse? Wacom has a range of pen and tablet devices, including its new Intuos Pro Small. We actually recommend the small size, rather than the medium or large, because it’s quicker to move the pen from one side of the screen to the other. And if you want more precision, you can just enlarge the image on-screen to give you what is needed.

The tablet has six customisable ExpressKeys and Touch Ring which will give you quick access to your favourite shortcuts or Photoshop actions, while on-screen Radial menu and Express View head-up displays mean you won’t need a keyboard. Connecting to your PC or Mac through a USB connection, Intuos Professional Pen & Touch Small can be purchased for as little as $249.

For more information, visit https://buywacom.com.au/