Wacom tablet with GIMP 3.2.4

[Grimpo]

I'm doing a lot of old B/W photo restoring and some colouring. Using GIMP 3.2.4. To make selections in an image I use a mouse, but I'm finding I'm just not dextrous enough to draw intricate outlines/selections in photos with fine detail, like trees and leaves etc..

So I thought about a Wacom pen tablet, and they're going cheap near me. But I need to know if that tablet is good for that kind of work. Will I get good control and be able to track the pen around every nook and cranny to make a selection?

I'm not concerned about a lot of other functions, as long as it's useful for that fine detail.

Anybody have any advice or comments? Thanks.

[Scallact]

(08-24-2026, 10:53 AM)Grimpo Wrote: I'm doing a lot of old B/W photo restoring and some colouring. Using GIMP 3.2.4. To make selections in an image I use a mouse, but I'm finding I'm just not dextrous enough to draw intricate outlines/selections in photos with fine detail, like trees and leaves etc..

So I thought about a Wacom pen tablet, and they're going cheap near me. But I need to know if that tablet is good for that kind of work. Will I get good control and be able to track the pen around every nook and cranny to make a selection?

I'm not concerned about a lot of other functions, as long as it's useful for that fine detail.

Anybody have any advice or comments? Thanks.

IMHO, tablets are not really that good for fine precision work. It more adapted to (and intended for) free artistic drawing, or fast filling of surfaces. I have a Wacom and a very precise mouse (3Dconnexion), and the latter is better for fine details contouring.

Don't get me wrong, tablets are fantastic tool, just maybe not the best for your use case.

Hope this helps.

[Xxxx]

When it comes to editing photos and selecting fine details (and, for that matter, for all mouse-related tasks), I couldn't do without a tablet anymore.

[Grimpo]

(08-24-2026, 01:26 PM)Scallact Wrote: IMHO, tablets are not really that good for fine precision work. It more adapted to (and intended for) free artistic drawing, or fast filling of surfaces. I have a Wacom and a very precise mouse (3Dconnexion), and the latter is better for fine details contouring.

Don't get me wrong, tablets are fantastic tool, just maybe not the best for your use case.

Hope this helps.

That does help, thanks.

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(08-24-2026, 04:27 PM)Xxxx Wrote: When it comes to editing photos and selecting fine details (and, for that matter, for all mouse-related tasks), I couldn't do without a tablet anymore.

Thanks. I think I'd better get some hands-on practice with a tablet and a 3D mouse before I buy. (If I can find a salesman who will oblige me).

[Scallact]

(08-24-2026, 09:04 PM)Grimpo Wrote:

(08-24-2026, 01:26 PM)Scallact Wrote: IMHO, tablets are not really that good for fine precision work. It more adapted to (and intended for) free artistic drawing, or fast filling of surfaces. I have a Wacom and a very precise mouse (3Dconnexion), and the latter is better for fine details contouring.

Don't get me wrong, tablets are fantastic tool, just maybe not the best for your use case.

Hope this helps.

That does help, thanks.

---

(08-24-2026, 04:27 PM)Xxxx Wrote: When it comes to editing photos and selecting fine details (and, for that matter, for all mouse-related tasks), I couldn't do without a tablet anymore.

Thanks. I think I'd better get some hands-on practice with a tablet and a 3D mouse before I buy. (If I can find a salesman who will oblige me).

Sorry, I was not very clear, my mouse is not a 3D mouse (SpaceMouse), it's the CADMouse from 3Dconnexion. I found it when searching for a mouse with 3 buttons.

As you can see from both advises, your mileage may vary. If you try before you buy, take into account the fact that a tablet needs some training to be efficient with.

[Grimpo]

[quote pid='47657' dateline='1787649532']

Sorry, I was not very clear, my mouse is not a 3D mouse (SpaceMouse), it's the CADMouse from 3Dconnexion. I found it when searching for a mouse with 3 buttons.

As you can see from both advises, your mileage may vary. If you try before you buy, take into account the fact that a tablet needs some training to be efficient with.
[/quote]

Oh, okay. I'm guessing it wasn't cheap? While I'd like to have something like that, my budget wouldn't stretch that far.

I've decided against a tablet. I get that they're designed with artists in mind, who like to have free movement across the 'canvas'. I'm after quite the opposite, tight movement around fine details.

[rich2005]

(Yesterday, 11:08 PM)Grimpo Wrote: [quote pid='47657' dateline='1787649532']

....snip.....I'm doing a lot of old B/W photo restoring and some colouring. Using GIMP 3.2.4. To make selections in an image I use a mouse, but I'm finding I'm just not dextrous enough to draw intricate outlines/selections in photos with fine detail, like trees and leaves etc..
-----snip....
I've decided against a tablet. I get that they're designed with artists in mind, who like to have free movement across the 'canvas'. I'm after quite the opposite, tight movement around fine details.

It reads like you are using mainly free select tool or maybe the (truly awful) scissors tool. Consider changing from a selection tool to the paths tool. It does mean you can go back and adjust the path at a later date, slower than a selection but if your mouse is a bit shaky it is worth using. You can get a selection from a path.

Another option is paint in an initial selection using quick-mask Make a layer mask from that and tidy up the edges in the layer mask. Again that is an option for returning at a later date. Do not limit yourself to one method. Keep selected areas as paths or channels.
Always save your work as a Gimp xcf which retains active selections / channels / paths / guides ...

[Grimpo]

I did experiment briefly with the paths tool, but I lost patience with it. Silly really because It's six of one and half a dozen of the other, and need much more patience to use the free select tool and keep having to move points afterwards anyway. I don't use the scissors tool.
Now that you mention it I should go back to paths. I've never tried quick masks but yes they're another option.
Thanks for the tip.

[Scallact]

(Today, 10:50 AM)Grimpo Wrote: I did experiment briefly with the paths tool, but I lost patience with it. Silly really because It's six of one and half a dozen of the other, and need much more patience to use the free select tool and keep having to move points afterwards anyway. I don't use the scissors tool.
Now that you mention it I should go back to paths. I've never tried quick masks but yes they're another option.
Thanks for the tip.

I often use the path tool in conjunction with this plugin: G2 continuity 

I just place path points in polygonal mode, and apply the plugin.

It works very well for a good portion of cases. But the thing with contouring is that each case needs its own technique.