Hello Everyone,

A couple of weeks ago I got my new Wacom Intuos 5 tablet and I love it.  So I decided to do a series of videos about how I setup and use my tablet.  But first, we need to talk about installing drivers.  This post will have two videos, one for a Mac and one for a PC.

Wacom suggests that before you install a new driver you should uninstall the present driver.  After uninstalling, then you install the new driver.  The following videos walk you through those steps.  I think most of you know how to do this, but there are always newcomers to the blog who do not.

The first video is for a Mac.

Update:  A friend, Miguel, suggested another way to open the Wacom Tablet Utility, which is different from the video.  If you have trouble with the way I show in the video try this:

1.  Click Command+Space Bar to bring up Spotlight.

2.  Start typing Wacom Tablet Utility

3.  The choices will appear in the window that opens as soon as you start to type. Click on the icon named Wacom Tablet Utility and then follow the suggestions in the video.

The second video is for a PC.

Update:  I left something out of the following video that is very important.  Do the following before you do anything in the video.

1.  Go to your Start Menu > All Programs > Wacom Tablet > Wacom Tablet Preference File Utility

2. In the Wacom Tablet Preference File Utility select backup.

3. Save your backup to your hard drive, but be sure to make a note or something so you will remember where it is.

4. Watch the video and after you have finished installing the new driver, return to Wacom Tablet Preference File Utility and select restore.  That will restore your tablet settings and you will not have to do them all over again.

I haven’t mentioned a Bamboo tablet driver.  The Bamboo tablets are more pressure sensitive these days.  Most have 1024 levels of pressure, the same amount as the Intuos 3.  I imagine that a lot of people use the Bamboo with Painter 12.  I have never owned a Bamboo, so I cannot tell you anything but what Wacom suggests.  It is similar to suggestions for the Intuos and Cintiq lines.  Here are the suggestions:

Windows 7/Vista Bamboo Driver:

Disconnect the tablet from the computer
Open your Start Menu and then the Control Panel
Open Programs and Features
Uninstall any listing here for Bamboo or Pen Tablet and then restart the computer

Windows XP Bamboo Driver:

Disconnect the tablet from the computer
Open your Start Menu and then the Control Panel
Open Add or Remove Programs
Uninstall any listing here for Bamboo or Pen Tablet and then restart the computer

Mac Bamboo Driver:

Open your Applications folder and locate any Bamboo or Pen Tablet folders you have
Use the Utility in each of these folders and click ‘Remove’ under ‘Tablet Software’

OK, that’s it for installing and uninstalling Wacom tablet drivers.

In my next post we will begin to set up my tablet.  I say begin because for me, the best way to set up a tablet is to have it open while I paint.  When painting I will see functions that I use all the time.  It will be those functions that I will want to add to the tablet.  So look for the next post.  I hope you enjoy this one until then.

Skip