Using a graphics tablet
We have already discussed several uses for the Brush tool, notably in creating layer masks, in previous chapters, but it can also be used as a real brush. To do this, you really need to be very adept at drawing with a mouse, or you might consider buying a graphics tablet or graphics monitor.
Tablet devices are perfect for artists because, instead of drawing with a mouse, you use a pen stylus, which is roughly the same size and shape as a real pen, and draw onto the tablet as if it were the screen itself. Interestingly, tablets are also available as graphics monitors – digital screens onto which you can draw – but these are significantly more expensive.
Tablets come in a staggering range of sizes, though the larger the better since they provide more drawing accuracy and features. But even a $50 model will serve you well. One leading name in tablets is Wacom, which produces a complete range of products, from entry...