I practiced with my mouse first to get used to all the tools. I've seen people getting a tablet expecting to master all drawing programs and don't. A tablet is definitely more convenient when it comes to sketching, painting, etc. but my suggestion is practice, get comfortable with the program you are working with, figure out your working style before getting one. I bought a tablet a few years back and I don't really use it often cause I mostly do vector images and that's easier with a mouse.

I love the one I have! I'm not very sure about specific tablets, but I would definitely recommend buying a Wacom brand drawing tablet. I was extremely lucky and got one for free when I was working a summer job, and it even though it was old and very obviously used, it stills works like a dream.

You can still paint without one, but I found it makes painting in longer strokes (like coloring hair) much, much, much easier!

I recently got a cheap one. A genius G-Pen 5" x 4". I'm not really a good artist, but its quite useful for doing some fine editing. I have messed around with trying to draw stuff but I'm just not really that good. I just need more pracitice I think. The genius tablets are very basic, pretty much just a pad and the pressure sensitive pen. I dont think they're that great for people who have a lot of talent but for the price its great to mess around with. Mine cost me R350 (which is about $44)

I voted for yes...
I actually bought one..
I had a wacom graphire...
anyway, I just thought it will be better if I had a wacom cintique...
but on the other hand.. it's better than nothing.. @___@

Congrats on the tablet.

yeah.. u should go for it if you have some cash to spend. its gonna be worth it. just gonna take some practise to mastered it. using a wacom graphire here.. still saving for the Intuos Line. kinda xpensive here. huhu