When working with a computer, you certainly pay special attention to your own comfort, but also to the functionality of all components working together, including the peripheral ones. One of them is the computer mouse, which is one of the most important devices, serving as an extension of our own hand in the virtual world of operating systems and the numerous programs we use. It is especially important when working with graphics, because accuracy and precision are the most important here. What functions should a mouse have for a graphic designer? You can find the answer to this question in our guide.
Digital brush
The work of a computer graphic requires a lot of patience, but most of all precision. In many situations, this is what the final effect depends on, which is entirely based on thousands of small details that, combined with each other, can create something that will arouse our satisfaction. Therefore, computer graphic designers attach great importance to what equipment they use in their daily work. A high-quality monitor is a matter of course, but the whole graphic creation process can be further improved if we notice how much a mouse can help here for a graphic designer. Unlike other professions related to working at the computer, a graphic designer spends a large part of his time with the mouse in his hand, correcting, improving, changing the form so that the end result is as close as possible to the vision in his head. To some extent, it can even be compared to the way professional painters work, with the difference that instead of a palette of paints, the graphic artist has a keyboard, so the mouse will act as a digital brush. Every painter knows perfectly well that it is the brush that determines the effect on the canvas. Therefore, when choosing the right mouse, every graphic designer should ensure that it is of the best quality and has all the necessary functions. Many people prefer special graphic tablets, but a large part of graphic designers still prefer the traditional mouse. How to choose the right model and what to pay attention to first?
The most important features of a mouse for a graphic designer
The most important thing that we should think about before we start buying a mouse is to precisely define our needs and requirements. It is known that each person works in a different way and pays attention to different things when it comes to using peripheral devices, which is a mouse for a graphic designer. These devices are constantly changing and being improved in order to better meet the needs of users. So let’s think about our habits, which will play a large role in using the new mouse for a graphic designer.
The first thing is how the mouse communicates with the computer. We can choose between a wired and a wireless mouse. The former has the advantage over the latter in that the computer’s response time to traffic is much faster, which can be a significant factor for many people. However, these are not the values that make a huge difference. The wireless mouse gives us more freedom of movement, which can be a significant convenience with constant use when working with graphics. At this point, it is also worth paying attention to whether the mouse is optical or laser. The first is more accurate, but the second is more sensitive.
Ergonomics is a word that should permanently enter the dictionary of every computer graphic artist, because after long work in front of a computer monitor, sooner or later we will start to feel unpleasant pains caused by sedentary work. It is worth ensuring that our mouse for a graphic designer is as ergonomic as possible, because our hand, and above all the wrist, is exposed to the greatest load, although it may not look like that at first glance. Incorrect wrist positioning, at an unnatural angle, can lead to serious health problems, which in the long run may be a significant difficulty in working as a computer graphic artist in the future. In our stores you will find special ergonomic mice that will relieve the wrist with their shape, which will quickly translate into increasing the comfort of work.
The additional buttons are, like the ergonomics mentioned above, almost a necessity. An ordinary computer mouse is limited to only two buttons and a roller, so each change of its settings requires us to enter the computer settings. A mouse for a graphic designer should have at least a few additional buttons, which, as we will quickly find out, will become a great help at work. Sensitivity control, the „back” and „forward” buttons are just a few of them, but it is worth taking a look at mice that have the ability to program button functions. Thanks to this, we will be able to choose what tasks they will fulfill in our work with graphic programs. This will allow you to use additional buttons in the same way as keyboard shortcuts, which most graphic designers probably use every day. Therefore, it will not only improve the comfort of their use, but also increase efficiency.
Let’s check the surroundings and the length of the wire
Let’s go back to wired mice for a moment. If we decided to choose such a solution, it is worth making sure that the mouse for the graphic designer serves us as well as possible. The most important feature of a wired mouse should be the length of the cable that connects the mouse to the computer. It is enough to measure the distance from the computer to the place where we will use the mouse and based on this measurement, choose the appropriate model in our stores. However, you shouldn’t go overboard too much, as too long a cable can be as problematic as too short. It is also worth looking at the material that covers the mouse cable for the graphic designer. A popular solution is a braided cable, which additionally protects it against mechanical damage that may arise as a result of its use. We are talking here mainly about wiping, but the braided cable should also be an appropriate protection against rolling over it with the wheels of our armchair.
A mouse for a graphic designer will be our everyday work tool, so it is worth paying attention to all the parameters provided by us to facilitate the work, but also to ensure the convenience of its performance.