Good thing that I do not have the same problem that JFJ has or I would surely go nuts (I use PS so no problemo there). I'd probably have thrown my Intuous against a wall.
If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
-J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)
My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps
I love that feature! I leave my mouse set to the path tool, my tip to either the ink or airbrush tool, and the back to the eraser tool.
-Rob A>
My tutorials: Using GIMP to Create an Artistic Regional Map ~ All My Tutorials
My GIMP Scripts: Rotating Brush ~ Gradient from Image ~ Mosaic Tile Helper ~ Random Density Map ~ Subterranean Map Prettier ~ Tapered Stroke Path ~ Random Rotate Floating Layer ~ Batch Image to Pattern ~ Better Seamless Tiles ~ Tile Shuffle ~ Scale Pattern ~ Grid of Guides ~ Fractalize path ~ Label Points
My Maps: Finished Maps ~ Challenge Entries ~ My Portfolio: www.cartocopia.com
I bought a tablet for the first time about a month ago. It's definately true that it's not like drawing with a pen/pencil because it is slightly disorientating at first that what you draw appears somewhere else.
For me, I found the key thing was to just practice constantly (I bought mine for actual drawings as well as maps, and spent a couple of weeks playing broken picture telephone a lot =P) and your brain adjusts fairly quickly. After which I think it feels pretty natural.
Since buying one though, I definately wouldn't go back to drawing with a mouse.
I found intensive practice to be the best way to get accustomed to the tablet. Knowing all the keyboard commands for your application is also a must, since it allows you to just draw with your right hand.
When I worked with a mouse, my left hand was always poised over the keyboard to access all the tools/menus via shortcuts leaving my right hand free to draw. For anything that I needed to do often, I changed Photoshop's keyboard commands to suit my needs (I now have a shortcut key for rotate object 90º for instance).
Changing from a mouse to a tablet was a pretty natural transition. Since I work with a laptop I find I don't bother to use a mouse anymore; basic UI type stuff I can do with the touchpad.