Wacom (www.wacom.com) has launched the next generation of its Intuos product family. The new range of Intuos Pen & Touch tablets consists of four models: Intuos Art, Intuos Comic, Intuos Photo and Intuos Draw (pen only).

Each model includes free creative software as well as additional training and service offers. The pen tablets come in two different sizes (small and medium), a choice of colors (white, blue and black) and a pen or pen & touch version – with a wireless connection kit as an optional accessory.

Containing many of the original Intuos' features, the new range offers 1,024 pen pressure-sensitivity levels to add details to drawings and photos, multi-touch capability that allows users to zoom and rotate their work at the flick of a finger and four customizable ExpressKeys. The tablet's ergonomic design ensures that photographers and artists can comfortably work creatively over long periods of time, says Jeff Mandell, executive vice president at Wacom.

Intuos Draw is targeted to beginners and offers access to ArtRage Lite and free tutorials, users can quickly develop from an amateur to talented artist through this easy-to-use pen tablet and software. The Intuos Draw is available in small (white and blue) and medium (white) pen only versions. Pricing ranges from US$69.90 to $69.95.

Intuos Art for users with more advanced painting and artistic skills. Offering a realistic painting experience, users can explore a variety of painting styles and brushes available on the pen tablet's free accompanying software package: Corel Painter Essentials. Available in small (black and blue) and medium (black and blue).

Intuos Art Photo is for photo editors who want to try new creative techniques or add text to an image to make it more personal. Available in small (black), the Intuos Photo is accompanied by Corel PaintShop Pro and Corel AfterShot Pro for Windows users, and Macphun Creative Kit and Corel AfterShot Pro for Mac users.

Intuos Art Comic is for comic and manga enthusiasts and is designed for creating characters and digital sketching, coloring and inking. Once created, digital comic creations can y be shared with friends and fellow fans to help developing artists break into the scene and get noticed. The Intuos Comic is available in small (black and blue) and medium (black and blue). Clip Studio Paint Pro and Anime Studio are available to download free with this tablet.

Pricing for the Intous Art line ranges from US$74.99 to $199.95.