daaaaaaaamn.

June 28, 2006

Yesterday it struck me that I needed a lightboard, or a trace board, whatever you want to call it, for art. (This is because I’ve learned that if I trace a drawing once, I have a much better feel for then doing it freehand, so it’s really a very useful learning method for me.) So, as a procrastinatory technique, I just remembered this and came to look them up.

Jeez. The cheapest I found at a glance is €86, and the one that’s of a size more like what I’d prefer is €155. For twenty-five cents less I could get a *projector*.

Now, my experience with projectors is that gosh, all the blood falls out of your arms while you’re using one, but you can do things of all sizes with a projector, which you can’t so much with a lightboard. (You can also use a window and some tape to trace, but that also involves the blood falling out of the arms, which is what I was trying to avoid. Plus cold arms from leaning on the window.)

So. Should I get a 10×12″ lightboard (€85.50), a 12×18″ lightboard (€155), or a projector (€154.75)? Discuss and advise!

20 thoughts on “daaaaaaaamn.”

  1. Can you rotate the projector 90o and possibly bolt it or adhere it to something and then shine it down on a tabletop/workspace?

  3. Hrm. Or if you’re feeling crafty perhaps building one of his own.

  4. Possibly I could, although I wouldn’t want to bolt it somewhere in a rental house. And no, I’m not likely to build one of my own. :)

  6. I was attempting to build an audience for discussion. I was recently accepted into one of the most intense musical theatre programs in the country: the CAP 21 Studio and will be attending the studio at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts! I will be keeping this blog about my experiance there, working with the Broadway babes – and conjuring a discussion between the MT lovers on LJ :)

  7. I’m a big fan of projectors. They’re more versatile. The ability to re-size is a big perk, especially if you want to combine elements from different sources that may not be in the same scales. And just think of the studly arms you’ll get from drawing on the wall!

  8. Small lightboard + projector. Then you have bonus versatility plus extra Geek Points for having more toys!

    What’s the point of being a Famous Author if you can’t buy all the toys you want?

  9. Here is the poor woman’s light board:

    1. Tape drawing to large window that gets good light exposure.
    2. Tape the new paper that the drawing will go on over the original drawing.
    3. Trace the original drawing. Yes, your arms will get tired if it is a large project.
    4. Bob’s your uncle.

    NOTE: to make the tape slightly less stick (you’ll be wanting to peel it off your artwork without damage) stick the tape down on your jeans or T-shirt first. This will pick up some lint that will relax the adhesive a tad.

  11. I like my sliding glass door for these projects because it’s a large surface, it gets the sun and I can tape things low and sit on the floor while I trace. I draw and tweak my world maps using this method. :-)

  12. Sorry, just finished reading your original post.
    Never mind. :-)
    *slinks off to drink more coffee*

    Draconia Spamalot.

  15. You might see if you can find something more reasonably priced as a calligraphy tool. Calligraphers want to see their guide lines through whatever they’re working on, so you may be able to find a desktop item that would help you.

    This page is priced in dollars, but you get the idea: http://www.artsupply.com/alvin/lightboxes.htm

    — Robert, ex-Evan

  16. Building a lightbox yourself shouldn’t be too hard. Four boards for the sides, smaller pieces of wood on the inside, just below the top to rest the glass/heavy plastic on, a flourescent light fixture (like for above a bathroom mirror), and a piece of frosted bathroom glass or heavy duty plastic (or just regular glass/plastic and some frosted/translucent shelf sticky shelf paper applied to the underside). But that all might be more hassle than it’s worth.

  17. For me, and my purposes, I’d get a projector, but that’s in part because I’ve watched too many trading spaces episodes where projectors were used to make it possible to paint really cool stuff on walls.

    But, hey, if you’re procrastinating, go read my livejournal. I tagged you an’ everything! I’m very facilitating with the time wastingnesses!

  18. I saw that you tagged me, in fact. I’ll hit you tomorrow when my brain is fresher.

    After reading ‘s comments I’m dead interested in the game, as I’m her sort of gamer. :)

    Also, yah, leaning toward the projector, I think.

  19. No worries. I wasn’t sure if you’d seen, being all consumed with your authorly self and such.

    Projectors. I dig em.

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