Author Topic: Lightbox brand/Model suggests  (Read 20612 times)

Offline Brad franklin

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #30 on: February 25, 2014, 03:39:21 PM »
It works. Thats what counts! I almost bought a barbie light box but thought better of it. Then i ran across my autograph. Love it!

Offline Lori M

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #31 on: March 01, 2014, 08:05:11 PM »
Can we talk about light box brightness?  (As an engineer, I can get a little techno-nerdy, so be forewarned.  :) )

My thought is that the brighter the light box, the less often I will have to draw lines by hand. (And apparently they do vary in brightness.) Have any of you done any research (or have any experience) with the relative brightness of light boxes?

I noticed that the Artograph Light Tracer II has a 15-Watt flourescent lamp, while the standard Light Tracer only has an 8-Watt lamp. So the Light Tracer II appears to be twice as bright. Has anyone used both of these models and noticed a significant difference in brightness? (I can't find any information about the brightness of LED light pads -- they're measured in lumens, not watts, and nobody's sharing.  :) )

My second question is, what paper colors and thickness can I expect to see guidelines through?

I can't see guidelines through the moss green envelopes I just got a Paper Source today. (I'm inserting the guidelines into the envelope.) I'm using a photography light box similar to this one, but an older model. The new model has 2 13-Watt lamps. I suspect mine is not as bright, but it should be at least as bright as a standard Artograph Light Tracer.

Am I expecting too much? Should I only expect to see guidelines through very light colors? Would it help if I turned off the other lights in the room?

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #32 on: March 01, 2014, 08:27:38 PM »
Good question... mine has 3 - 15w bulbs. And while that may seem super bright, the glass is white. It has a nice glow to it. I actually really enjoy sitting with it on (like a SAD lamp). I can see through very thick envelopes and paper. However, even lighter colored envelopes (like a light sage) I can't see through. I think it depends on the paper, too. Guess that isn't much help.  :o
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline Lori M

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #33 on: March 01, 2014, 08:37:48 PM »
Thanks, Erica -- that does help. If you can't see through light sage envelopes with 3 15-W bulbs, there's no way I can expect to see through my moss green envelopes. I guess I'd better get comfortable with drawing lines! I'll try my Ames Lettering Guide and see if it helps. I sure wish it had a built-in 55 deg angle edge for the slant lines.

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #34 on: March 01, 2014, 09:14:10 PM »
I'm glad it helped!

I sure wish it had a built-in 55 deg angle edge for the slant lines.

Turn your paper.  ;)
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline garyn

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #35 on: April 12, 2014, 12:20:26 AM »
There is another one called Porta-Trace.
http://www.amazon.com/Porta-Trace-12-inches-Stainless-Lightbox/dp/B0002GRL9U
It is not as compact as the LED units.
I got it for viewing photo slides, and cool that it now has another use.

Here is an LED one about the same size
http://www.amazon.com/Porta-Trace-Light-Panel-Black-11-Inch/dp/B0057A8II4
Gary

Offline garyn

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #36 on: April 13, 2014, 02:14:02 AM »
I thought I made a post, but now I can't find it.

With regard to the light boxes, how do you write on it?
Specifically your writing arm.
I was taught to rest the forearm on the desk and push and pull on the arm using the muscle under the forearm to pivot on.
But with a light box, unless it is built into the desk, I can't see how to do this.  My 10x12" lightbox is 3 inches thick, so there is nothing to support my arm.  It seems the only support is from the fingernails of the writing hand holding the hand off the paper.

The only thing that I can think of is to use the larger 12x18 light box, where the right side is primarily to support the arm.

Is there a technique to using a smaller light box?

thanks much.
Gary

Offline Estefa

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #37 on: April 13, 2014, 05:10:08 AM »
Hi Garyn, Erica moved the topic and made it an own thread!! It's here:

http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=663.0

I also answered to it ;)!
Stefanie :: Website :: Blog :: Instagram

Offline garyn

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #38 on: April 13, 2014, 12:50:34 PM »
Thank you Estefa,
I need to go check out the tutorials.
This place is so neat, that I realized that I did not get down to the bottom of the main page, so I did not even see the tutorials.
...I'm off to read more stuff.

thanks
Gary

Offline garyn

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #39 on: April 14, 2014, 11:40:23 AM »

I have one of these too: PortaTrace which I bought just before the Artographs came out and I thought would be useful to take to workshops. I don't think I've had it out of the box but once.  :o


Erica,
I just realized that I have the next model up from your PortaTrace.  I have the 10x12 inch model.
It was just fine for viewing slides, but it is thick and not big enough for tracing on.
I think I have to save my quarters for a large Artograph light pad.  Maybe Santa will bring me a light pad for XMas.  ;)
Gary

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #40 on: April 15, 2014, 01:08:22 PM »
Sounds like a great Christmas present to me!  :)
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline Annie

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #41 on: June 05, 2014, 07:12:01 PM »
has anyone tried this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J0UUHPO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A31PCBBJFOHWCYl? I have a laptop cooling rack that i could on set it on for slant
-an over enthusiastic newbie
http://instagram.com/tewshortforu

Offline garyn

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #42 on: June 05, 2014, 10:28:56 PM »
@Annie
That looks like an interesting light panel.
From the reviews, it seems people like it.

Concerns:
- From the reviews, the panel will flex, so you need to put it on a solid surface to support the entire panel.
- The panel is powered by the USB port on your computer.  It would be inconvenient to have to position the panel next to your computer, so you need a separate USB power supply to power the panel.  This raises the cost of the panel.
Gary

Offline Faeleia

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #43 on: June 06, 2014, 12:33:28 AM »
I just received the beast! Thanks a lot for your help, looks like it works really good. I'm happy to have orderer a 12" x 17" as it's more easy to turn the paper on the pad without entirely moving it.

I'm pretty sure my writting will improve with this new tool as I can now get a confortable position to write copperplate. Before I was doing something tricky with a very small glass table and a light..

Here is a little preview of the Artograph (model is A940 in case some of you are interested) :



I'll try to put a book under the top of the lightbox, just to check if it's better with a slant like suggested @Erica.

This is off topic, but I totally love that plant. Plants in a light coloured space brightens up the room and makes it fresher. :)

A thin light pad Annie showed looks really appealing! It would be great for people who hate clutter, like me. But too bad about the flexi surface. My S3 phone comes with an adapter for the electric socket and has a socket for the usb cable. You could use that, plugged directly to the outlet instead. I don't think a light will demand lots of power supply. :)

Offline hiloboy

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Re: Lightbox brand/Model suggests
« Reply #44 on: June 06, 2014, 01:10:30 AM »
just another idea for a light table. My table is 24"by48"..I used a  four bulb fluorescent light fixture that i turned up side down built a frame around it.put some legs on it. Set the angle I like to work at put a piece of frosted plexiglass on top of the light fixture.and a switch for off and on. Lot of room for more that one project at a time.