Flourish Forum
General Categories => Tools & Supplies => Topic started by: vince on January 12, 2014, 08:50:45 AM
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Hello everybody,
I'm planing to buy a lightbox to be able to work with guides under my sheets of paper (I know we can build it ourselves too). I think A3 would be a great dimension but I really have no clue about which brand/model is good point to start.
Do you have any advice? Thanks
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Hi Vince, and welcome to the Forum!
I purchased this light box a couple of months ago and I've been happy with it. The size seems good for me.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000S16Q9K/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000S16Q9K/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Hope this helps,
Ellen
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Hi Vince,
I like the one Ellen posted because it has a slant. I have a few. My favorite and standard is an old wood one with a slant. It's rather large and clunky but I like it. :D
These are very popular because they are portable: (affiliate link) Artograph Lightbox (http://amzn.to/2okDxBC)
But don't let the picture fool you, they do not have a slant. They are flat. I bought mine at Hobby Lobby with a 40% off coupon.
I have one of these too: (affiliate link) PortaTrace (http://amzn.to/2pfNLjZ) 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
Check out this thread, too, where people are getting creative and making their own! How to Make A Lightbox (http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=167.msg1040#msg1040)
Good Luck!
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Thanks a lot to both of you for your fast answers. =)
@Erica : Hobby Lobby looks great, I find the coupon, unforunately the bigger size they have is 9"x12". Maybe enough to work on classic sheets of paper thought?
I'm curious, is the slant useful for writing better letters or it's more about being more confortable like your hand get tired later?
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I have the 9x12 Light Pad and it's sufficient enough for my needs (so far). I only use a slant board when I do broad-nib calligraphy, for pointed pen I prefer flat. Depends on your own preference :)
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Hello Lynda, thanks for your feedbacks.
I finally chose to follow all of your guidance and find an Artograph 12"x17" at a really good price (here in France, those kind of tools are really more expensive than in US, no idea why).
I'm actually doing calligraphy on a small glass table with a light under, but the table is really small, so it's not confortable. I'm sure my practice will be smoother on a real desk with the lightpad on top. Thanks to all of you for your time and advices.
Have a nice week!
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Salut Vincent et bienvenue sur le forum :) tu peux fabriquer une lightbox à la maison très facilement ! J.ai acheté une table à 2 plateaux en verre, sur le plateau du bas j'ai mis les encres aquarelles... Et 2 néons de lumières, sur le plateau du haut, j'écris. J'allume les néons lorsque j'en ai besoin : pratique, gain de place... J'ai d'ailleurs posté deux photos dans le topic "open flourish -general discussion et "whats your workstation like"...
j'ai d'autre part acheté sur eBay (fabricant espagnol) une lightbox format d'ecran A3 une "light tablet" ultra fine et portable, idéale quand tu travailles à l'extérieur !!
Hope it's help ;) bises de Nice :) - nora
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Hey Nora (oh une frenchy ;)), thanks for the warm welcome and for the suggests. I'll definitely take a look at your posts. Have a good night! ;)
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So, speaking of light tables... I've been thinking of trying out Erica's method of writing pointed pen on a slant!
I learned broad pen on a slant of course, but all the pointed pen instruction I've ever read calls for a flat surface, and a particular way of resting the forearm on the table. However, I've noticed how much easier it is to flourish when I have a slight incline!
Has anybody else tried this? I have a harder time maintaining consistency of slant when working on a tilted surface, but I really like the free arm movement for drawing flourishes.
I don't know if I'm ready to invest in another slanted light table (I left mine in the States in one of my parents' garages, and now one one knows where it is... ::) but I'm definitely intrigued by E's innovation!
Ellen, didn't you say you've been using a slanted light table too?
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Joy, I've only ever used the slanted light table to write on. Maybe I should try removing it and see what that does to my work? I usually am tracing the lines though so the light table is a must for me!
Ellen
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So observational! I didn't really think about it before, but I *cannot* write without a slant. I suffer greatly in workshops and usually bring a lapboard so I can slant it! ;D
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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) :
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/104083072/flourishforum/workspace.jpg)
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.
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Sweet! Looks like a great set up! :D
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Thanks Erica =)
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Vince,
Looks like a nice set up. Now I'm thinking my little 8x10 light box is too small. Noticed a light pad in Paper and Ink Arts catalog, may give one of those a try.
Although, I find myself covering part of my light table just to soften the glare when lettering envelopes for long periods of time.
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Hi Joy,
These might help you. I use them to help slant my light pad. They're made by Artograph and they work great.
http://www.amazon.com/Artograph-225-946-PadPucks/dp/B00CDUD6XI/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1390637791&sr=1-1&keywords=pad+pucks
Hope this helps.
Love,
Roseann
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I can understand it's a bit expensive, for me it is. Anyway since 3 days, I see my writing really improved. Being confortable is a main point in my humble so we can completely focus on our letters.
Your suggest is good, the box make a lot of light and it can be too much for the eyes during hours of practice. Great tip.
Will post something (in the good part of the forum this time;) ) once I get a "not-so-bad" quote =)
Edit: Roseann, thanks for the suggest too =)
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Hello all,
I have the 12 x 17 Artograph too and love it. I think I will try Vince's suggestion about placing a book under the top to give it a slant. Don't know if it will help or hurt but it's worth experimenting :)
Mary
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Could you also use a couple of rubber door stops? The kind that have a slant? Or would they not be tall enough?
These are plastic so they aren't flexible: Door stopper (http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Sliders-80378-Rubber-Door/dp/B002OU9B86/ref=pd_sbs_op_2)
Or rubber like this: Door stoppers (http://www.amazon.com/Master-00941-Office-Doorstop-Inches/dp/B00006IATM/ref=pd_sim_indust_1)
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I was going to comment on this post asking those of you who have one if it's worth it and then I realized that you'd all probably say YES. I know that I often wish I have one!
So I just ordered an Artograph LightTracer 2 and am hoping for the best. Calligraphy is turning out to be an expensive hobby, however I know that a light pad will make my design and drawing work so much easier too. So I see it as an investment for my future!
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Awwww... shucks!! I'm loving that thing. I totally thought when you guys were talking lightboxes that it was a monstrosity! That shows my newbie-ness...
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I finally located my wooden lightbox. It is the 16x18 inch oak Porta-Trace. You can see it here: Oak Light Box (http://www.dickblick.com/items/55313-1007/).
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Oh em gee... expensive!!
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I know! I think I paid around $150 for it soooooo many years ago. I remember it was a huge investment. And light boxes were few and far between back then. :o
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I purchased a Artograph lighttracer from Hobby Lobby today. Has a slight angle. With 40% coupon seemed like a steal. Cant wait to try it out.
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Great deal! I didn't know they had them with a slant. Sweet!
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Yes its about a five degree slant according to my iphone :o
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I finally bought some pad puck for my Artograph, slant angle seems to be equivalent to the previous photo.
Some people may still prefer working flat, but If you never give it a try, do put some books or something under your lightpad, this is DEFINITELY easier with a slant =)
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My light box:
http://www.amazon.com/Crayola-Light-Tracing-Pad-Blue/dp/B0084JUNXS/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1393350408&sr=1-1&keywords=crayola+tracing+pad
Yes, the brand is Crayola. When I bought this in November 2013, the price was around $19.00. The price has gone up! But it looks like new packaging, and maybe a new model. It works pretty well for $19! The size is 11 x 8.5 inches. It is bright enough to see the guidelines underneath if away from bright windows and lamps. It is also very portable and easy to store. And it comes in blue and pink! What else can you ask for? A good entry level light box. The design has a series of LED lights around the outside of the frame. I hope they will design new ones with more LED lights. Really this product should not cost $40.
Ellen
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I absolutely love my light pad!!
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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!
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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 (http://www.artograph.com/products/light_lighttracerII.htm) has a 15-Watt flourescent lamp, while the standard Light Tracer (http://www.artograph.com/products/light_lighttracer.htm) 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 (http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/item/6-1-2-Square-Moss-Envelopes/2506.001/34330820.html) 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 (http://www.adorama.com/GPLB1218.html), 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?
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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
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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.
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I'm glad it helped!
I sure wish it had a built-in 55 deg angle edge for the slant lines.
Turn your paper. ;)
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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
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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.
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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 ;)!
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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
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I have one of these too: PortaTrace (http://www.amazon.com/Gagne-Port-A-Trace-1-Light-Stainless-Lightbox/dp/B0010CJJZE/ref=sr_1_5?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1389544068&sr=1-5&keywords=lightbox) 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. ;)
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Sounds like a great Christmas present to me! :)
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has anyone tried this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J0UUHPO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A31PCBBJFOHWCYl (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
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@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.
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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) :
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/104083072/flourishforum/workspace.jpg)
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. :)
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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.
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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!
Oh go for it! Pink and purple and jewels and more are inspiring :P
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has anyone tried this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J0UUHPO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A31PCBBJFOHWCYl (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
This looks nice! I like that the intensity is adjustable and that it should be easy to store. The USB plug is strange, but then you can buy an adapter if you need one. Let us know if you buy one! How well does it work with colored envelopes or 32 lb paper?
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the light box is beautiful! very sleek and pretty stable for how thin it is. I like how it has a thin profile so i can easily rest my arm over the edge without it feeling awkward.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5575/14376443812_b86005dac2.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nUp2SU)lightpad2 (https://flic.kr/p/nUp2SU) by tewshortforu (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
here it is on full brightness with a paper towel, a guideline sheet and two index cards.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/14398053093_851269c020.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nWiMyH)lightpad1 (https://flic.kr/p/nWiMyH) by tewshortforu (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
i dont have any dark envelopes to test at the moment but I will update later after more use.
so far i think it is a great purchase for the price. the usb cable is about three feet long and I plug it into a usb plug that i have for my iphone.
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Thanks for posting this Annie - looks great! I am so wanting a new light box to replace my tall one and this looks perfect! Keep us updated on how it's working out!
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BTW Annie - are you able to write on it with a tilt or is it too flexible for that? I'm really intrigued by this light pad!
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the light box is beautiful! very sleek and pretty stable for how thin it is. I like how it has a thin profile so i can easily rest my arm over the edge without it feeling awkward.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5575/14376443812_b86005dac2.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nUp2SU)lightpad2 (https://flic.kr/p/nUp2SU) by tewshortforu (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
here it is on full brightness with a paper towel, a guideline sheet and two index cards.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/14398053093_851269c020.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nWiMyH)lightpad1 (https://flic.kr/p/nWiMyH) by tewshortforu (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
i dont have any dark envelopes to test at the moment but I will update later after more use.
so far i think it is a great purchase for the price. the usb cable is about three feet long and I plug it into a usb plug that i have for my iphone.
I'm thinking of purchasing one too, just not sure if I should go for A4 or A3. For most projects we probably won't need a big one right?
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Just make sure it is big enough to accommodate your hand and forearm, otherwise it could feel awkward which would not contribute to good letterforms. :)
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BTW Annie - are you able to write on it with a tilt or is it too flexible for that? I'm really intrigued by this light pad!
I'm writing on tilt. I have one of these http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10114874/ (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10114874/) from Ikea propped on a slanted laptop cooling stand. I then place the light pad on the glass board. it gives me a nice large working area. I dont think the lightpad is thick enough to use at a tilt by just propping up one side. It will need to rest on something that has support in the center.
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Thanks for the reply Annie! I'm going to have to think more about this light pad....
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My light box:
http://www.amazon.com/Crayola-Light-Tracing-Pad-Blue/dp/B0084JUNXS/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1393350408&sr=1-1&keywords=crayola+tracing+pad
Yes, the brand is Crayola. When I bought this in November 2013, the price was around $19.00. The price has gone up! But it looks like new packaging, and maybe a new model. It works pretty well for $19! The size is 11 x 8.5 inches. It is bright enough to see the guidelines underneath if away from bright windows and lamps. It is also very portable and easy to store. And it comes in blue and pink! What else can you ask for? A good entry level light box. The design has a series of LED lights around the outside of the frame. I hope they will design new ones with more LED lights. Really this product should not cost $40.
Ellen
this actually looks cool!
i saw the artograph light pads here in singapore, and their price is double than those in amazon :o
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the light box is beautiful! very sleek and pretty stable for how thin it is. I like how it has a thin profile so i can easily rest my arm over the edge without it feeling awkward.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5575/14376443812_b86005dac2.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nUp2SU)lightpad2 (https://flic.kr/p/nUp2SU) by tewshortforu (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
here it is on full brightness with a paper towel, a guideline sheet and two index cards.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/14398053093_851269c020.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nWiMyH)lightpad1 (https://flic.kr/p/nWiMyH) by tewshortforu (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
i dont have any dark envelopes to test at the moment but I will update later after more use.
so far i think it is a great purchase for the price. the usb cable is about three feet long and I plug it into a usb plug that i have for my iphone.
this looks nice! very sleek and elegant-looking
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just a little update on the light pad, it does not shine through dark envelopes :( but I love it anyway
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Hi Vince,
I thought this was a new post but anyway I wanted to say hello. I recognized you
from your tiny profile photo on IG, haven't seen you post anything lately.
hope you are well!
MaryEllen
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I ordered one! Same one as Annie's but mine's A4 size .^^ can't wait! I'm so lazy with drawing my guides..