Create a DIY Lightbox for Tracing Artwork and Photos

Creating Your Own Lightbox for Tracing Artwork

As an artist, having the right tools can make all the difference when it comes to the quality of your work. One useful item that many artists use for tracing their sketches or reference photos is a lightbox. From my experience, a DIY lightbox allows for easy tracing and saves money compared to buying a commercial one. In this article, I’ll walk through everything you need to know to make your own led lightbox for tracing at home.

What is a Lightbox?

A lightbox is a viewing device that allows you to see through paper to view and trace images. It essentially works like an x-ray, casting even backlighting across the entire surface so you can clearly see through and transcribe a sketch or photo placed on top. Both professional artists and hobbyists use lightboxes regularly for inking comic books, tracing embroidery patterns, and various kinds of graphic design work.

Benefits of Using a DIY Lightbox

• Saves money compared to buying a commercial box
• Customizable to your perfect size
• Change out lighting as needed for ideal brightness
• Portable to use anywhere

Materials Needed

Luckily, building your own lightbox doesn’t require many supplies:

• Plastic storage bin – A clear plastic bin with a lid serves as the foundation. Get one large enough for your artwork.
• LED strip lights – These bright, low-heat lights allow you to see through your box.
• Exacto knife – For cutting holes to thread wires through the plastic.
• Electrical tape – To tape down wires along the bin’s edges.

Additionally, you may want opaque acrylic sheets, mat boards, or foam core to create diffused backlighting rather than transparent. But the clear bin alone will get the job done!

Building Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to construct a custom tracing lightbox:

1. Measure and cut LED strip lights to fit all four inner sides of the plastic bin, sticking them vertically about 1 inch apart.
2. Use the Exacto knife to puncture two small holes near each corner of the container – this allows you to thread the connector and power wires from the LEDs outside the box.
3. Thread and connect the wiring between each LED strip, securing the connectors inside the bin. Run the power adapter wire out one corner’s hole so you can later plug it into an outlet.
4. Use small pieces of electrical tape to adhere all the wiring neatly around the inner edges, preventing loose wires inside the box.
5. Place acrylic sheets or mat boards horizontally into the bin if you want diffused backlighting instead of transparent.
6. Close up the bin and connect the LEDs to the power adapter to test the lighting. Adjust wiring or add sheets if needed.

And that’s it – you now have your own custom tracing lightbox ready to help take your art to the next level!

Tips for Using Your Lightbox

Here are some handy tips for getting the most out of your LED tracing box:

• Play with acrylics and mat boards to find your perfect lighting brightness and diffusion.
• Store tracing paper, sketch pads, pencils, pens inside when not in use.
• If light leaks from any edges, use gaffer’s tape to fully seal the perimeter.
• Purchase a dimmer adapter to precisely control the lighting intensity.
• Power with a laptop or portable charger for a fully mobile setup.

Troubleshooting Issues

Despite the simplicity of a DIY lightbox, you may run into problems. Here are some common troubleshooting questions:

The LED Lights Won’t Turn On?

First, double check all connections between LED strips and that the power adapter is working. If wired properly, test the power source, adapter cord, and LEDs themselves to pinpoint the exact malfunction.

The Lighting is Uneven or Patchy?

Carefully go over the LED placement and see if any gaps or clustering is causing inconsistent lighting. Respace and re-adhere the strip lights as necessary to lit the entire surface evenly.

Light is Leaking From the Sides?

Apply gaffer’s or electrical tape over any cracks or openings on the exterior of the container that is allowing interior light to shine through to the outside.

DIY Your Own Quality Lightbox

As you can see, building your own lightbox is relatively simple and truly enhances your artistic abilities for tracing, inking, quilting, and more by allowing you to accurately see through paper.

With just plastic bins, LEDs, and basic supplies, you can construct a fully customized tracing box tailored for your needs. I hope this guide gave lots of value detailing what a lightbox does, benefits of making your own, construction steps, usage tips, and troubleshooting help. Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions!

Here is the FAQ on how to make a lightbox for tracing:

FAQ

What is a lightbox?

A lightbox is basically a box with lights inside that helps make tracing easier. It illuminates whatever you place inside from underneath so you can clearly see lines and details for tracing.

What do I need to make my own DIY lightbox?

You just need a few simple materials:

1. A box (cardboard or plastic)
2. Some kind of white translucent surface to diffuse the light (tracing paper or thin fabric)
3. A bright light source (LED strip lights work great)
4. Something to mount or position your light inside the box

How do I set up the lights inside the box?

First, line the inside of the box with your translucent material. Then, you can attach the LED strip lights to the inside walls and ceilings using adhesive strips. Position the lights to brightly illuminate the tracing surface. You may need to experiment a bit to get the right amount of diffuse lighting.

What size should I make the lightbox?

The size kinda depends on the stuff you’ll be tracing. For tracing smaller items or artwork, a shoebox sized lightbox could work nicely. But for tracing bigger objects, you may want a larger box – sort of the dimensions of a small coffee table perhaps.

Can I power the LED lights with batteries?

You potentially could, however that might get expensive and troublesome having to frequently replace batteries. It’s easier to just plug in the LED strip lights using a USB power adapter or computer. That way, you have a constant source of bright light.

What materials can I trace with the lightbox?

You can trace all kinds of stuff – artwork, photographs, fabrics, leaves and flowers from nature, etc. As long as the material is thin enough for the light to shine through, you should be able to trace the details using a lightbox.

Any tips for getting clean tracings?

A few handy tips:

• Use a very sharp pencil for crisp lines
• Place a piece of blank paper under your hand to avoid smudges
• Start with some practice tracings on scrap paper
• Adjust the lighting and materials as needed

It may take some trial and error to get perfectly clean tracings, but a DIY lightbox can make the whole process easier and more fun!