I am a big fan of lightboxes. I use them a lot when I draw. I use them for three very important reasons:

1. To establish reference points before drawing an image.
2. To check the accuracy of the drawing during and after the drawing process.
3. To ink my cartoon sketches.

Watch this video to see how easy it is to ink a cartoon sketch using a light box (sorry about the bad camera angle and the fish tank noise in the background – this is my 1st Youtube production).

Click here to see the finished cartoon.

There are three types of lightboxes (that I’m aware of) that can be used for drawing. Any window in your home or office that has adequate light shining through can be used as a lightbox. In fact, this is the very type of lightbox I used for a very long time. It’s the most convenient and inexpensive type of light box. The only drawback is that it makes for an awkward drawing position. Another type of light box is that which can be purchased in a store or online from most art supply companies. These vary in size, features and price and are typically used by professional artists. The third type of lightbox is the home-made lightbox. After scouring the internet for directions for building my own lightbox I came up with my own design that I think is the easiest one to implement. Interestingly enough I found almost everything I needed right in my own office cube.

All you need is a sturdy copy paper box lid (the one I used was 17” x 11” x 3.5”), an 8 ½” x 11” piece of Plexiglas (I used a photo frame), some double sided tape and a light source (I used an under cabinet fluorescent light fixture).

1. Cut a 6” x 9” hole in the center of the box lid.
2. Secure the Plexiglas over the hole with the double-sided tape.
3. Place the light source under the box lid.

That’s all there is to it!

You can build it yourself or you can purchase a Porta Trace lightbox at Michaels Crafts for about $60.