Author: Sami_Matilainen, Contributing Editor

This tutorial is intended for non-pro artists, possibly students or amateur and hobbyist who do not have the resources a dedicated artist would have. Parts of the article may seem self explanatory to some of you, but I hope that this tutorial will prove to be an inspiration for your own design ideas. Note: This tutorial was previously posted on Noated.com forums. Introduction A light table can be used to view slides or tracing a sketch. A light table is also good for simple layout sketching as you can put several layers of sketches on top of each other, and very easily adjust the composition as you work. Light tables are expensive, priced as high as $1000-$1500, so most people can not afford them. The least expensive light table I could find was about $400, but it lacked many of the functions you would expect from a proffessional light table. The light box is basically the same thing as a light table, but it is a lot cheaper than a light table. The lowest priced light box I could find, 210x300mm, was approximately $200. The cheapest solution is to build your own light table. The simplest possible way to do this is obviously to put a lamp underneath a table with a glass table top. If you don't have a glass table you could buy a sheet of plexiglass and place a lamp underneath. however, these solutions are crude and can not be compared to a real light table., For most people a simple light table or light box is all they need. If you are serious about making your own comic for example you should invest in a light table/box, so if you make it yourself it doesn't have to be too expensive. But how do you make a light table then? This is what I asked myself about 9 months back when I first thought of making myself a light table. Of course I searched the web for tutorials and came up pretty much empty handed. None of the tutorials were what I was looking for. I decided to make my light table from scratch and while at it, provide the internet community with yet another tutorial. Light table tutorial: How to convert your existing table into a light table. All mesurements are in mm, millimetres, unless otherwise noted. This light table was designed according to my needs as an artist. For most hobbyist I believe it is sufficient, but some of you might want other functions, such as an adjustable tilt of the table. In that case I suggest you design your own table, or buy a proffessional light table if you can afford it. If you have any questions about this tutorial post to this thread. Note: All pictures, drawings and text are under the copyright SAM/captan.

This size light table will easily give room to work on a standard A3 paper with room to spare

Your basic needs: Tools: 1. Hammer 2. Saw 3. Some screwdrivers 4. A pair of tongs 5. A drill. The table 1. Wooden boards for the box: 20 mm thick, and wide enough to fit the lamps and electric fittings. 2. A sheet of plywood: 10-12 mm in thickness 3. A glass plate: 5-8 mm thick 4. Plexiglass: White, 2-4 mm thick 5. Silicone seam gel 6. The proper electric fittings and lamps Cost: All prices are estimates, and may vary in the area where you live. 1. Table: Approximate value $100, IKEA EFFECTIVE 20 mm thick, 160x120 cm . 2. Pine boards: $5, 20 mm thick, 70 mm wide 2x550 mm long and 2x360 mm. 3. Plywood: 10 mm thick, 550x400 mm. Check with your local lumber yard. You may be able to get one for next to nothing. 4. Glass plate: $50, 6 mm thick, 550x400 mm, $50) 5. Plexiglass: $40, plexiglass is expensive, white, 2 mm thick, 550x400 mm 6. Silicone seam gel: $6 7. Screws and other needed items from the hardware store: $10 8. All electronic components were ordered from ELFA: $50 http://www.elfa.se see step 2 below for a complete list of electric components You may also find these items at a local hardware store, or in the home improvement section of WalMart. Total cost approximately: $165 The cost for a light table of this size could run between $150-300. That is a fairly reasonable amount for a light table. The cost for making a light box would be about the same so making a table rather than a simple box design is more lucrative. If you have the know how you can build the electric fittings yourself, as I did, and it will save you a lot of money. If you do not know how to set up the fittings you could buy the complete fittings, or go with a simpler solution using an existing lamp as the light source. Note: The electrical fitting should be figured into your original plans for the light table/box, otherwise you may find that they may be too large. This could also result in a table that is not comfortable to sit at. If you are going to use the light table for transparency slides or something equivalent, it's wise to get a lamp that gives a light with a color temperature of around 5000-6000 K, a white light.) I chose a flourescent tube light with a color temperature at 2700 K. This is sufficient for tracing sketches and simple layout work which met my needs.

Blueprints:

NoteThese are the original blueprints I made for my own light table and translated into English. The proportions may be a bit off here and there.

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