Ok, this product is fantastic… Buy it! End of review. Ha! Just kidding! Seriously, I bought one of these about 3 years ago and use it pretty frequently. In my work, I don’t so much trace photographs as much as I trace my own layouts to refine them. I’ve had about 2 light boxes before this one (and I’m showing my age here…) and the first one had an actual light bulb in it and the other had a fluorescent one. The one that had the bulb in it would pretty much sear your face off after about 15 minutes of use. I mean that thing was holding the surface of the sun against your cheek. The paper would actually get wet from my sweat if I wasn’t careful (gross).
That thing had to go so I moved on to the next one which was infinitely but at the time ridiculously expensive and small. I work fairly big and the work surface on that thing was 8 1/2 x 11 which meant that i was always shifting the paper around, taping things, and having a nervous breakdown in the process. So, for a few years I went without one relying on marker paper (Beinfang Graphics 360. Which I still use to this day…) to do my layouts. Then one day I’m cruisin’ (dirty) on Amazon and come across this God-send and the price was great! I figured if it was a piece of junk, I’d write and get my money back. So, I ordered and low ad behold… Technology! No volcano cheek sear, and it was big enough to handle my layouts! First off, this thing is dimmable. Dimmable! Which let’s me check my work without turning the thing off. Basically, a brightness adjustment. I can prop it in my lap and draw away. Even comes with a USB plug which I can plug into whatever. Laptop, my desktop, etc. There are even guides running across the top and left sides for creating grids as if they peered into the dark void which is my soul. LOL!
My one complaint on this thing is that I’m still tethered to an outlet or USB. With lithium technology being what it is, I hope eventually, they’ll put two and two together and slap an internal battery in this thing. I know we’re all moving to all digital workfows and all but I find the TikTeck (ugghh that name… sounds like a robot for bad breath.) is affordable and useful. Oh and the size is perfect for comic pages! Check it out here. Alright ya’ll, See ya on the next one…
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