Illustrate using a light table

How a light table can be used in your daily drawing and creating

Light tables have increased in popularity and are often used by hobby artists and illustrators. We know that many architects, tattoo artists, photographers and preschools are diligent users. Let us tell you why! Light tables are used to illuminate your drawing or picture from below, which provides a smoother and more pleasant light. The drawing becomes clearer with the help of a light table, which makes it easier to get the result you want to achieve. The light table is often used to facilitate tracing as well as getting a good layout when both texts and images are to be drawn.

Light tables, or light boxes, are great when scrapbooking and photographing slides. They are available in several different sizes and our most popular tables come in the sizes A3 and A4. Some of the light tables in our range are as thin as 0.8 (!) cm, which is really cool. Therefore, they can easily be put away when not in use without taking up too much space. The light tables in our range are LED-lit and provide a very even light and an incredibly long life span.

Why use a light table?

They have many areas of use – probably more than we know. A common advantage is that you benefit from backlighting. For example:
- Illustrators, artists, cartoonists and tattoo artists use light tables in their daily work.
- Preschools and schools use light tables to let children discover different colours and materials.
- Photographers look at negatives and digitize slides by photographing them on light tables.

LED or fluorescent lamps?

We used to sell light tables with LED lamps or fluorescent lamps. However, tables with fluorescent lamps are now being replaced by LEDs by the manufacturers and these are the only ones you will find at the Pen Store. There are many advantages to LEDs: they do not overheat, they do not take up space, they do not break during transport and they last for a very long time. If you are photographing the light table, it is necessary to have LED lights to avoid flickering in the image.

Are they portable?

The light table must be connected to a power outlet when in use (adapter included with all our tables). You can bring your light table with you if using a thinner one such as Daylight Wafer. They are also less shock sensitive.

Daylight Wafer LED Light table

Daylight Wafer is a truly affordable light table. Daylight's dimmable and ultra-thin light tables are LED-lit and only 0.8 cm thin. The table can be dimmed by its touch button and the colour temperature of the LED light is 6000-6500K. The surface is completely flat and made of acrylic with measurements markings in centimeters and inches. The light table is easily connected to a standard electrical outlet with the adapter included. This light box is available in sizes A4, A3 and A2.