Tools of the Trade: Light Tables

If your like me, you won’t pay much attention to all them articles out there and instead learn everything by Trail and error which is more fun , especially in animation,
but very impractical when it comes to 2D animation.
Everyone always seems to believe that all you need is tracing paper and a pencil, And perhaps you did back in the 60’s (perhaps tracing paper just isn’t what it used to be) But today the way you are meant to go about it is with the help of a Light board (or light boxes as they are sometimes called although this technically is incorrect as a light box Is something that is used in photography) You may of heard of a drawing board and they are err well, a board to draw on but a ‘light’ board Or ‘light desk’ is a very simple devise,
Basically its just a Box with a clear or translucent white surface with a light inside,
This then shines through the surface so that any paper overlaid on it is rendered transparent
(much like the Onion-Skin effect seen in Flash)

This is then very handy as you can layer multiple sheets of paper and observe the sequences of frames for reference as you continue with the next frame on top.
Of cause a professional studio like Disney would have highly-specialized expensive devises
That can be locked or set to rotate and pivot in order to help the animator draw with the rotating sweep of his/her full arm, but there are much cheaper alternatives for personal use.
Any good hobby shop will sell light boards which are generally used for viewing slides and transparencies but can do the same job as a animators one so long as you find one with a large enough Drawing area If you really want to simplify, all you really need is a glass surface and a light. Build one with a wooden frame, sheet of glass and a neon lamp inside (as seen below)
Or Even! Just place a lamp under a glass coffee table, but which ever you decide,
A light board is a must have for any 2D Animator.

Well if U are a handy kind of person
and do not want to spend money for a light box
here is the solution...It is up to you to figure out the scale size and angle...
3-5 mm thicknes of the plexiglass is the best