Reddit mentions: The best artist light boxes

TL;DR: A tracing table will allow you to see a sheet of dot-grid underneath your fancy letter writing paper as well as a cover-sheet you might be using to prevent smudging + links and some other tips below.


I buy loose leaf Tomoe for my personal letters, and I really don’t want to have lines on a personal letter. Lots of people create them with pencil and erase afterwords, and I’ve even seen individuals use rubber bands, but I think both of these are painful! I was recently talking to Portbow about this in another post, and I described how I use a thin usb tracing table (or light table) with a sheet of dot-grid underneath so I can see the dots.

The second problem I have that is handily solved by a tracing table is ink drying times on fancy paper as a left-handed writer. If there there are lines above my current one that are still wet (the Organic Ink in the supplied photos takes 15 minutes on Tomoe), I guarantee I will smear it with my left hand while writing. To address this, I use a second sheet of printer paper to cover as I write, and the ink dries quickly against the printer paper. With the tracing table, you can cover directly above your current working line and still see what you've written.

One final trick. I paperclip the pieces of paper together and stick them to the board with a rubber band. This keeps everything aligned nicely so I’m not wrinkling the page with oil from my right hand as I’m trying to keep it steady.

I think these kinds of light tables were used extensively in the journalism department that I worked in when I was in college, so it just made sense to me. Those used to be big tables with fluorescent tubes in them, which made them super inconvenient. I think the new LED lighted plastic ones they have today are amazing.

To be sure, it's not especially convenient to use somewhere else than your desk at home, but the thin one I linked to above can fit next to your notepad in a briefcase or bag, and you can use it with an external USB battery pack like you use to recharge your phone if you're feeling particularly adventurous. People will go out of their way to talk to you about it if they see you using a fountain pen and portable light table in public, like a coffee shop.

Lots of people just want to keep things simple, and this might not be the best solution for you. However, I personally find it to be the easiest experience once you get everything set up!

I use a desk with a spinny chair lowered all the way so the desk is about chest level for me. It's much easier on the back and easier to see the designs. I sometimes use my coffee table and sit on the ground but that's a lot less fun.

My lighting is bad everywhere so I just use a clip on desk light like this one. It's extremely nice to be able to move the light around to the part I'm working on.

I've seen these light tables advertised as well. There are also a variety of lap desks and trays that might make things easier on you. A bit pricey but nicer than a tote lid for sure. I wish you good luck and good posture.

As a guy who uses the maker, i use my cricut on my bed and use bluetooth. I only use power that way. Couple things, since you got time, pickup your cricut housings like "knife blade" "deep cut housing" "fine point" and blades on ebay. i use make offers and get stuff 70% off. I buy cricut brand too not off brand.

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alot of shops clearance and resell on ebay. For HTV heat transfer vinyl like t shirts, you'll want a heat press and HTV vinyl. For other projects you use permanent or temporary vinyl. Weeding which to me was like what does that mean when I started. Is just pulling off the excess vinyl from your cut before sticking down what you cut.

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So as most mention here you'll need weed tools which are basically hooks and tweezers. Cricut sells these kits for ridiculous costs but if you hit up ebay you can get them cheap.

Also you'll want a light table for weeding, of course cricut has a answer thats ludacris costs.

I got this one one amazon on sale for 10.00 works great, there are alot so shop around but beats the hell out of 60+ dollars.

https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Thin-Portable-Brightness-Sketching-Animation/dp/B06Y1JNHNM/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=LED+Tracing+Light+Box&qid=1573026714&s=arts-crafts&sr=1-5

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As for the Cricut maker, i got mine through best offer on ebay for about 150 less. I made a offer on a new one and settled on a price with free shipping. Cricuts like apple, unless antiquated. their items never go on sale and all machines are excluded from sales at craft stores in the fine print.

Quick recap, unless shes paper crafting. a good starter kit will be.

- Stick mats

- blades

-weed tools

-light table

- Transfer tape.

- Armor etch for frosting glass.

- dollar tree is a gold mine for cheap glasses, picture frames, contact paper as a transfer tape substitute.

Siser is also a brand fav on HTV and vinyl on amazon, cheaper then cricut brand and just as good.

The storage and table stuff. i'd personally consider the table and chair but let her get storage that suits her needs. I think your hinging a hell of a bet this will become a day to day use for her. best to invest the money in light box, tools and blades.

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I almost forgot, for cheap photo paper and cradstock. go to walmart but don't buy from craft section. go to the office supply area. they sell bulk cardstock there for 5.00 for like a 50-100 pack vs 15.00 or more at other sections or craft stores.

So you want to be an animator

Things you'll want.

Traditional kit (start here)

-An artist light box. $17

A4 Size Ultra-Thin Portable LED Light Box Tracer 7500K White LED Artcraft Tracing Light Pad Light Box w 3 Level Brightness for 5D DIY Diamond Painting Artists Drawing Sketching Animation https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y1JNHNM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GZ9PBbYNNCECG

-Animation paper. $12

Canson Artist Series Acme Punched Translucent Animation Paper, 12 Frame, 20 Pound, 10.5 x 12.5 Inch, 100 Sheets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054DIGPY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lX9PBbJ27H216

-Animation paper peg. $7

Animation Peg Bar, Comic Tools Ruler Fixed Paper Feet for Fixing Animation Paper https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZKKZ8Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hY9PBbHQQTSMG

Digital kit

Toonboom
Difficult to learn but extremely powerful and major networks use it.

https://www.toonboom.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw85zdBRB6EiwAov3RiqYEZRpWO9EfYkcsznCHkJ5YWbESNYrXmNQnj6UIyvPApMGlii3KqxoC-UoQAvD_BwE

Clipstudio paint
Fun program focused on making comics but has good tools too

https://www.clipstudio.net/en

Adobe animate

Personally I hate it, but haven't used it since 5.5 Super clunky. I'm assuming you can find this one if you must.

Optional
Rotoscope that bitch!
With 3Ds Max or Blender


Digital tablet

Not all tablets are made equal however if you want a screen this is probably the best you'll get for $500. With screens remember bigger does equal better in the sense that you should always draw larger then you think.

Huion GT-220 V2 8192 Pen Pressure Graphics Drawing Monitor 21.5 inch HD Pen Display Digital Drawing Tablet Monitor - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071WLDLZJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_V29PBb3PDRC4C

Try using a mixture of both traditional and digital to achieve the best effects in animation

A4 Light Box, SAVFY Ultra-thin Portable USB Powered LED Artcraft Tracing Light Pad Copy Board for Artists,Drawing, Sketching, Animation https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756G1KQ3?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

^^ this is the one I bought. I looooove it! It's like a sheet of plastic that has led lights in it, that you can use to trace really easily. Put the original underneath your clean paper and have at it! Having lines to concentrate on will be a good mind numb-er. I always have a great time tracing mandalas. It's super relaxing! And then you get the joy of coloring it!

My advice:

Starting & Ending I like the away knot method for starting. I use a tiny crochet hook to weave the tail into the beginning stitches. It's faster than threading a needle on the tail & all that nonsense. For ending I weave the remaining thread tail through the last stitches and trim the excess. Keeps the back pretty clean and holds up reasonably well.

Transferring patterns Invest in a LED light pad, they're pretty cheap on Amazon. My absolute FAVE for light colored fabric is the DMC transfer pen For darker fabric, I trace the pattern w/ an ultra fine sharpie on either Sol-u-film stabilizer or tear-away stabilizer, pin/baste it to the fabric and sew through it.

Digitizing you don't need to worry about unless you have an embroidery machine.

Running out of floss Leave yourself enough extra to weave back through at the end. Start where you left off using whichever method you like. Don't leave a gap between stitches and you won't be able to tell from the front. If you mean it in the other sense, DMC floss is widely available at craft stores and all you have to do is match numbers.

Best Fabrics Non-stretch fabrics similar in weave to cotton broadcloth. The heavier the fabric, the more force you will be using to push the needle through. I like using linen since it has a slightly looser weave and looks ~classy~. I sometimes layer it on top of a cotton broadcloth before starting to stitch to add stability or opaqueness to the piece (Don't want the back of the stitches showing through to the front after all)

Keeping the back tidy Using the starting & ending methods I mentioned above will greatly help. And take the time to trim your excess thread tails whenever you start or end.

Finishing a piece There are tons of ways to finish your hoop, this is my favorite

Unasked for advice The quality of your floss matters so don't go generic unless you want to hate life. Get yourself an emory needle sharpener (the strawberry that hangs off of tomato pincushions) and some Thread Heaven.

There are tons of how-to blogs etc out there on the internet for you to educate yourself with and honestly half the fun of it for me has been discovering different techniques & trying them out.

When using a Surface device, it is nice to have a small bluetooth keyboard with a numberpad. I set it angled to the side of the device. I would also use software like autohotkey or radialmenu to remap the pen buttons so that you have access to the MMB from the pen.

In terms of easily moving objects, you're just going to have to practice a lot. It becomes just as easy as a mouse after awhile. If you end up really enjoying the pen over the mouse, I would also pick up an artist glove: https://www.amazon.com/LaughingPaw-Anti-fouling-Drawing-Display-Tracing/dp/B01CX0AIUG/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=artist%20glove&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&qid=1500645199&ref_=mp_s_a_1_15&sr=8-15

The glove will protect your hand from the tablet's heat and will also allow you to slide your hand across the glass more easily.

I use a 12" VisTablet (simular to Wacom) pretty extensively during the conceptual and schematic phases of a project. I don't use this with any CAD software, rather, I use it mostly with photoshop in editing hand renderings that I've scanned in. This sorts of tablets can be pretty cheap, so if you have the money for it, combine it with a good thin light table like this one.

I've used my Surface Pro 3 for sketching, and while some people really like it, I prefer drawing on paper and scanning. At any rate, good touchscreens that are great for drawing would be over $800. However, having said that, my favorite drawing software is Manga Studio, now called Clip Studio Paint, if that is an option. It's marketed toward comic/anime artists, but I have found it is the best software that replicates the way pens, pencils and brushes actually work.

Thank you /u/sundaequeen for your tip post! My tracing skills aren't thaaat great, but it was so much fun to do and turned out pretty good.

I used canva to draft the addresses and used Playlist Script and Charlevoix Thin fonts. I bought this inexpensive lightbox and it worked perfectly.

I use this

https://www.adorama.com/ipifhpf7200.html
and something like this

https://www.amazon.com/Newcomdigi-Aniamtion-Sketching-Designing-Stencilling/dp/B01K4ES2YC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504316512&sr=8-1&keywords=Tracings+tablet

I no longer use a tripod because realistically you only need a certain height above the neg to fill your dslr's frame so I made a jig to hold the camera at a specific height. To be fancy I bought a tripod head that mounts to the jig. Picture a copy stand made of wood with a tripod head. Nothing janky but then again I'm a mechanical engineer that used to do opto-mechanical engineering for aerial cameras.

In any case, yes you can walk away with a flatbed but in less than 15 minutes, I'll have an entire roll of 36 exposures scanned at 12mp per image that I just need 5 minutes to run the photoshop action and it'll batch color correct the entire roll. It's more impressive when I dslr scan like 4 rolls at once and run the color correct photoshop action once, the time savings really adds up. Realistically, it takes 1.3 seconds per image to dslr scan but the what takes up the most time is the cutting of the negative to strips of 6, putting them in the film holder, rocket blowing the dust off, and then PrintFile sleeving them after scanning but this is stuff that you should be doing anyways if you scan the conventional way.

I'll have to take a picture of my setup one day. Hope this helps maybe explain some of how the efficiencies can be achieved.

Definitely start with paper. Very sweet idea too. For anyone interested in an inexpensive light box they sell these on amazon in various sizes Diamond Painting A5 LED Light Pad Board Tablet Portable Dimmable Brightness, LED Artcraft Tracing Light Pad Light Box for Artists Student Drawing, Must Have for Paint with Diamonds https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H6YMRWD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_t1sUCb2H6062Q

I use a similar light box when stitching on dark colored fabric. Works great. Way better then the eye strain and headaches. Diamond Painting A4 Ultra-Thin Portable LED Light Box Tracer USB Power Cable Dimmable Brightness LED Artcraft Tracing Light Pad for Artists Drawing Sketching Animation Stencilling X-ray Viewing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FL5153Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n0ulDbNVZJN61

A super cool Lightbox for used2bgood cause she's awesome and kind af.

After extensive nerd research ;) ...this is the one that seems like the best quality in US Amazon store. Thanks for the idea!

Cinema Lightbox

A few months ago I saw someone recommend the Huion brand 9x12 LED lightbox (can't remember where) and I've had it in my amazon wishlist since. The 12x16 inch also has good reviews. The slightly older version also has great reviews. The only difference is the new one comes with a couple sheets of tracing paper and 2 rubber pucks to put under it to make it tilt for angled viewing. Haven't bought one because I have a very old fluorescent light box that I never use so I don't really need a new one.

There's not much in the wiki at this point about pointed-pen guidelines, but it does link a couple of generators that you can use: shipbrook's or knestled. Your third alternative is to draw them yourself, but personally I find that to be rather tedious. Additionally, if you draw them half-assedly (i.e., not completely parallel or at the proper angle) you'll also be doing yourself a real disservice when it comes to practicing.

I prefer the knestled generator (full disclosure: I wrote it), and here's a pdf (tweak the settings here) example you could use straight-away for copperplate. If you intend to draw directly on your printer paper, I'd recommend making all of the lines very light. As /u/funkalismo says, though, it's preferable to make reusable thick-lined guideline sheets and place your practice sheets on top. This may not be an option depending on the transparency of your practice paper, or if you don't have a light table for example.

For completeness, zanerian.com (2) has a couple guide sheets that are simple images, but they are hardly ideal.

In the US, you can get a serviceable 10x for a few bucks. A loupe is easier to use than a magnifying glass, it's designed to rest right on your neg sleeves and be in focus. mazon's LED untra-thin light boxes start around 20 bucks. If you shoot film, you're gonna need one eventually, and it's handy to keep next to your enlarger or scanner to get a good look at your negs (I use an enlarger, but I have a light box and also have anti-static brush, film cleaner, and compressed air in one kit, makes your scans or prints need less cleanup). And it's great to be able to get a real close look at your film.

There are definitely cheaper options out there that are just as good as the cricut brand. I personally have this one that works perfectly

light underneath, something wide like this. This is just the first one I found in a quick and dirty search, you can probably find cheaper. Other people have had success with a white towel in their lap with good lighting from above the work. Try the towel first of course, it's the cheapest. :)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JPD6QZK?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Super cheap and perfect! I know what you mean about being light sensitive, which is why I started hunting for a different option!

Ooh, I like this painting, good job so far! Diamond Painting is a really fun hobby. I'm on my second one also.

From one newbie to another, I've founnd that light-pads like this one,
https://www.amazon.com/PP-OPOUNT-Including-Polyester-Sketching/dp/B07PMR5NLZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?keywords=a4+light+pad&qid=1570578475&sprefix=a4+lig&sr=8-16

are essential. This is an A4, bigger ones, being the A3 & A2 are more expensive.

I have an older version of this one which does the job quite well. Plus it's easy to wipe down, which it sounds like you may need.

A light box is the best way. Or you can hold the paper backwards against a light source.

Like this:

Tracing Light Box, AGPtek® 17"(A4 Size) LED Artcraft Tracing Light Pad Light Box For Artists,Drawing, Sketching, Animation https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YA9GP0G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_90H4xb02H60X8

I also said that you could "get away without the extra torso", so save yourself the re-draw if you're happy with it, just work on the arms.

I know that it's a couple extra bucks, but some tracing paper and/or a light box might really help with revisions. You can get them at any art store.

https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Tracing-Sheets-Translucent-Sketching-Lightweight/dp/B0788K7D3K/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1525955462&sr=8-13&keywords=tracing+paper
https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-thin-Brightness-Sketching-Stencilling-X-rayViewing/dp/B01M26S3VY/ref=pd_sim_229_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01M26S3VY&pd_rd_r=45M3ZZWCPYYH9E7AWSEC&pd_rd_w=ZPgFf&pd_rd_wg=UYM5X&psc=1&refRID=45M3ZZWCPYYH9E7AWSEC

I recommend this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M26S3VY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought it for class and has been working great for me.

Probably not a bad idea actually.

I've just bought a metal mesh stand for the iPad that holds it up at a good angle and keeps the back open for ventilation. I'll report back once it arrives and I can try it out. Got to be better than resting it on a cushion where it gets all hot.


This was what I bought: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B076VBHYKW/

I'm pretty new myself. I've been using a light box (you can get cheap USB ones now, I picked one up on Amazon) and a washable fabric pencil.

Interested to see what other people are using.

Edit: this one. A4 Ultra-thin Portable LED Light Box tracer USB Power LED Artcraft Tracing Light Pad Light Box for Artists,Drawing, Sketching, Animation. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JPD6QZK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cMcNBbE3X1S9X

I just got a basic LED tracing table off amazon, it has worked wonderfully: https://www.amazon.com/ME456-Light-Ultra-thin-Power-Tracing/dp/B01EBA8ZX8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496185073&sr=8-3&keywords=light+table

Thin and usb powered

I bought this light table and the light can go through 5 pages of watercolor paper.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01M26S3VY/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I normally have a sketch ready before hand but this will work well for you from my experience.

What kind of light panel is recommended to DSLR scan film? Is a $40 model is enough (for example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J0UUHPO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T2_XGVtzb6KGX84B) or should I look for higher end product (and why)?
Thanks!

I’m using this lcd light box. I also have a flash with an off camera trigger. Think it would be worth it to invest in a better light source? Will that really effect my colors?

Tikteck A4 Ultra-thin Portable LED Light Box Tracer USB Power Cable Dimmable Brightness LED Artcraft Tracing Light Box Light Pad for Artists Drawing Sketching Animation Stencilling X-rayViewing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M26S3VY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_t5j7CbVYHR58V

Got something like this for my classroom.

Scanning is costly, yeah. If you shoot a roll a week or more, it's a no-brainer, cause you'll make back your costs on what you save in paying for lab scans pretty quick. If you shoot less than that, "it depends".

If you're just shooting 35mm, a used Plustek is a great way to go, or even a new one if you want a warranty. If you also shoot medium format, I'd look for a used Epson V700 or higher; I wouldn't bother with the lower number Epson flatbeds; the resolution just isn't enough for me to make it worth the hassle of scanning.

If you already have a DSLR or other interchangeable lens camera, and especially if you already have a macro lens for it, you can also try DSLR scanning. Even if you don't have a camera, you can get set up for around $500-700 depending on what you need to buy. If I had to do it from scratch here's what I'd get.

• Nikon D3200 (24mp) and 40mm f/2.8 macro (really sharp lens) -- used $300
  
• For 35mm scanning: Nikon ES-2 film holder -- new $140
  
• For 120 scanning: Lomography Digitaliza film holder -- new $35
  
• LED tracing pad for backlighting -- new $23
  
• Cheap tripod and ballhead (tons of these on amazon) -- new $66
  
• Rocket blower -- new $10
  
• Cotton gloves 25pk -- new $24
  
• Adobe Lightroom + Photoshop package -- $10/month
  
• Negative Lab Pro lightroom plugin license -- $99 one-time
  
  So all in that's everything you need for DLSR scanning, and it comes to $707 plus the ongoing LR subscription. You could cut the cost a lot if you already own some of those things, or by using a cheaper 35mm holder than the Nikon ES-2, such as a 35mm-sized Digitaliza, or rigging up an older Nikon ES-1. You also don't need NLP and Lightroom; you could get away with free software like the GIMP. You might also be able to find a cheaper tripod at a yardsale or thrift store that will work fine, but they can be clunkier than modern ones.
  
  All that is why people say "if you already have a camera" with DSLR scanning. Otherwise, why not just get a brand new Plustek 8100i AI for $490 and get about the same level of image quality for less money, or even less with a used model. So, it kind of depends on your personal situation.

I’ve used one for weeding vinyl I’ve cut, works well for glitter/thick materials. I like the one linked below, inexpensive, USB (I prefer it)

Not sure what your application is.

A4 LED Light Box Tracer Ultra-Thin USB Powered Portable Dimmable Brightness LED Artcraft Tracing Light Pad Light Box for Artists Drawing Sketching Animation Designing Stencilling X-ray Viewing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074QMTX2B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LqajDbNQRPTNZ

Thanks for the suggestions! She actually got a disappearing ink pen recently and was pretty pumped about it. I don't think she has a magnetic needle holder, so I'll look into that!

I was also thinking a light box, she mentioned she wanted one but I don't know if there are any differences based on the material being traced. This was the model I had in mind: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M26S3VY/ref=crt_ewc_title_huc_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A21H40ERIBU45K

If you want something larger, you can look for tracing tables like this one. I have something similar and use it more to view negative holders than to take photos (happy with my scanner), but I would say it should well too.

Ideally you want to avoid any extra surfaces in between, so I would rather try to make a mask with a window for the film.

Thanks for all the help! I realized that I actually have one of these light pads https://www.amazon.com/Huion-Ultra-thin-ADJUSTABLE-Illumination-Lifetime/dp/B00J0UUHPO/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1468537533&sr=8-10&keywords=light+pad . I was using it for another project, but I'm done with that project now and it should really fill that role everyone is talking about with the lightbox.

I just read all the articles on types of handwritten European scripts on Wikipedia, picked one I liked, and Googled alphabets to practice. If I had a printer (soon!), I'd print out a copy of the alphabet and use my light box to trace over and over again.

https://www.amazon.com/Tracing-AGPtek%C2%AE-Artcraft-Sketching-Animation/dp/B00YA9GP0G

Yeah, I had ordered a V600. I did some research and decided to cancel the order and buy the light table and a tripod for it. The scans are a pain to learn, but once it's learned, they are 100% better looking.

I've seen some people basically velcro or otherwise attach it to a plate that is then bolted to an Ergotron Arm. If you want to go with the first option, let me know, I can maybe fabricate something up for you. I've also seen some people use different stands like this
https://www.amazon.com/AGPTEK-Multifunction-Skidding-Prevented-Tracing/dp/B076VBHYKW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1525394792&sr=8-3&keywords=drawing+stand
to hold it up.

A4 LED Light Box Tracer Ultra-Thin USB Powered Portable Dimmable Brightness LED Artcraft Tracing Light Pad Light Box for Artists Drawing Sketching Animation Designing Stencilling X-ray Viewing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074QMTX2B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_l8uNDb33YE3HN

Would this work?

My old setup. It's more or less still the same. I'm scanning 120 film in this photo.

Amazon, something like this.

I cannot stress the light pad enough! I can't work without it.
https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Thin-Portable-Brightness-Sketching-Animation/dp/B06Y1JNHNM/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3FZ3O83FKVIF5&keywords=a4+light+pad&qid=1574440695&sprefix=a4+lig%2Caps%2C297&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQkFQMFk4V01aNldSJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDc1MjM4Nko3T0NRTUJVODRaJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzOTE1NTgzS1ZQN0RRMDZYQlNGJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

I use this cheap light table from Amazon, and have been having good luck. The light is quite even by the time you get more than an inch or two from the edges. I got it for the same reason you are looking - I kept getting the iPad pixels in the shot, especially since I prefer to stop my macro lens down a bit to help alleviate film curl focus-plane issues.

Here is a DSLR scan made using the table. It is stitched from four shots taken with an Olympus OM-D EM5 and the 60mm Macro lens. The negative was literally taped to the lightbox, with no glass on top. It is a bit overexposed, but that says more about my post processing techniques, not the setup.

Cinematic light box on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.ca/Original-My-Cinema-Lightbox-characters/dp/B0167XQQHO

I got it on amazon, let me see if I can get a link. I will say there are a bunch of the same kinds posted around in the related items

Edit: the link for the light box I got

I don't usually have a problem even on HP Laserjet 32#

But you can also get a lightboard and the paper will look practically transparent.

I use a couple methods:

• Trace onto a water soluble backing that dissolves in water after you are finished <https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001B0S2AS?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title>
  
• trace pattern using a light pad and pilot frixion pen or water soluble marker. <https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01M26S3VY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title>

A lightbox. https://www.amazon.com/Tikteck-Ultra-thin-Brightness-Stencilling-X-rayViewing/dp/B01M26S3VY/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1548998299&sr=8-6&keywords=lightbox

Know nothing about the quality of the above one, just first one that came up.

Get a tripod, a light table, if you have the camera and lens already this is about a s cheap as you can get it. Blurry image of my setup a while back

Light up letter board.

Example: https://www.amazon.com/My-Cinema-Lightbox-changeable-personalized/dp/B0167XQQHO

Google image search on Amazon

Google search

ja ... https://www.amazon.com/Original-My-Cinema-Lightbox-personalized/dp/B0167XQQHO

How about this one?

I used to keep a full size light table running 4' fluorescent tubes for production. I upgraded to these flat LED light surfaces last year. Way handier and a lot more portable.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DNPCZVG?psc=1

You can buy a 5mm thin led box for 45 dollars. no need to hack something together for 50.

https://www.amazon.com/Huion-Ultra-thin-ADJUSTABLE-Illumination-Lifetime/dp/B00J0UUHPO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468283836&sr=8-1&keywords=led+box

Scan was using my Nikon D3300, a macro lens, and a nifty little backlight I found on Amazon. Reversed the negs in Gimp.

My only mistake was forgetting to dump my presoak (a new concept for me coming from the D76 world) and pouring in my developer. Once I realized what I had done, I dumped the whole lot out, quickly warmed up another 300ml of developer, and resumed the process.

I do this as well, and honestly prefer it - for me, it's much easier and faster than using a scanner. I used to use the (very expensive and fancy) Hasselblad Flextight that my university provides, but found my new method to be far easier and faster while also providing better results.

I use a cheap "tracing pad" from Amazon to illuminate the negative.

I put the tracing pad on a low table, then set-up my tripod above it, so my digital camera is pointing straight down. I use a Sony A7r with a 90mm macro lens, but any digital camera that can focus close enough works. The one key point here - it's very important that the camera is level and actually pointing straight down - otherwise you'll not only get keystoning, but your plane of focus will be off and so your negative will not be entirely in focus.

I stop down to around f/8 and 1/8th or so of a second at the base ISO, and use the 2-second self timer to avoid shake. I keep the camera still and just move the negative on the light table to photograph it in thirds. Takes about 10 seconds per negative.

Then, I use Lightroom's built-in batch panorama stitch to stitch all the frames into a single large .dng. I then open the .dng using Adobe camera raw's default settings in photoshop, and the perspective crop tool makes it really easy to crop to just the negative, including or excluding the frame borders per your preference.

Then I invert the negative using a single adjustment layer and do color correction from there, following the guide from Alex Burke's e-book. But you could also try Negative Lab pro.