Most are thin and sleek, and not so box-like, so you'll also see them referred to as вЂlight tablesвЂ™, or even more accurately as вЂlight padsвЂ™ since theyвЂ™re quite similar in size and shape to a notepad, or even an iPad. The light should shine through your paper, enabling you to see the image below clearly enough to trace it.Дepending on the thickness of the paper or fabric you use and the brightness of the lightbox, you may need to dim the lights in your studio or office, since the darker you make the room, the easier it will be to see the image on the lightbox.ДЄlso note that while these devices are conventionally dubbed вЂlightboxesвЂ™, they're not actually so big and chunky.

You switch it on, place an image you want to copy onto the glass, and then place your paper or fabric on top. It's basically a square or rectangular container that has a glass or plexiglass surface with a light shining beneath it. The best lightbox: frequent questions What is a lightbox?ДЄ lightbox is quite a simple device. However, given that Huion rates this lightbox to have a lifespan of 50,000 hours, and it has the capability to be used for up to 24 hours continuously without overheating, this is one of the best options for those who plan to get a lot of use out of their lightbox. One annoyance we did find is that the AC cable is a little short, at just 44 inches, which may restrict where you can place the lightbox in your home. With a working area of 16.9 x 12.2 inches, youвЂ™ve got plenty of drawing space. If youвЂ™re returning time and again to a longform project on the same paper stock, this can be a real time-saver. Also, in a nice touch, the Huion A3 LED Light Pad has a smart memory feature, meaning it can remember the last brightness level you used. Its LED illumination is cold and even, as well as powerful enough to shine through even the thickest papers.

WeвЂ™ve plumped for the Huion A3 LED Light Pad as our top pick вЂ“ with the combination of a generous drawing area, a slim build and an impressive maximum brightness of 4,050 lux, itвЂ™s a lightbox thatвЂ™s going to suit the vast majority of users. If youвЂ™re familiar with drawing tablets, then Huion is a name youвЂ™ll recognise вЂ“ but you may not have been aware that the firm is also one of the leading names in the world of lightboxes. We think the Huion A3 LED Light Pad is an excellent all round lightbox. If you'll be doing digital drawing as well, make sure you also see our guides to the best drawing tablets and the best drawing tablets for kids, and for devices for other kinds of crafts, see our guide to the best Cricut accessories. First, we list the best lightboxes you can buy in the US, then we move to the best options for lightboxes for readers in the UK. Options tend to be a little different across the Atlantic, so weвЂ™ve split this guide into two sections. Also, do you want a lightbox you can plug right into a wall socket with an AC cable, or are you fine to get by on USB power? Lightboxes will give you an idea of maximum brightness, expressed in lux вЂ“ weвЂ™ve included options here that range from 1,100 lux to 4,050 lux, many of which allow you to adjust the brightness settings for different papers. Lightboxes tend to come in sizes ranging from A2 to A4ДЄlso, if youвЂ™re planning on tracing onto thick, good-quality paper, you will need a very bright light to shine through it. How much desk space do you have, and how large are the designs you want to trace? Lightboxes tend to come in sizes ranging from A2 to A4, so thereвЂ™s no sense getting something too large or small for your requirements. It may seem simple, but it is worth thinking about a few things before you wade in and click вЂњBuyвЂќ on a lightbox.

This can be great for calligraphy, scrapbooking, tattoo design, quilting and a hundred other pursuits.

Photox for backlit light box