How to make a light box for tracing Update

Got a reply from Pattie Brockley has left a new comment on your post "How to make a light box for tracing": 

Your idea is great, you can use a string of white Christmas Lights, and they won't be as hot, and can be lain around the inside of the box. Also if you plug them into a plug strip, you can turn them of and on at the plug strip. Great idea, I will be making one for my calligraphy.  Thanks Pattie!



I needed to trace some of my work and I couldn't find a reasonably priced  - like less than $5.00 ;) light box anywhere so I made my own.
There were several online tutorials, but they all required too much stuff and I didn't have time to go shopping.

1. I found a cardboard box that was about 12 X 14
2. A 11 X 14 frame that had a plexiglass instead of glass (I only used the plexiglass - not the frame)
3. A light from Walmart that had a clip on it
4. Tape
5. A ruler

• I cut out a square (10X13)  just a little smaller than the 11X14 plexiglass 
• I took the box and cut out a hole on the side so I could put the light bulb contraption inside.  Make the hole large enough for the plug end of the light to go  in (so you don have a humongous large hole on the side)
• Unscrew the bulb and put it back on in side the box after you put the light bulb contraption  through the side of the box.  
•  I taped the box all around so it wouldn't come apart.
•  I taped the plexiglass to the cardboard box.
•  It was so easy it took me longer to find the materials than to make this.

You can't really see it, but on the left is where I made the hole to fit the light thing through.

I have to plug it in and out to turn it on and off - but for less than $5.00, I won't complain.

I started to trace the sketch I did on sketching paper onto my watercolor paper.

The only draw back is that I have to plug and unplug it to turn it on and off, because the light I had didn't have a light switch, but I didn't spend hardly nothing on this project and I use it all the time.

Below are some links to some other trace light box DIY tutorials. They require a little bit more materials, but you really can make this light box with a cardboard box and a piece of glass or plexiglass from a frame.

online tutorial made with a table and plexi glass.
online tutorial how to make a light box for tracing made with a frame and tupper ware box.