The Best Light Boxes for Detail-Oriented Work

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A light box is one of the most useful tools you can have in your studio. Resembling a stripped-down tablet, these slim devices illuminate flat surfaces from behind so you can place material on top for tracing or close observation. Use a light box, for instance, to weed vinyl, trace designs on watercolor paper, transfer tattoo illustrations, illuminate diamond painting, and view photo negatives. While you can find full, table-size light boxes, the market for portable ones is growing. These are typically engineered with LEDs to reduce eye fatigue, offer different brightness settings, and require connection to a power source to operate. Below, a roundup of our favorites.