My Neolucida is here!

Post date: Dec 2, 2013 7:29:11 PM

I came back home to a surprise, the neolucida I backed on kickstarter was waiting for me! It's a device with a prism that allows you to draw what you see directly in front of you by "projecting" or I guess "bending" the image down so that it overlaps your paper. It totally works, the only drawbacks I've experienced thus far seem inherent to the device. You do need a well lit subject, (that's mentioned in the instructions, and while you do basically see what you see in the real world it is slightly paler due to the paper), and you cannot rotate the image so tracing depends on your comfort level with all kinds of directional lines and mark making. I should have expected these but I know with practice I can overcome them and the device will become more of a tool.

In the images I posted there's my first drawing with the device, and a look at the packaging. Not visible is the back of the package with has the kind of cool disclaimer "crowdfunded through kickstarter/ made in China" it doesn't feel it though, the device is solid, very heavy and durable. The only part I don't like is the skinny turn crank, for such coarse threads it seems small. You have got to check one of these out, its fun to just look through it. Feels like a microscope or binoculars, the whole worlds still the same, its still there, its just, different.

Here's a link to the Neolucida website, and a link to their kickstarter page. They've since run out of Neolucida's but there is a page on the website to request information for a second batch of the device. I'd like to use it as a teaching tool, and maybe incorporate it into my own practice. I'm sure there's plenty of other uses for it.