Best Drawing Boards For Artists

Best Cartoon Boards For Artists

Reviews Disclosure: This mail service may contain affiliate links. That ways if you buy something we go a modest committee at no extra toll to you lot(acquire more)

A good drawing board is the foundation of practicing art. If you're a beginner then you lot'll need a quality board to last a while as you plow through exercises.

The best overall drawing board is the Art Advantage Board measuring nigh 23″ by 26″. It'southward super sparse so you can lean it up against a desk while drawing, or tuck information technology under your bed when you're done. Plus it comes with clip holders to keep your paper in place.

But this is only my recommendation as a generalist's board. There are so many more options to choose from with a practiced deal of garbage to wade through.

Some cheaper drawing boards have crude coarse surfaces that you need to either sand or cover with paper. Others are too pocket-size or feel too flimsy for drawing.

In this guide I'll share the absolute best drawing boards for the money. I'll cover a wide swath of varieties, wood styles, and sizes explaining the pros & cons of each. If you're looking for a cartoon board then this post will answer all of your questions.

How To Pick A Board

Outset and foremost you demand to know why y'all're getting a cartoon board.

Apparently it'due south for cartoon, but for what type of drawing? Are you a complete beginner working in graphite? Or will you bring finished charcoal studies to completion with this board?

Also do yous need a lightweight board for travel or drawing outside? Or would y'all prefer a heavier board that can mount on an easel?

Beginning by deciding what you need beginning. Estimate your goals and consider what type of drawing work you'll be doing. As well consider how much money yous want to spend—most boards are cheap but some can get up in that location.

And exist certain to measure how much infinite you lot have. This matters when you're trying to discover a spot to exit your lath subsequently drawing sessions. Measure out your closet, beside your desk, under your bed, or anywhere else that might piece of work as a storage space.

Retrieve that it'south common to take more than ane drawing board. They come up in all different shapes & sizes then don't think 1 board has to exist your only option.

There's a lot to choose with many dissimilar benefits to each.

So without further ado let's dive correct in.

Top Option: Art Reward Sketch Board

Art Advantage makes great quality materials and their 23×26 Artist Sketch Board is a dandy buy. This is i of the best choices for a complete beginner who wants to swoop in and beginning drawing fast.

The surface is incredibly smooth and you tin can rotate information technology around equally needed. The clips are non removable but they really don't get in the way. If yous're cartoon on printer paper there should be enough of empty space left.

And y'all can orient the board and so the clips lie to the other side of your cartoon manus so your elbow never bumps into them. This board is light only weighing 3.v lbs. Even if you prune an entire sketchpad onto the board information technology's still pretty lite.

Newer artists want the freedom to endeavor stuff and just draw. This Art Advantage sketchboard grants you lot that freedom.

Not to mention it'south low-cal enough to bring anywhere. Whether you're sketching on your bed, in the lawn, or even in a figure grade, this board should suffice for all occasions.

Lesser Line: Incredible drawing board for beginners and for lightweight travel. Large enough for sketch pads and strong clips to hold pads in place.

Alvin DB114 DB Series

For larger easels I find it's best to get with a thicker drawing lath. The Alvin DB114 Art Board is very sturdy with a crisp wood veneer end.

It measures 18″ x 24″ which is a great size for finished pieces. Whether you're drawing a notwithstanding life or doing a self portrait, this board can hold information technology all. Surprisingly it's nigh six lbs which isn't much heavier than smaller boards.

It comes with a metal edge on the side and it'due south about i inch thick. This thick edge works well for architects or engineers who frequently apply T-squares and related measuring tools. But this board is not without information technology'south flaws.

The surface isn't fully finished in many places and so you'd do best clipping a pad underneath. Or if you purchase a large pad of thick paper you lot tin tear off a piece and keep that underneath your drawing area.

Folks who are DIY-oriented might fifty-fifty sand down the surface to make it thinner. I can't say this board is terrible for the price, but it certainly doesn't offer the smoothest surface.

Bottom Line: Get this board for an easel or for drawing on a sketchpad. It's sturdy and thicker than most but does not have a perfectly smooth surface.

SoHo Urban Creative person Adjustable Lath

Adjustable drawing boards are the coolest things since sliced bread. And the SoHo Urban Artist Board is one of the best adjustable boards you tin become.

Information technology has a strange size measuring a full of 20″ tall x xxx″ wide. Just this size offers plenty of room for any piece of paper or sketch pad yous might bring along.

As a simple lath information technology tin lay flat or be leaned upward against a desk. It may also fit into an easel depending on how much space is bachelor on the easel's holder blocks. But the existent beauty of the SoHo lath is the adjustable back which tin can be positioned into 1 of 5 different slots.

The board tin can lie flat or be tilted up almost completely direct. I'd guess peradventure 75° at the highest setting. It's all designed with beech woods and treated to a clean finish. The drawing surface is incredibly smoothen and then you lot won't have any problems with nicks or holes in your artwork.

If you're someone who likes to depict outside or on the go then this lath is perfect. It is a affect the heavier side weighing about x lbs. Not fun to lug around but definitely do-able.

Note at the bottom of the board there is a small lip extruding about i inch outwards. This is here to go along your newspaper in place while drawing at the higher positions. Just when drawing flat this lip can get in the style.

To go around this simply rotate your board the other direction. Information technology may get annoying constantly rotating the board around but information technology'southward a small cost to pay for a fully adjustable board that doesn't require clips.

Bottom Line: Nice adjustable cartoon lath for whatsoever age or skill level. It's affordable, made of quality woods, and offers five different positions along with a completely apartment position.

US Art Supply Adjustable Board

Another great option for the adjustable board route is US Art Supply's Xl Adjustable Sketch Board. The stop on this board is glorious and it actually shines in the lite.

It measures 26″ wide(most two feet) and just under 21″ tall. There's no denying this is a big lath.

And to me that's awesome because information technology offers value for many different artists who work on dissimilar types of paper(and different sizes of sketch pads).

With this lath you'll get 7 dissimilar positions ranging from completely apartment to upright at an fourscore° angle. And when you're drawing on this board it'll feel similar a finely crafted wooden desk. Information technology'southward lightweight and surprisingly thin for such a big board.

When lying apartment this board simply measures 3 inches alpine. It can fit pretty much anywhere in your closet, under the bed, confronting your wall… wherever! It's a convenient art lath for the size and the structure is tops.

This lath is a bit lighter than the SoHo which makes information technology ideal for travel. Not to mention you get more adaptable positions and the same pencil lip ledge to keep your newspaper & pencil in place while drawing.

Bottom Line: Amazing adjustable board for beginners and experts alike. It's huge and tin can hold almost any sized sketch pad. It comes with a sturdy foundation and could even be cracking for kids just getting into fine art.

Martin Portable Sketch Lath

The Martin Portable Sketch Board is designed for portability get-go. It weighs 6lbs with a handle on 1 side for an easy grip.

This model comes in two sizes: small and large. Simply the small size should exist big enough measuring 24″ wide(2 anxiety) ten xix″ alpine. The larger board is merely about half-dozen inches bigger in both directions. But information technology tin make a deviation if you like to work large.

Yous can even clip your board to the peak with a congenital-in pinch clip. The surface is very shine although I'm non sure what the material is.

And looking towards the dorsum edge y'all'll find two drop-down legs to prop up the board at an bending. It's a huge benefit for artists who desire to draw from an bending sometimes, while other times keeping the lath flat.

My big issue is that it's a thick lath measuring over 3″ on the side. This isn't inherently bad, and sometimes a thicker board is practiced(specially while traveling).

But if yous just want a unproblematic drawing board for home use I do think the Art Advantage Lath is a amend option.

Bottom Line: The Martin portable lath is solid, easy to acquit, and comes with foldable legs for a minor 30° incline. Great for drawing or painting on the become just may non be worth the price for near people.

LOHOME Portable Drawing Board

Now hither'southward an artboard that you can take to school, keep at abode, bring to figure class, or even all three.

LOHOME's drawing board is made of solid maple woods and very durable.

Information technology's surprisingly thin measuring only 1 inch on the sides. The full dimensions measure out 24″ wide(ii feet) by eighteen″ tall(one.5 feet). Plenty of room for your average sketch pad.

And weighing only 2 pounds this board is light. It's 1 of the few cartoon boards that really feels lite while yet being pretty thick on the edges.

On the peak you'll notice a great to-go behave handle perfect for moving this around anywhere. You tin even go along your drawing/painting clipped to the lath as you go and conveying by the handle won't damage anything.

Few artists know about the LOHOME brand but they make dainty stuff. This portable drawing board is a fine example of great quality and definitely worth checking out if yous want a thick yet lite board for any state of affairs.

Bottom Line: This board's design sells itself as a thick nevertheless light drawing board with a clean surface. Great for dwelling house exercise and figure classes or for cartoon outdoors.

Springer Atlas SN2 Board

Drawing is non the only thing y'all tin can practice on a board. Artists also do watercolors on drawing boards if the paper is thick enough.

And the Springer Atlas SN2 is perfect for watercolors, acrylics, and of grade cartoon with whatever medium. The board is made of masonite so information technology's pretty thin and light(weighs three.3 lbs).

It measures a standard 18″ x 24″ which is perfect for drawing pads or fifty-fifty smaller paper like A4 copy paper. This board tin piece of work on any easel because it is thin. I'm talkin' ¼ of an inch sparse.

While drawing it may really feel too sparse if you apply hard pressure.

But the hardboard masonite is sturdy plenty that it won't only break under pressure. However because it's so thin you lot need to support the back if yous do any moisture mediums like watercolors. Yep they tin can work well, but they can also leak through and stain the board.

If you don't care about colors getting into the masonite then no problem. Just generally the surface feels better with some padding.

I just don't love the surface considering it has a very minor tooth that feels too rough. Not super noticeable, but plenty that I'd adopt to draw on top of a sheet or ii of thick paper.

Lesser Line: Very thin board, neat for any light medium and perfect for travel. Besides a nice board for watercolor painting. Merely the surface has a lite molar so if you lot don't like that you'll need to lay down some groundwork newspaper.

Jack Richeson Sketch Clipboard

If you want a super cheap and super thin board so wait into the Jack Richeson Sketch Clipboard. Information technology comes with a carrying punchout hole so you can wrap your manus around and carry on the become.

This measures about 23″ tall ten 26″ wide and includes a heavy duty safe band to proceed your paper yet while drawing.

It does come with stock-still clips that don't work like ordinary chip clips. They have latches that you need to undo past pushing down & out. Very strange clips and they can be frustrating if you're non used to them.

I had these same clips on my get-go drawing lath and basically ignored them. I would use my own chip clip considering I was so frustrated. If y'all exercise get this and have trouble with the clips just wait up tutorials on YouTube.

Overall the surface is make clean and information technology'due south a flat lath worth using if you like the larger size.

Bottom Line: Light travel board with a handle and congenital-in clips. The clips are not intuitive then they can exist frustrating. Simply the toll is practiced and and then is the cartoon surface.

Masonite Board 17″ x 22″

It does not get much cheaper than the generic Alvin masonite boards. However inexpensive does not e'er equal bad.

These boards are very sturdy and they really do piece of work well for uncomplicated drawings. I wouldn't want to apply one of these on an easel, but it's non a bad thought!

This model measures 17″ tall x 22″ wide and then it'due south a fiddling nether 2 anxiety broad. You can find very similar masonite boards from Alvin in different sizes using the same designs(clean surface with single conveying hole).

You'll get a gratis portfolio carrying back with whatever of these drawing boards. They're all pretty lite, usually under 1-two pounds and very thin. None are thicker than an inch which makes them peachy for leaning against a table, yet not as nifty fixed in an easel.

If y'all hate those clips attached to other boards then y'all can selection upwards one of these Alvin Masonite boards on the cheap, totally clip-free.

Bottom Line: Very affordable board fabricated with masonite in a variety of different sizes. Comes with a gratis carrying bag and doesn't take whatever fixed clips so it's one of the lightest boards y'all tin buy.

Artist Tote Sketchboard

The Artist Tote Sketchboard is designed for artists on the go who want something real small. And I hateful super small, basically the smallest yous tin go and withal fit a decent sized slice of paper.

In portrait orientation this lath measures thirteen″ wide x 17″ tall. It's the most portable option yous can notice if yous're OK to work on printer paper or A3 paper.

It does come with a clip fastener at the top so you can keep your paper stationary while drawing. It's probably the easiest to agree up while working then it'due south peachy for drawing from life. You can take this to the coffee shop, out to schoolhouse, into a field or anywhere that has bang-up scenery.

On the negative side information technology is a bit pricey because what you're getting. If you're OK to forego the congenital-in clip you might wanna save some coin and choice upward a masonite board.

Withal this is much sturdier than near of those thinner boards and information technology's smaller to boot.

Bottom Line: Excellent small board for kids or adults. Holds paper tight and feels lite in your easily. Merely it's but useful if yous're OK drawing on smaller newspaper similar A3/A4 sizes.

Best Portable Drawing Lath

Nigh every board can be deemed portable to some extent. Simply truly portable boards are designed to hold papers in place and offer a ways of transportation.

The best portable drawing lath to fit this description is the Martin Portable Sketch Board.

It has a built-in comport handle right at the peak of the board. You can prune your paper to the side or to the top and never bump your hand against them while carrying. This board is designed thick with about 3 inches on all edges.

But the drawing surface is apartment and reasonably sized at 24″ wide 10 nineteen″ tall.

On the back y'all'll find ii rubber pads with two extendable legs that you can pull down to get a slight bending. It certainly won't be anything great, only drawing at a thirty° incline tin be better than a 0° incline.

I've yet to detect another portable drawing board with all these features that as well has 2 different sizes(pocket-sized or large) to cull from.

Great sketch board for the money and a nice choice for on-the-get artists drawing life outside the habitation.

All-time Adjustable Drawing Board

There aren't many "bad" adjustable drawing boards out in that location. Some simply offering more than features than others and they all come in dissimilar sizes.

But the absolute best adjustable drawing lath is the US Fine art Supply Twoscore Adjustable Sketch Board. It measures a total of 26″ wide by 21″ alpine. If this is besides small you lot could shop around for larger ones.

The reason I recommend this lath is because it comes with everything. The woods is beautifully finished and the drawing surface is perfectly flat. Information technology feels incredible to describe on this board and the quality craftsmanship is credible from the commencement.

It as well comes with a lip for holding your pencils and keeping your paper flat. This is crucial since it also has seven different positions starting with completely flat parallel to the tabular array, then moving upwardly in degrees to a final tilt of about fourscore° upright.

The Forty adaptable board is made for sketching but could even piece of work for painting besides. I haven't tried watercolors on it but if you lay downwards some paper it should be fine.

Anybody from draftsmen to cartoonists, animators to fine artists can get something out of this board. It definitely isn't the lightest board yous tin become(information technology weighs 8.2 lbs). However it's also not heavy either, and the adjustable features plus the adroitness more than make up for the weight.

Cheapest Cartoon Board

The cheapest lath that'll offering the virtually bang for your buck is the Alvin masonite board set up. All of these masonite boards come with the small loop at the top for easy carry.

But they're also light enough that you can drag them effectually anywhere. None of these boards come with clips, although you tin can easily add your own chip clip fastened to the summit.

I'm thrilled with the quality/price ratio for these boards which is why they really offer the most for your money. If you're looking for a lightweight lath to draw more at home then the masonite boards will do the fob.

And of course you don't take to go with Alvin. But they offer the most consistency with a wide array of sizes to pick from.

Practice a quick search for masonite boards to see all the unlike sizes you can endeavour. The largest option currently is a 24″ x 36″ board which would certainly comprehend whatever size paper for whatever drawing exercise.

Making The Final Decision

Thankfully drawing boards are generally cheap and then you're not risking much by just grabbing ane.

You shouldn't have any problem with whatever of these so long every bit you know what you're looking for and why you're getting a board. At first this process can feel awkward and clunky, especially if you're a novice artist merely starting out.

But the more yous practise drawing the more than comfortable your lath will feel.

So as a wise instructor once said: take a chance, make mistakes, and become messy!

keimtindin.blogspot.com

Source: https://conceptartempire.com/best-drawing-boards/