Since it sits right on the original image, adjusting it doesn’t mean opening lids and making annoying tweaks-you can just shift the projector itself and see the results instantly on the screen.Ĭompared to pricier projectors, this has a fairly small copy area-only 5 inches square. You can basically just plop it down on the image you want to trace and get right to work. In fact, we found setting it up to be even easier than with the more expensive options above. It uses a 10-watt bulb, and though this is dimmer than other options on the list, it’s still plenty of illumination for clear reproduction of your images.įor the “enlarging” side of things, it’ll go up to ten times the size of the original, which is plenty for all but the largest murals and projects. Simply place the projector overtop of the image you want to reproduce and it will appear on the surface in front of the lens. The Autograph Tracer Projector uses an over-image design. It’s slightly more limited than the Prism in terms of the size and distance of projection, but it will still give you a great image reproduction and is the best projector for tracing images for under $100. If you’re looking for an opaque projector but don’t quite have the funds for the models above, the Artograph Tracer Projector is certainly worth your attention. It can get large enough that you can even use it to paint murals from photos or drawings, although you likely will need to project the original in sections. In our book, this is a perfect projector for painters who want to trace small initial sketches onto a larger canvas. It definitely feels like a solid piece of equipment that you’ll get years of use out of. The build of this projector is durable both inside and out.

We found it fairly easy to focus the image, although it did take some fiddling at first, even after consulting the user manual. It offers up to 20X magnification for images, and you can shrink them if you’d like, too, although given the size of the screen you’re not likely to be needing that option as much. The range of size adjustment options is also impressive. It uses two bulbs to make the sure image is bright, crisp, and clear. In terms of the projection itself, we had no complaints. The good news is that it uses a top-loading design with a hinged, removable lid, giving you the option of moving the image around to capture different areas of it-not the most convenient method, but a reasonable workaround. It’s enough space for most photographs or illustrations from books, but if you want to trace larger images you might find it frustrating. This projector has a 7” X 7” copy area, which we did find to admittedly be on the small side. It will let you project both flat images and those taken from three-dimensional objects, making it a very versatile option for tracing images you find in the real world. If you’re looking to project physical images and objects-rather than images from a digital source-you’ll want to get an opaque projector, like the Artograph Prism. The combination of high image resolution and detailed-oriented design make this the best projector for tracing images or laying out projects anywhere.

The small size and light weight mean it’s easy to transport, and the casing is durable enough you don’t have to worry overmuch about breaking it. You can run it either on battery or outlet power, so you can really take it anywhere. If you want some help positioning elements of your design, you can use one of the 36 on-board grid styles.Īs impressive as these features are, it’s the versatility of this projector that really got our attention. You can flip or reverse the image, rotate it, and even adjust the color or switch it to grayscale, all with a single button push. You’ll get other image adjustment options, too. The size of the image can be adjusted easily-magnifying or shrinking them is simply a matter of pressing a button, and the integrity of the image is maintained at every size. These parameters are also good enough for playing various simulators. It gives you full HD quality images, with a resolution of 1280X720p and up to 150 lumens of brightness from the lamp. The image quality on this projector is sharp and clear. It has all the bells and whistles a professional artist needs, in a compact, portable, and easy to use package. If money is no object and you just want the highest-quality and most fully-featured projector that you can get, you should check out the Flare150.

Art projector for murals