Editorial Note: While this tutorial is primarily targeted at traditional animators, we believe that it can be of high value for CG-artists as well, especially considering that drawing schematic referenceis an important part of modern modelling.

 

Many of you asked about work space for traditional animation, so here is the short explanation how to do it yourself. The aim was to spend as less money as you can.

The Desk is made according to the schema (project, plan) on you left side. Click on the image to enlarge or here to download .cad file. All measures given are in millimeters.

For the main construction we used 12mm thick wood panel. You can, also use a few types of plywood.. Note that putting together all the parts is a bit different if you use thinner types of plywood, due to the fact that this material is 8mm thick.
For joining the elements we used glue for wood and screws for wood 4mm thick and 45mm long (4/45). In total, you will need 8 screws. The position of the screws you can see on the schema. Before you screw them, you first have to make (to drill) holes with the diameter a little bit smaller than diameter of the screws.

But, first of all put the glue on all the parts you are putting together.
Before the elements are fixed, on the upper edge you have to make slot 4mm deep and 6mm width. In this slot the glass or the plexiglas will be placed.

 

 

When the main construction is done it is time to fix the light. We used neon light 18W, 50cm long (on the left you can see all the parts - neon light, holder, starter, transducer (converter), switch (shutter, taster, trembler) and the cable (we used 5m long cable , so we can move desk freely without unplugging the cable). For joining all this elements you need wire with the small diameter (not shown). Don't forget to ask salesmen for a schema for putting all the parts together.

If possible screw the neon light for the construction. In this case neon light has been placed on the left part of the desk. Left-handed people might find it more convenient if the light is on the right part. In both cases part of the desk opposite of the light will be covered un- transparent material. In this case thin plywood panel is used. Bottom of the desk is also covered with the same material.

At the beginning we were thinking of putting the switch on the upper right corner, but then we changed idea and placed it on the side.

It might be useful to make (to drill) some holes in the upper right corner of the un - transparent part. You can hold pencils here.

The last thing to do is fixing the glass. Putting Plexiglas instead of ordinary glass would give the best result. Due to the high price of Plexiglas we used ordinary 4mm thick glass. Having only glass is not enough, because neon light of this power can illuminate whole room.

After testing all kinds of the materials (follies and papers of different thickness, hammer paper placed between glass and light gave the best result.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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© Nikola Drincic 2004