Custom drawing boards for FREE!

In this instructable I'll show you how to make your own custom drawing boards. The end result is a lightweight surprising durable drawing board with an even smooth surface - best of all, it's FREE, or at least very inexpensive.

Items you'll need:
Matboard
Cardboard
Masking tape
Mat cutter or box cutter and straight edge

Step 1 Step 1 - Getting supplies

If you've ever had a picture framed then you are probably familiar with matboard. Matboard is often used to put color around a picture - it also acts as a barrier to keep the artwork from touching the inside of the glass when it is framed. The Crescent brand is probably the most popular one you can find.
Matboard comes in a wide variety of colors and textures, but they all have a nice smooth acid-free surface on the back. Most are white, but there are some that are black - both surfaces make a great drawing platform.

Truthfully, matboard is fairly inexpensive stuff but why pay for it when you can get it for FREE? Besides, it's a great way to recycle material that is headed for the trash.

Just go to your local frame shop and ask if they have any scraps or discontinued colors. Most will just give you these items or charge you a nominal fee.

The matboards have smooth surfaces but they need a stiffer structure to be of any use as a drawing platform. I've found a heavy cardboard does the trick. Refrigerators and stoves come in huge boxes that are perfect for this project. I get free cardboard boxes from a local appliance store.

Comments

[TysonSaunders]

(removed by author or community request)

[sharkh2o]

She is a comic book character named “Baby Jane” by George Webber. She is a Frankenstein-like babe assembled from dead chicks that tries (unsuccessfully) to fit into a typical American suburb. Her tag line is “Dead Sexy”. Take a look at some framed photos or prints and you will find a colored boarder around the picture. This is matboard. It is a thin acid-free cardboard used to dress up artwork and keep the work from touching the glass. Some matboard is textured, others are sometimes covered in fabric. All of it has a smooth surface on the back, which is why I use it as a drawing platform. Plus I get free scraps from a local art gallery.

[dela213]

is that first one Meagan fox?

[sharkh2o]

Yeah, I was practicing and I drew this from a photo of her from some red-carpet event.

[artist without a medium]

You are very talented. We built a very nice Art / Drawing table for my son who draws very well; but he rarely uses it. At ten yrs old he gets easily discouraged.

[bufalloo]

saw you on deviantart!

[sharkh2o]

Yup :) I wondered if any dA folks would be here too AND be able to make the connection.

[bluefly1215]

I use a piece of foam core with the plastic coating. It is smooth thus, I can use the "removable tape" low tack and I have a light weight surface with a bit of a give to it. And it will last for years. You don't want to use any high tacky tape on the surface of your drawing. Give it a try.

[Hiroak]

Do you have a drafting table or do you just sit around the house with this and draw? Did you tape the paper down? Great Job I'm going to make a smaller one right now. I currently us wood with mat board but it's kind of heavy.

[sharkh2o]

I do have a drafting table but I mainly use the boards. I usually have a few drawings in the works and using the boards makes it easy to switch what I’m working on – plus, the boards are really portable. Oh yeah, I do tape them down at the corners.

[volquete]

wow your a great artist!!!

[sharkh2o]

Thanks :)

[volquete]

your welcome. you should post an instructable on how to draw or paint. i love drawing and painting,and i'm, ok.

[sharkh2o]

I think you might be on to something. All the comments have been about my artwork, which of course I appreciate, but nobody has said anything about the drawing board. Heck, no one’s even rated this instructable. Hum… maybe on about drawing would be a good idea. Thanks for the idea. :)

[volquete]

the drawing boards a great idea,i was just amazed at your artowork.

[fearme36]

the white dog reminds me of the tiger hidden in my art teachers closet. those pictures are amazing.

[sharkh2o]

There's a tiger hidden in your art teacher's closet? lol - you have to explain that!

[fearme36]

lol that's what we say to the seventh graders to freak em out. It's actually a picture on a chalkboard. but it's amazingly detailed, it's drawn almost van gogh (sp?) style, to make it look more furry. it's amazing

[SarahMichelle]

What a CUTE COCKER SPANIEL!!! I have a 8 month old blonde girl - Angel (and she is my lil devil!!!)

[sharkh2o]

I did this for a lady whose dog just died. She cried when she picked it up. I think I have the only job in the world where you try to make your customer cry.