To description section
To manual section
Global description
The TactiPad drawing board consists of a top frame that surrounds the A4 (21,0 x 29,7 centimetres) drawing area of the bottom layer. The two parts are connected with a hinge, so the frame can open as a book. The drawing board and tools are made of plastic. The corners are rounded. The total size is 28,0 by 36,7 centimetres. The use of the colours black and yellow for the TactiPad and the related products and tools provide a good contrast between different parts.
The frame has grooves in each of the four edges. Two knobs can slide in each groove. Measurement indications in centimetres are provided along the grooves. The drawing paper, which is a rather thin plastic sheet is placed on the rubber mat, the actual drawing area. Underneath this mat a metal plate is mounted.
When the frame is fully opened it can stand on its own so the drawing paper can be provided. Magnets pull the top frame and drawing layer together to keep the drawing paper in place. At the front side of the TactiPad, with the hinge pointing backward, the bottom layer is shaped inwards compared to the frame.
Detailed description
Natural dimensions and tactility
The dimensions of the drawing board and the tools have commonly used values. Knowing about these dimensions will help to get the distances ‘in your fingers’. The drawing area is A4. The width of the frame sides is 3,5 centimetres. The knobs in the grooves are two centimetres in diameter with a height of eight millimetres. They are placed one centimetre away from the outer edge of the frame. Indents next to the drawing area indicate five centimetre distances.
Origin of the frame / 0 centimetre position
Depending on the subject to draw, the drawing board may be used in landscape or portrait orientation. In both cases, the measurement indications start at the upper left corner of the drawing area. In landscape orientation, the centimetre indication goes from 0 to 29,7 centimetres horizontally. Vertically, downwards from 0 to 21,0 centimetres. When the drawing board is in portrait orientation, the counting differs, due to the non-symmetrical size of the A4 paper size. From the upper left corner to the right goes from 0 to 21,0 centimetres. Going down, the first indent is at 0,7 centimetre. Beyond, the regular centimetre pattern is present.
Grooves in the frame
The semi-circle hollows along the grooves indicate centimetre distances. The hollows on the inner side and those on the outer side of the groove have the same width but are shifted 0,5 centimetre. This allows to measure rather precise 0,5 centimetre distances.
Knobs in the grooves
In every groove two moveable knobs are mounted. Some of the TactiPad drawing tools, especially the ruler, can be attached to the knobs. While positioning the knobs, the tools can be positioned precisely.
Bottom layer / drawing area
The bottom layer has the similar size as the top frame. On top of the bottom layer sits the drawing area, existing of a 4 millimetre thick rubber layer. Underneath the rubber is, invisible, a thin metal plate that pulls the magnets inside the compass base on to the drawing area.
Drawing paper / drawing foil
The drawing paper is actually a plastic sheet. It is also referred to as drawing foil or German film. It measures 34 * 27 centimetres, and is tightened under the frame since it’s larger than the drawing surface itself. The magnets placed on the corners of the drawing board, pull the frame and drawing layer together.
Note: Once the lines are raised, they cannot be erased. Also, the paper is sensitive for wrinkling so be careful by taking the sheets from their pocket.
Cavities with magnets for the TactileView digital pen
In the middle of three edges of the frame cavities can be found provided with two magnets. These magnets are used to position the frame for the receiver of the TactileView digital pen on the drawing surface. In combination with the TactileView Graphics editor. The TactileView digital pen product is abandoned since October 2022.
Drawing board manual
Opening the frame
Place the drawing board in landscape orientation with the hinge backwards. Slide your thumb under the top frame and place your fingers on the drawing area. Press on the drawing surface with your fingers. The magnets will loosen. The frame can be lifted. If you open the frame and let it lean a bit back, it stays in its open position. When closed, the frame exactly surrounds the drawing surface, and is just as high as the drawing surface.
Placing the drawing foil
In the frame open position you can place a drawing sheet on the rubber mat. The sheet is larger than
the rubber mat. Make sure that the margins are roughly the same size on all sides. Close the frame and let it rest on the other hand. Smooth out the surface of the sheet by moving both hands out from the middle to the sides while pressing the sheet. Remove your hands and let the frame drop back in place. For best drawing results the sheet should be placed on the drawing surface as smooth as possible. You may have to practise this a couple of times to get a feel for it.
Drawing with the pen
The plastic sheet that is used as drawing paper creates the raised line upon applying some force with a ball pen or other pointy device. To acquire good skills for this, perform some practising. Read the anual section ‘Practising drawing raised lines’.
Positioning the knobs
The black ribbed knobs can be moved along the grooves by (un)screwing them. They can be removed by totally unscrewing them. To place a knob back in the groove, place it on a random place in the groove, and slide it all the way to the outer corner, dragging the nut along. Here the knob can be screwed back again.
Determining distances
As measurement indications in centimetres, 9 millimetre wide semi-circular hollows have been made on a short distance from the edge. They create points between them, each with a distance of 1 centimetre to the next. With those points, it becomes easy to read the exact distance per centimetre. Because the hollows are semi-circular, the distance per 5 millimetres can be read in the deepest point of the hollow. After some experience it is possible to measure even smaller distances in the matter of millimetres.
Photo: Detail of TactiPad drawing board, showing the semi-circular hollows and 5 centimetre indents
Aligning the tools and frames
The drawing tools have holes and wide grooves, to fit around the knobs. By fixing the knob and putting the tool over it, the tools can be tightened. With partially unscrewed knobs, the tools can move smoothly across the drawing surface.
An important aspect to keep in mind is the diameter of the knobs in reference to the centimetre indication. When aligning a tool on a knob one centimetre has to be added or deducted to compensate for the knob. The CircleFrame and GraphGrid extensions have holes that fit around the knobs as well. The position for the knobs is about five centimetres away from the corner. Drawing board picture frame Two grooves have been made at the backside, to make it possible to hang the TactiPad like a picture frame.
