Drawing board

From ArticleWorld

A Drawing board is a type of multipurpose desk. It is mainly used for drawing, writing and sketching at a professional level. These are done on large sheets of paper. The desk may also be used for reading large format books or any other oversized documents. Technical illustrations where precision is vital, are drafted on drawing boards. Some of its other names include drafting table, drawing table, draughting table and architect's table.

In the pre-industrial and early industrial eras, a drawing table was frequently used in combination with a pedestal desk and was commonly found in a gentleman’s private study or library. Draftsmanship as a specialized trade gained a foothold during the Industrial Revolution and it moved out of gentlemen’s private offices into larger domains. The earlier models were crafted from fine wood and brass, sometimes with intricate brass. But now, the drawing boards became more utilitarian and were made of plastic and steel.

A drawing table is also referred to as a Mechanical desk since mechanical desks were an offshoot of drawing tables. The mechanical parts of a drawing table consisted of ratchets, notches, and maybe a few simple gears, levers or cogs to change the incline of the working surface.

Draftsmen and engineers have recently been using the drawing board for drafting and modifying technical drawings with writing implements like a pencil or ink. Perpendicular, parallel and oblique lines are almost perfectly drawn with the help of some drawing instruments like protractors and trisquares. Arcs, circles, other curves and certain symbols can be drawn with the aid of a compass, French curve, template etc. The last few years of the 20th century have seen a new wave in technology with the introduction of Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD or CAD). Slowly, the drawing board is on its way to being completely out – dated.

Period drawing tables made in the traditional 18th and 19th century styles are still be being copied and produced for use or for décor. The expression ‘back to the drawing board’ also stems from here and implies that the unsuccessful plan needs to be drastically reworked.