Make a pantograph for more art and craft fun!

A pantograph is a simple yet powerful tool which can broaden the scope of you artwork and crafting. You can enlarge or reduce images with a pantograph depending on how the parts are measured and assembled. The pantograph does the image resize calculating for you by using the distances between its pivot points as the "algorithm" for creating your finished copy.

The pantograph in the illustration would produce a copy twice the size of the original. By reversing the positions of the pencil and stylus, you would get a copy smaller than the original. By changing the distances between the pivot points you can change the percentage of enlargement your pantograph provides.






This could be a handy tool if you want to get into painting small wall murals. It would also be useful for reducing a picture to fit within a needle point design. You could use a pantograph to enlarge a picture of your favorite sport star if you wanted to paint a portrait of them. You could also transfer a picture onto wood for carving. You could even make a smaller copy of a stencil to utilize a favorite design in new and different ways.

You can make an experimental pantograph for little or no cost by checking out these instructions from Mr. Science. Experiment with different sizes and configurations until you find the perfect combination for your needs.

Source