If you want to trace a sketch or outline a photograph, the standard advice for years has been to buy a tracing light box (also known as a light pad). You print your reference, place it on the glowing LED pad, put a blank sheet of paper on top, and trace the lines that shine through.
While light pads are effective, they are bulky, cost money, and require you to own a printer. In 2026, many artists are replacing physical light boxes with a completely free alternative: AR Drawing Apps.
The Limitations of a Physical Light Box
Before you spend $30 to $100 on an LED tracing pad on Amazon, consider the hidden hassles:
- You need a printer: A light box only works if you have a physical copy of the image you want to trace. If you find inspiration on your phone, you have to print it first.
- It doesn't work on thick materials: A light box is great for tracing onto thin printer paper or standard sketchbook paper. But the light cannot shine through a canvas, thick watercolor paper, or a block of wood.
- It requires resizing software: If your printed photo is too small, you have to go back to your computer, scale the image up in Photoshop, and print it again.
How an AR Drawing App Works as a Digital Light Box
An AR (Augmented Reality) drawing app essentially turns your smartphone into a digital drawing projector.
Instead of shining light up through the paper, the app uses your phone's camera to look down at the paper. It then overlays a semi-transparent version of your digital photo onto the camera feed. You look at your phone screen while your hand traces the image onto the real paper below.
The Free Digital Light Box
Don't buy a light pad. Join the waitlist to download Drawello for free.
Why the App Wins
Using an AR app solves every problem associated with a physical light box:
- No Printer Needed: You can trace any photo directly from your camera roll or Instagram saves.
- Works on Anything: Because the image is projected digitally, you can trace onto thick watercolor paper, a canvas, a denim jacket, or even a wall.
- Instant Resizing: If the design is too small, just use two fingers to pinch and zoom the digital overlay until it perfectly fits your paper.
The Best Free Tracing App: Drawello
The only downside to AR drawing apps is that many of them charge a weekly subscription fee. However, if you are looking for a true, free replacement for a light box, use Drawello.
Drawello is designed specifically to do one thing perfectly: let you pick a photo, lock the screen, and trace it. It is completely free to download, meaning you can leave the physical light pad in your Amazon cart.