Why Should You Go with Projector for Artists?

by Una Tao April 13, 2023 Buying Guides

A digital projector for artists is a nifty little gadget that can help beginners to train their eyes and work on their freehand drawing skills. It can help pros just as much in creating their next masterpiece.

Many out there frown on the idea of using projection in art. But, the fact is that even the old masters relied on optical tools to get their perspective right and to infuse realism in their work. So, why shouldn't you?

In fact, whether you are into painting, drawing, tracing, or illustrating, using a projector for artwork can help you in a variety of ways and make the entire creative process easier, faster, and above all more efficient.

Think of a projector as a tool that simplifies all the necessary but boring tasks, so you are left with more time and resources for the creative aspects of the process of art making.

Advantages of Using A Digital Projector for Artists

1. Super Convenient to Project Anywhere from Any Digital Source

Tracing is one way to get the outline of your next painting on canvas. But, what if your next creation does not involve canvas or paper?

What if it's a mural on the wall or perhaps a design on a block of wood or any other medium where tracing is not an option? That's when a digital projector for artists can come in handy.

No matter what the size of the project or the base of your masterpiece, with an image projector for artwork, you can get your outline just about anywhere you want and from any digital source.

For instance, your source could be a photograph or a specific frame from a video or illustrations from a magazine, as long as you have a digital version of it, your projector will lay it out for you on the medium of your choice.

The best part is that the digital source of your design or sketch or artwork could be on your phone, your computer, your laptop, or a digital camera. You could still get your projector to present the outline to you on a base of your choice simply by using the Wifi Bluetooth feature of both devices or by connecting the devices together through an HDMI cable.

2. Freedom to Adjust the Display

Because with a digital projector for artists, you can adjust the scale of your display to suit your requirements, it is easier to catch the finer nuances of an image through this method.

For instance, if you want to lay greater emphasis on the background or the detailing in the foreground, you can make the necessary adjustments to relay the image just the way you envisioned it. Similarly, if you have a small image, you could trace or copy it on a large scale by using the right screen size.

So, the best projector for artwork like the WEMAX Go Advanced could come in particularly handy for a photorealist painter. If enlarging the image itself does not suit your style, it is also possible to incorporate the grid method with the help of a projector.

Because the projected images offer exceptional clarity and a size that is several times larger than that of the source image, it is possible to get extremely accurate grids.

3. Precise Sketching or Tracing

Particularly for sketch artists, landscape artists, portrait artists, and painters, a projector can prove to be immensely useful. The device allows for the accurate and quick transfer of the source image/material onto a large surface like the ceiling, a wall, or even canvas or art paper,

So, it essentially eliminates the rote tasks from the creative process. Moreover, it makes replication easier and faster as it takes minimal effort to trace a picture or create a sketch when you have the image projected to scale on the medium of your choice.

It also goes without saying that since with a projector you have the actual image that you are trying to replicate in front of you, your rendition of it will be highly accurate. Furthermore, it's also possible to use a projector as an alternative to other art and drawing techniques; for instance, freehand sketching.

4. Inspire Avant-garde Design

Imagine taking the traditional approach to combining various forms of art or even images from a variety of media or styles. For instance, perhaps you are keen on coupling two strikingly different styles or motifs.

With a traditional approach, this would involve getting all source images in the same form and then experimenting with their use to create your masterpiece. The process would undoubtedly be both tedious and time-consuming.

Now, bring a projector for artists into this equation and you significantly simplify the process. In fact, no other tool out there can facilitate the creation of avant-garde and conceptual artistic experiences than a digital projector.

How to Select the Best Projector for Artwork

Confirm Your Needs

Like with any other purchase, your decision on which projector to buy should be based on your needs. So, carefully consider the type of artwork that you are involved in, the available space, the area in which you work, specific projection requirements, and of course your budget.

When trying to find the best projector for artwork, you will stumble on four different types of products:

Overhead projectors: This is an old-world technology that continues to prevail in the world of art and academics. Overhead projectors are simple devices that work by using a light source to project the images on a transparent surface/sheet onto a wall/screen in an enlarged form.

They are bulky but not expensive and although they can be used for tracing and sketching, the limited range of media input means that you cannot connect them to your cell phones or other media devices.

Opaque projectors: These use the same principle as overhead projectors but they can reflect images drawn on opaque sheets/material/surfaces onto the screen. Once again, in terms of cost, these projectors are quite affordable but they leave a lot to be desired in terms of functionality.

Slide projectors: As their name suggests, these units are capable of displaying slides onto a wall /vertical surface or screen. While they do enlarge an image, this image has to be fed into the projector in the form of a slide. On the plus side, this again is one of the more affordable projection units available in the market.

Digital projector for artists: Think of these as the best in their class products. If you are looking for exceptional performance and extraordinary functionality, this is the type of device you need. Unlike with the other types of projectors in this list, you won't be limited to using just one type of media input when using a digital projector.

Be it graphics, images, photographs, or videos, digital projectors can display them all and if you opt for a high-end unit, you can expect full HD performance and much more. On the flip side, they cost more than the other projectors. But a digital projector can do so much more than just help you create art.

It can also be used to display your work and to get a feel for how a completed painting or project would look on the walls of a gallery. Plus, they double up as home entertainment devices, so what's not to like?

Resolution

The resolution becomes a part of the equation only in the case of digital projectors. Now, many will tell you that if you intend to use a digital projector just for artwork, the resolution does not matter. But this could not be further from the truth.

Resolution refers to the number of pixels in a certain projection space. The higher the resolution the sharper the image will be, which means it will be easier to work with the image when tracing. Ideally, you should choose a product capable of delivering full HD or 1080p performance.

You can downgrade a bit from full HD but don't scrimp too much on this factor as a low-resolution projector will display cracked and blurry images.

Color Accuracy

When it comes to color accuracy both LCD and DLP projectors have their own set of issues. While LCD units are notorious for washed-out pastels which impact highlights and perception, DLP projectors veer towards darker shades displaying red as plum.

Fortunately, industry leaders like WEMAX have found a solution to this problem. They combine DLP with ALPD to offer the best color accuracy that you can get from present-day units.

Capable of delivering well over 16 million colors, the images displayed by a projector like the WEMAX Go Advanced are both vibrant and lifelike making it easier for painters to replicate them on canvas.

Brightness Matters

The brightness of a projector for artists is another factor that many say is not really important. Well, it sure is unless you intend to spend all your time working in a darkened room.

The brightness of a projector does not matter when you have no ambient light to deal with. However, if you cannot create a completely dark projection environment, a low-brightness projector will lead to faded images.

If you intend to use the projector only for the creation of art or for personal displays of your work, 600 lumens of brightness would be more than enough. However, if you intend to use the unit in a large auditorium, you will need around 2000 lumens.

Portable & Easy Setup

Finally, you also have to consider the portability of the unit. Most LCD projectors are quite bulky. Along the same lines long throw projectors and even short-throw projectors may require professional installation and some amount of preparation.

These units would only work for you if you strictly intend to keep the projector in a dedicated area of your home. But, if you enjoy working while you are on the move or want a unit that offers peak adaptability, you will need an ultra-short throw portable projector.

They are light enough and small enough to be carried around anywhere in your home or even outdoors. What's more, the ultra-short throw of the unit means you could place the projector a mere 2 feet from the screen on a table and it would still offer impressive projection performance.

WEMAX Projector for Artist

1. Vivid Colors

WEMAX Go Advanced is powered by a single DLP chip and ALPD light source. Together these two technologies deliver deeper blacks and brighter whites along with exceptional resolution. Add to this is the wider color gamut that also comes courtesy of ALPD and you get vivid colors that boast a true-to-life quality.

Because the DLP chip uses microscopic mirrors to project colors on the screen, the unit offers a greater contrast ratio, which adds to the vibrancy of the displayed colors. Moreover, the 600-lumen brightness also translates to a display infused with richer colors that are quite tolerant of ambient light. So, with a WEMAX projector, you certainly won't be working in the dark

2. Clear Presentation

A distinct advantage of DLP digital projectors for artists is their ability to provide razor-sharp images. So, you won't be struggling with blurred edges that are hard to sketch.

But, you do get options for image enhancement. This means if you want to focus on a particular aspect of the image or graphics, it's possible to do so. In terms of size, you get a projection area of 40 to 120 inches, which would be more than enough to project an image on canvas or even on a wall.

3. Ultra-portable

One of the biggest advantages of WEMAX Go Advanced is its portability. The unit weighs a mere 1.7 lbs and is just 1 inch thick. Plus, it comes with inbuilt rechargeable batteries that support play for up to 1.5 hours and an integrated projector stand.

Simply put, all you have to do is place the projector in front of your easel or a wall and you will be all set to start tracing/sketching. Moreover, the product supports a wider Bluetooth range and comes with 2 HDMI and 1 USB port. So, you can connect it with any of your other media devices as well as your cell phone.

4. Smart Screen Calibration

Another factor that gives WEMAX Go Advanced an edge over other products is its smart screen calibration technology that allows for automatic display and image adjustments.

The unit practically sets itself up with auto keystone correction, TOF focus, and intelligent obstacle avoidance. In other words, this projector is designed to offer a hassle-free experience, so you get to concentrate exclusively on your work.

Also, the projector offers surprisingly quiet performance and rapid heat dissipation. So, nothing about this unit will prove to be a distraction.

Wrapping It Up

A digital projector for artists is an essential tool for sculptors, painters, illustrators, crafters, and designers. Whether you prefer to work with physical media or in the digital realm, a high-quality projector can help greatly to boost your productivity and efficiency.

From tracing an image on large scale to combining various art forms on the screen and from displaying art to creating impressive multimedia art forms, using a projector for artwork is one of the best ways to do all of this and more.

And when it comes to a projector for artists, there are regular products and then there is WEMAX Go Advanced. Built for portability and superlative functionality, this is a must-have gadget in your artist's toolkit.

WEMAX is the leading brand for laser projectors, portable projectors, LED projectors, and projector screens of all sizes that provide a real home theater experience.