Wouldn't you like to be able to create more accurate drawings or designs?Well, do as Leonardo Da Vinci may have done - use VARISCALER.
Buy VARISCALER
Create beautiful drawings or designs - at the exact size you need - from life, other images or 3D objects.
This beautiful brass instrument is fully adjustable with an engraved scale. It comes complete with an attractive lined wooden box. Ideal as a gift for an artist, designer or crafter - or maybe a treat for yourself..?
What is VariScaler ?
Variscaler is a modern version of a drawing instrument dating back at least to the great artists of the 16th Century.
It comes in a beautiful lined wooden presentation box and makes an excellent gift.
What can VariScaler do for me?
As you use VariScaler it trains your eye to draw accurately - and the more you use it the less you will need to rely on it.
Is VariScaler easy to use?
Yes, very easy!
It comes with easy-to-follow instructions. In addition, more advanced illustrated instructions are below if you need them.Click on the index items below to move to the required article.
NB These items refer to a previous Variscaler model made in plastic. (now discontinued)
The new improved brass Variscaler works in exactly the same way.
- The VariScaler was reviewed in "Leisure Painter" magazine
- How VariScaler taught me to draw perspective.
- How do you use VariScaler?
How do I order my VariScaler?
Create drawings from life that are accurately proportioned
Ensure the perspective in a painting or drawing is correct
Copy accurate designs from photographs, lettering, line art or even 3D models!
Buy your VARISCALERA delightful addition to any designer's, crafter's or artist's toolbox.
The VariScaler was reviewed in "Leisure Painter" magazine
by Robin Capon who wrote:
The VariScaler It is obviously useful VariScaler is a pocket-sized, easy-to-use and effective device that will help you to enlarge or reduce shapes. In addition, it will help to assess angles, measurements, verticals and so on, and accurately transfer these to your drawing or painting. It consists simply of two angles and grooved lengths of tough plastic that lock together with a wing nut.The two parts slide and rotate in relation to each other and by this means you can align them with a particular angle or measurement in the subject, before tightening the wing nut to fix them in that position. This reference information can then be transferred to your drawing paper.
With regard to proportion and scale, the VariScaler enables simple scaling by any desired ratio between 1 : 6 and 6 : 1. for the accurate interpretation of perspective and other uses include fitting a selected subject precisely into the space available for the drawing, laying out repeated features such as windows, and indicating the position of reflections and similar elements. With a taped-on pencil it can also be used as a large-radius compass.
The product is supplied with an instruction sheet which explains, with diagrams, how to transfer to your paper, an angle, a dimension and a point from a scene, either real or pictorial." Robin Capon (May 1998
)
Plastic variscaler (now discontinued)Now, a personal story:
How VariScaler taught me to draw perspective.
Introduction.
Often, after I had spent much time carefully scaling up by eye from a small photograph my drawing for painting, I would find that the perspective or proportions were wrong.Like many another beginner, I often used to discover, all too late, that a painting suffered from incorrect perspective or proportions and that I had wasted much time painting over a defective "scaffold". I began to use measurement to get my scaling up right - using the mathematical fact that two measures were needed to locate any point in a two dimensional space, such as a picture rectangle - and this helped. I had to multiply each distance by the correct scale factor, found by dividing the length of side of the painting rectangle by the length of side of the photograph, and then measure this out on the painting rectangle.
While this process worked for me, it took rather a lot of time. I discovered and bought a simple scaling divider, which was fine - provided my picture was exactly 2 times, 2.5 times or 3 times larger than the photograph. This did not often help me to produce a picture of the size I required, which almost invariably needed some intermediate scale factor. I later found that there is a draughtsman's instrument called a proportioning divider which can be set to give scaling by any factor you set on it - but I could not afford to spend £50 to buy it. I persevered with my laborious method, which at least enabled me to produce pictures without distortions until one day I found the answer - a simple stepless proportioning divider at a price I could afford - and I have not looked back since.
Now I find that the more I use my VariScaler, the less I need it. By using my eye to estimate the position of each feature before I scale it instrumentally I get instant feedback of any error and I am steadily finding that my eye is being trained to give accurate results first time - it is as if I have a skilled teacher watching my every move. Even if you are a novice, by using this simple repeated check with a VariScaler I am sure you will soon see how quickly your eye learns to give results almost as good as the VariScaler - and much more quickly and easily. The more you use VariScaler for scaling up the less you too will come to need it !
Later, when you are confident working from a photograph you can use similar methods for working directly from nature. This may be easier if you use a viewfinder.
First, a little bit of theory. You can fix the position of a point in your scaled-up painting rectangle which corresponds to a point in your small photograph rectangle by finding two scaled up distances (Method 1) or by two transferred angles (Method 2). Alternatively, you can use one distance and one angle (Method 3) - from the same reference point.
Before drawing, you need to set your VariScaler to give the correct Scaling Ratio to scale up a distance between points on your small photo-rectangle to the correct distance between the corresponding points on your painting rectangle. To set your VariScaler, use two points which are already known for both rectangles - such as one corner and the intersection of the diagonals.
Set the slotted arm end tips of VariScaler to the distance on the photo-rectangle, as in Fig. 1:- Then check the unslotted end tips against the corresponding points in the painting rectangle. If the unslotted end tips are too close you need to move the pivot screw closer to the slotted arm end tips, and vice versa.
Move the pivot in small steps, keeping the tips aligned with each other, then, when a perfect match occurs, tighten the wingnut and you are ready to go. For a first exercise, draw by eye where you think the point corresponding to point P on your photograph should be on the painting rectangle.
Now you can check by using VariScaler and Method 3 to scale up the point P. Next, following Fig.2, line up one arm of VariScaler along a side of the photo-rectangle and rotate the other arm to lie on the line from the reference point (here the lower left corner) to the point P. Keeping the same angle, transfer VariScaler as in Fig.2 to the corresponding position on your picture rectangle and draw along the arm to produce a line on which will lie the point corresponding to point P.
Now set the slotted end tips to the distance on the photo-rectangle between point P and the reference point (here the lower left corner) as in Fig.3. The unslotted end tips are now spaced to the distance, along the angled line you have just drawn, of the point, in the painting rectangle, corresponding to point P. Mark the transferred point on your painting rectangle and you can check how close you were with your drawing by eye.
Carry on transferring points and angles until you have enough of a "scaffold" to enable you to complete the rest of your drawing by eye alone - having the utmost confidence that it will be basically accurate. Your "scaffold" points may, of course, now be used as reference points themselves, for cross checking and so on. With a little perseverance you will soon join those who can draw accurately for a painting.
Happy scaling !
