Tools of the Trade: Zoomfinder

Artists are always looking for easy ways to solve common problems when it comes to creating art. Tools of the trade are clever gadgets that are constantly being developed to ease the design chores and allow artists to get down to the business of painting. We use light boxes to transfer patterns more quickly and projectors to enlarge photos, even computers are becoming more and more popular as design aids for artists. Anything to make these time consuming and laborious necessities just a little bit less so.

One very popular composition design tool is the Zoomfinder. This handy little invention will help you isolate your view and even create a grid to aid in transferring your design to the paper. Made of durable plastic, the Zoomfinder has an adjustable rectangle and square that allows you to choose the appropriate format for your painting.

Place it over the picture you want to paint and slide the inner sheet in and out until you find the desired composition. If you are cropping a picture larger than the opening, move the Zoomfinder closer to your eye. This will allow it to cover a larger area. This is also necessary when composing a landscape on location. The Zoomfinder can be used for landscape as well as portrait formats. The ratio of the rectangle opening is 3:4, with the width being up to 3″ in increments of 1/2″ and the length of 4″. The 3″ x 4″ opening will also make a great template for thumbnail sketches, which will enable you to try out several views before deciding on the best one. The square will open up to 3 inches and also can be used to create a grid for sketch transferring.

Creating a pleasing composition is a very important aspect of design. It is the first step in developing a successful painting. The Zoomfinder is a great time-saving tool that will help you to bring your ideas down to the paper. It will enable you to visualize your… This is only one of many wonderful tools of the trade that make painting much more productive and enjoyable!