The NeoLucida was born out of years of research into antique camera lucidas. This isn’t limited to the precious brass instruments of the 1800s. I also love the camera lucida “toys” from the 1950s. With names like the “Magic Art Reproducer” and “See-and-Draw Copier,” these were popular, inexpensive drawing tools advertised in the back of pulp magazines and comic books for nearly four decades.
Are the optics in these toys sharp and high quality? Oh lord no. But they are incredibly simple in their design and they were incredibly inexpensive. And that means that, for an entire generation of young aspiring artists, these toys may have been a fantastic way to pursue art, either as a hobby or as a prelude to a lifetime of creative expression.
