Sketch-It Clipboard – Say Goodbye to Sketchy Drawings

Earlier this year we spent some time at the National Hardware Show, which is a great place to hunt for innovative new tools and products. We always love home-grown innovation, and the Sketch-It clipboard was one of our favorite inventions we sniffed out at the show. I wasn’t expecting much when I walked up to the Sketch-It booth. It basically looked like they were selling some standard clipboards in a variety of colors. Once Ryan from Sketch-It gave me a demo, I went from bored to intrigued and impressed.

Anytime I venture to sketch out something by hand, it usually looks like something a drunken toddler with a blindfold on might have sketched. Yes, I did say drunken toddler. No I don’t recommend alcohol for toddlers. The point is, my ability to draw a straight line, without the crutch of my computer, or an antiquated ruler, is just very limited. The clever Sketch-It aims to turn people like me into instant architects (or, at least turn them into people that can draw straight). Check out the Sketch-It in action at NHS:

The secret to Sketch-It is a “micro-textured” surface that basically guides your ballpoint pen or mechanical pencil and keeps it from running astray. It’s all done without a ruler in sight. Raised tabs at the top help you align your paper consistently, and a rubber clip makes sure your masterpiece stays put. A protractor and isometric lines help you bust out your high school geometry and art skills in one fell swoop. Available in tons of colors. We think the Sketch-it is a must-have if you’re regularly sketching things in the field. It’s also very handy for DIY projects like sketching a kitchen remodel or cabinetry project. It’s even made in the USA so you can feel all patriotic about purchasing it. My only suggestion: they should think about adding a section (on the back-side?) that can help you do perfect circles. Landscapers and irrigation folks would no-doubt dig it even more!

The Sketch-It Clipboard is available for a reasonable $19.95 straight from our friends over at Sketch-It. We still don’t recommend it for drunken, blind-folded toddlers though.