E.A.S.Y. InTACT Sketchpad User manual

User Manual
Sketchpad

Thank You from E.A.S.Y. LLC
E.A.S.Y.
LLC
ENGINEERING TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT YOU
Sketchpad
Hello from E.A.S.Y. LLC. You’re about to use the first product we’ve brought to market
after four years of development and trial use by blind consumers and their teachers and
colleagues. Before the details on how to make best use of the inTACT Sketchpad, a
couple of sentences about our company. E.A.S.Y. LLC stands for “Engineering to Assist
and Sup-port You”. This name really does indicate what we stand for. This product, like
those that will follow, is meant to support your productivity and creativity, and to assist
you by making sometimes difficult and cumbersome tasks easier.
If you have any ideas for helping future versions of the Eraser live up to the company
name, please let us hear from you. You can always get in touch with us at
[email protected]
To date, most of what we’ve learned has come from users, like you.

Table of Contents
E.A.S.Y.
LLC
ENGINEERING TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT YOU
2
Sketchpad
3
4
4
5
6
7
Introduction
What’s in the Box
Familiarization
Getting Started
Creating Tactile Drawings
T forips Drawing
Maintenance and Notes 8

Introduction
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Sketchpad
With the inTACT Sketchpad, creating tactile graphics by hand has never been easier. As
you draw with a stylus on the tactile drawing film, a raised line appears under your finger-
tips, enabling you to feel your drawings as you go.
Like with a pencil, pressure and drawing angle change the height and feel of tactile lines,
making shading and texture possible. The inTACT Sketchpad makes tactile drawing
easier, more affordable and more powerful.
Like with any new tool or technology, perfecting the art of tactile drawing on the inTACT
Sketchpad takes time and practice. The Sketchpad was designed to be straightforward and
user-friendly, making this learning curve as quick and easy as possible. With the instuc-
tions in this manual, and more tips / tutorials available on our website, we hope to make
learning how to create and edit tactile drawings fun and easy!

What’s in the Box / Familiarization
E.A.S.Y. LLC
ENGINEERING TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT YOU
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Sketchpad
What’s in the Box?
1 inTACT Sketchpad
1 Drawing Stylus
25 Tactile Drawing Sheets
Familiarization
When you first hold the Sketchpad in your hands, try to get familiar with the shape and
size. The sketchpad is like a laptop computer, in the sense that it is hinged at the back to
open and hold the drawing sheets.
Place the Sketchpad on a table or desk, orienting it with the opening tabs facing you.
These tabs are located on the narrower long-side of the Sketchpad, and can be used to
open and close it. You’ll notice that the middle tab is higher than the two side tabs; to
open the Sketchpad, simply hold down the left or right (lower)tab, and pull up on the
central (higher)tab.

A Drawing Sheet aligned in the Sketchpad
Getting Started
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ENGINEERING TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT YOU
5
Inserting Drawing Sheets
Inserting the Tactile Drawing Sheets is fast and easy, just follow these steps:
Sketchpad
Inserting Drawing Sheets
Inserting the Tactile Drawing Sheets is fast and easy, just follow these steps:
1. Open the Sketchpad using the tabs on the front edge. Pull up on the central tab
while holding down the left or right tab.
2. Insert a Drawing Sheet, fitting the edges of the
sheet inside of the raised edges surrounding the draw-
ing area. When inserted correctly, you should be able
to slide the sheet around and feel it contact all four
sides of the drawing area.
3. Close the lid.
Locating the Stylus
When first using the Sketchpad, the stylus can be found inside the sketchpad frame. Open
the Sketchpad, and feel for the stylus pocket near the hinge-side. The stylus feels like a
pen in your hands.

Creating Tactile Drawings
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ENGINEERING TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT YOU
6
Sketchpad
First Tactile Lines
Once you’ve inserted a Drawing Sheet, and have located the stylus, you’re ready to make a
tactile drawing. Hold the stylus like a pen or pencil; we recommend drawing with the
pointy-end first;the rounder end requires a little more force.
When you have the stylus in hand, try making a tactile line. Do this by applying pressure
and dragging the stylus along the drawing sheet. You should be able to feel a tactile
line immediately as you draw.
NOTE: The angle of the stylus while drawing determines how easy or hard it
is to make a raised line. Angling the stylus so that you are dragging the tip
along the plastic ("pulling" rather than "pushing") makes it much easier to make a
raised line. Try holding it at different angles while drawing and see what you prefer.

Tips for Drawing
E.A.S.Y.
LLC
ENGINEERING TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT YOU
7
Sketchpad
Lines of Different Heights
There are multiple ways to create lines of different heights and definitions on the Sketchpad:
Pressure: Pressing harder while drawing will create a more defined tactile line.
Experiment with all levels of pressure to get a feel for the types and definitions of
lines that are possible
Stylus Tip: The stylus included with your sketchpad has two ends, both of which
can be used to create tactile lines. We recommend using the more pointed end for
most drawing, but the rounder end can be used to create thicker, more tactile lines.
With this end, however, you will need to push harder to make tactile lines.
Stylus Angle
As mentioned earlier in the Manual, the angle of the stylus while drawing has a big impact
on the ease and speed of tactile drawing. The stylus should be angled so that the tip is drag-
ging. For example, if you are drawing a line left-to-right, the drawing tip should be further
to the left, while the other end of the stylus should be pointing up from the sheet and to the
right.

Maintenance and Notes
E.A.S.Y.
LLC
ENGINEERING TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT YOU
8
Sketchpad
Storage
When the Sketchpad is not in use, store in a climate-controlled environment. The Sketchpad
should always be stored in areas between 60 - 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Durability
The Sketchpad is designed to be durable, but if dropped from more than 1 foot, damage to
the hinges and/or frame may occur.
Usage Tips
For more tips, FAQs and tutorial videos related to the inTACT Sketchpad, visit
www.EasyTactileGraphics.com