Rediscover a Classic Technique with Artist Lucida, the Modern Camera Lucida for your Mac
Artist Lucida for Artists
Your Digital Bridge to Physical Artwork
Are you an artist looking for a revolutionary tool to bridge your digital vision and physical canvas? Look no further! Artist Lucida is a modern camera lucida, transforming your Mac into a powerful projection and tracing tool.
Whether you're a painter, sketch artist, cake decorator, or muralist, Artist Lucida allows you to overlay any image or an advanced 3D face model directly onto your desk, canvas, or workpiece through a live camera feed. It’s your secret weapon for achieving perfect proportions, flawless lines, and stunning accuracy in all your creative projects.
"Connect any camera your Mac can see—your webcam, a DSLR, or even a virtual camera from OBS. Load up to four reference images and control their opacity, scale, and position. For portrait artists, the fully interactive 3D face model is a game-changer. Switch between male and female models, and even view an anatomical skull to understand the structure beneath the skin. Rotate, tilt, and light the model to match your reference perfectly."
"Artist Lucida gives you complete creative control. A unique 'Pan & Zoom' mode lets you lock your entire composition—camera feed, 3D model, and images—and zoom in to work on fine details without losing alignment. Adjust the app window's opacity to blend it seamlessly with your real-world view, making it feel like a true digital projection. With full undo support, you can experiment fearlessly."
"Stop struggling with printers and projectors. Start creating faster, more accurately, and more confidently than ever before. Download Artist Lucida today and revolutionize your artistic process!"
NEW FEATURES ADDED WITH EACH NEW UPDATE
Trackpad Controls
One Finger Drag = Rotate Model
Two Finger Drag = Pan Model
Two Finger Pinch = Zoom
Two Finger Rotate = Tilt
Mouse Controls
Left Drag = Rotate Model
Option + Scroll Wheel = Zoom
Option + Left Drag = Pan
Option + Right Drag = Tilt
Trackpad Controls
One Finger Drag = Pan the whole view
Two Finger Pinch = Zoom the whole view
Mouse Controls
Left Drag = Drag the whole view
Scroll Wheel = Zoom the whole view
Artist Lucida is designed to be simple and powerful. The main screen shows your camera feed, with the control panel on the right. You can load up to four images and control a 3D face model, all layered on top of your live video.
Core Concept: Point your camera at your canvas/paper. The app overlays your reference on the screen, allowing you to "see through" your screen to your hands and trace the lines accurately.
1. On first launch, **grant camera permission**.
2. In the UI Panel, use the **"Camera" dropdown** to select your desired camera (e.g., MacBook Webcam, OBS Virtual Camera).
3. Click the **"Show in App"** button to activate the camera view.
4. To load a reference image, click **"Load Image 1"**. The image will appear over the video.
5. Use the **checkbox** to toggle image visibility and the **Opacity slider** to make it transparent for tracing.
The 3D model is a powerful reference for portrait artists.
- **Interaction:** Make sure the **"Face Control On"** and **"Pan Off"** buttons are active. Now you can click and drag the model to rotate, zoom, and pan it.
- **Customization:** Use the buttons to switch between **Male/Female** models, and the "Mode" picker for **Standard, Skull, or Combined** views.
- **Reset:** If you lose your desired position, just click **"Center Face"** to reset it.
- **Undo:** Made a wrong move? Just press **Cmd+Z** or the "Undo Head Action" button.
This is a key feature for detailed work.
When you click the **"Pan On"** button, you stop controlling the 3D model. Instead, your mouse/trackpad will move and zoom the **entire view** (camera feed, 3D model, and all images) as a single canvas.
This allows you to zoom into a specific area of your composition to trace fine details without messing up the alignment of your layers. Click the **"Reset"** button to return to the default 100% view.
1, 2, 3, 4: Toggle visibility of Image Slot 1, 2, 3, 4
5: Switch 3D Model to Standard Mode
6: Switch 3D Model to Skull Mode
7: Switch 3D Model to Combined Mode
8: Toggle Solid White material on 3D Model
F: Toggle between Male/Female 3D Model
W: Toggle visibility of 3D Face Model
Q / E: Zoom Out / Zoom In (only in Pan On mode)
Cmd + Z: Undo last camera or model action
