The drawing board is a tool that is used to hold your drawing paper while working. It's the perfect portable surface, allowing you to move your drawing as necessary from room to room while keeping your 'setup' in place.

Though most artists may start drawing on a standard kitchen/folding table when using small drawing pads, a dedicated drafting table becomes almost essential when the size of your paper drawing becomes larger and more difficult to manage.

Not ready for a dedicated drafting (drawing) table in your house? The next best thing to having that fully dedicated drafting 'table', is a portable drawing board.

A drawing board allows you to work where you want (generally on top of another table) clip or tape your paper directly to the board and work at a favorable angle so that you are looking (your line of sight) directly at paper while drawing.

A drawing board is also nice to use because it allows you to 'put your work away' when you are not actively drawing. When you are ready to start working again, your paper will be waiting for you on the board, taped or clipped to the surface just the way you left it.

Drawing boards come in all shapes and sizes. I even have one (homemade) that I sized and cut from a flat wood panel at a hardware store for large drawings that I use when I want to move work and move from one room to another.

Since I prefer to 'tape' my paper to my drawing board while working, I didn't require the built-in 'clip' that many commercial boards offer.

However, it's your choice and preference obviously so spend some time searching the drawing board market online or in your local art store to see what is available. Or, make your own!