photo hand reading Tactile Graphic
Braille dots spelling Tactile Graphics

Resources

(updated July 24, 2020)

Resources listed are suggestions for unique materials or equipment that can be helpful in creating tactile graphics. The list is presented in sections by steps in the process and then by production method.

I. Planning and Editing (all methods)

Braille Planning Grid: Pheasantland Industries Braille and Tactile Graphics Unit    605-367-5082

Planning sheets: www.brailleauthority.org/tg  Guidelines and Standards for Tactile Graphics, Chapter 3

Re-sizing original print image:

photocopier with enlarging capability 

scanner with software to re-size image

Standard Key for Maps: www.brailleauthority.org/tg Guidelines and Standards for Tactile Graphics, Appendix C. List of official ISO abbreviations for states, provinces and countries

Template files for various sizes of paper, margins, your translation program’s codes for braille page numbers. If you produce for a variety of student needs, name each template for its user.

II. Hand-production including Collage and Tooling on paper or foil

Basic supplies:

Aluminum diagramming foil for production of masters: 

APH: Sheets or roll https://shop.aph.org/

Dick Blick: 9x12” http://www.dickblick.com/products/amaco-artemboss-aluminum-sheets/

Braille paper or cardstock

Brailon™ thermoform paper (American Thermoform) or PermaBraille Sheets (APH) if you plan to copy the master tactile graphic or are producing for Expanded Core Curriculum activities such as recipes, posted instructions to be used frequently, O&M maps to be carried

Carbon paper

Embossing pads/mats:

Braille Tooling Mat: Pheasantland Industries Braille and Tactile Graphics

Rubber Embossing Pad- APH Tactile Graphics Kit

Clear Vinyl

Naugahyde (synthetic leather)- fabric/sewing stores

Lightbox

Slate, stylus, braille eraser, braillewriter

Velum or tracing paper

Collage:

Area Texture

Textured Paper Collection: https://www.aph.org/product/feel-n-peel-sheets-carousel-of-textures-ii/

Drywall Mesh, self-adhesive

Fabric: corduroy, needlepoint and cross-stitch backing, dotted swiss, handiwipes, burlap, velvet, felt, heavy weave e.g. upholstery

Other: craft foam sheets, paper with glitter coat‡, sandpaper‡ (See cautions at end of list.)

Textured paper: craft stores, “found” textures such as coffee jackets, light bulb packaging, light-weight corrugated cardboard

Line Texture

Collage Candlewick (round and flat)

Decorative trim (sewing)

Florist’s wire, various sizes (only use cotton-covered wire),

Graphic Art tape, various widths

Liquid paints (puff paint and fabric paint)

Ribbon in various widths and textures  

grosgrain- ribbed  

satin- smooth

textured- raised dots or lines

ScraPerfect Large No-Clog Writing Cap (for puff paint, glue and other thick liquids) http://www.joann.com

String, yarn, upholstery thread

Wiki-Stix

Point Symbols

Brass brads

Bumper dots

Craft foam pre-cut shapes

CruzinCaps: www.cruizincap.com

Embellishments for scrapbooking

Feel 'n Peel Stickers- APH

Hole punch results (large and small)

Sewing Notions

Grommets, snaps

Velcro spots (both sides)

Tooling:

Area Texture

Texture plates: APH Tactile Graphics Kit, Tactile Marking Mat, aluminum screen, fiberglass screen, plastic base for hooking rugs, needlepoint backing

Wooden or plastic tools for clay/sculpture modeling to emboss texture onto paper or foil

Line Texture

Spur wheels:

https://shop.aph.org/ Line-Drawing Tool Kit, Tactile Graphics Kit, Tactile Compass

http://www.dickblick.com/products/grifhold-aluminum-pounce-wheels

https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/craftool-overstitchers

http://www.joann.com and other sewing supply stores-serrated wheel

Styli: double ended with different sizes of points

Point Symbols

Tongs: APH Tactile Graphics Kit (works much better on foil than on paper)

Adhesives

Glue sticks

MonoAqua by Tombow- Michael’s craft stores, online from Office Depot/Office Max

Xyron Sticker Maker (various widths), permanent and removable types

Note: Gel-based glues work best with paper and other absorbent surfaces.

Things that do not thermoform well

Craft foam- shrinks and rounds its corners/edges

Metal objects (some such as chain, metal washers). However, cotton covered wire works well

Many plastics

Water-based glues e.g. Elmer’s can wrinkle paper that is used for the base of the graphic

Cautions:

Sandpaper- can easily damage fingers. Use only smoothest grit unless thermoforming.

Glitter- very sharp and sticks to fingers. It could easily get into an eye. 

III. Capsule paper

Braille font for swell graphics

http://www.tsbvi.edu/resources/1087-download-braille-and-asl-specialty-fonts and select Braille-Swell.ttf

Microcapsule fuser:

Pictures in a Flash (PIAF)- sold in the US by Humanware

Swell Form Graphics Machine- sold in the US by American Thermoform Corporation

(Note: Tactile Image Enhancer [TIE] and Flexipaper are no longer produced.)

Microcapsule paper:

http://www.americanthermoform.com/product/swell-touch-paper/

http://store.humanware.com/hus/catalogsearch/result/?q=tangible+magic+capsule+paper

Hand drawn images:

China markers (grease pencils) and charcoal pencils

0.7 mm to 1.0 mm black gel pens, e.g. Uni-ball vision Elite, Impact RT

Soft lead pencils (the kind artists use)

Black dry erase markers

Producing with capsule paper:

1. Create graphic on computer

2. Print on regular paper and photocopy on capsule paper OR Print directly onto capsule paper with compatible printer OR Draw directly onto capsule paper

3. Process through fuser

4. Embellish with collage or tooling as needed

IV. Computer Embossed Graphics

V. Repositories for images to make tactile graphics

APH Tactile Graphic Image Library http://www.aph.org/tgil/

DIAGRAM  http://diagramcenter.org/ Developing ImageShare, a library of image descriptions, tactile graphic files, and 3D printer files.

Anticipated available in August 2020

ViewPlus https://viewplus.com/download

Zychem Ltd and RNIB (UK) http://www.tactilelibrary.com

Harpo (Poland) http://piaf-tactile.com/images-and-graphics/

VI. Commercial Products to Use with, or instead of, tactile graphics

Draftsman or TactileDoodle Drawing Boards-  APH

inTACT Sketchpad  www.easytactilegraphics.com/product/intact-sketchpad

Sensational Blackboard www.sensationalbooks.com

Embossed graph paper

Braille maps, atlases

APH Kits: DNA-RNA Kit, Basic Science Tactile Graphics, Basic Tactile Anatomy Atlas, Earth Science and Life Science Tactile Graphics, Geometry Tactile Graphics Kit, Human Skeleton- APH, Interactive US Map with tactile Pen (tactile-audio), Braille Transcriber's Kits (Countries and Continents; Math; and US Maps)

Other kits of manipulatives from APH or available in the students classroom.