The Lindlund Ruler Bridges the Analog and Digital Worlds

The pull between the pen and the pixel has plagued designers since the early days of digital design software. While a finished product always ends up as data, it’s more logical to test out ideas on paper before committing to a digital plan of action.

Sure—hardware like the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface have created a nice bridge for creating an analog-like experience in a digital package. But talk to any purist, and there’s nothing that compares to the warm feel of real paper and a well-balanced writing instrument—not to mention the speed.

Aiming to bridge the analog world with the digital, the new Lindlund ruler ingeniously makes this process at least somewhat easier with a four-in-one measurement system for translating analog sketches into pixels before you even crack open your design software.

Made from airplane-grade anodized aluminum and featuring a rubber ‘no slip’ grip for precise straight lines, the ruler includes four measurements—12 inches, 30 centimeters, 72 picas, and 1800 pixels—organized along the four edges of the ruler. As a nice added bonus, a user can line up a straight line through the cut-out window in the spine of the ruler and achieve perfect 90-degree angles quickly with ease.

Created by Swedish graphic designer Jens Marklund, the $25 ruler is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter through April 5, 2017. Whether you regularly use a ruler or not, it’s hard to deny that this is one sweet piece of desktop eye candy.