Grid Drawing

1. Grid Drawing

2. Before we begin • Using a grid is a popular way to ensure that your proportions and layout in a drawing are correct. It's particularly useful when accuracy is important. • There are a few things to think about when preparing a grid drawing so that you can get the best results without making extra work for yourself. When selecting a picture to copy, make sure it is large and clear. You need an image with clear lines and edges - a blurry image makes it difficult to find a line to follow.

3. Step One: Draw your grid on your reference photo Decide on your grid size. If the grid is too large, you'll have to do too much drawing in between each square. If the grid is too small, you'll find it difficult to erase, and it can get very confusing. There is no definite rule, as the size of your picture and the subject can be so varied - but something from one inch to half an inch will be about right. You don't have to divide your photo up mathematically - if the last squares are only half filled, that's fine.

4. Step two: Drawing your grid • There are two different ways to do this. You can use the exact same grid that you used on your reference photo, or you can use your grid and scale up or down your drawing. • For your assignment, we are going to scale up your drawing. This means you multiply your original proportions to create a larger grid. If you want to double the size of your image, you times your grid by two. So if your squares on your reference photo are 1”x1” draw your grid on your paper using 2” by 2” squares • Copy the grid onto your drawing paper, using a sharp, Hpencil and a light touch, so that you can erase it easily.

5. Step 3: A little at a time • Another reason artist use a grid is to not miss any details. By using a grid, we are focusing on multiple, smaller images, rather than one, large image, which tends to be overwhelming. • When copying the picture, use spare sheets of paper to cover some of the image, so you can focus on a few squares at a time. This is especially useful for large pictures which can become confusing. Place your drawing and the original picture close together, so you can look directly from one to the other. This also helps you from smudging away your grid by dragging your hand.

6. Step 4: Shapes and using negative space • Look for clear edges in your picture. With this example, you can clearly see the outline of the jug against the background. Notice where the shape crosses the gridline - this is the reference-point that you can use. Don't try to measure where it is on the grid, but rather judge its position (halfway up? one-third?) and find the same spot on your drawing grid. Follow the shape, looking for where the line next meets the grid.The area shaded gray shows a NEGATIVE SPACE formed between the object and the grid. Observing these shapes can help you follow the shape of the line. Notice how the gray space looks fairly triangular, with a couple of chunks taken out - that makes it easy to copy.

7. Step 5: Erase • The completed grid drawing will include all the major lines of the object - outline, important details and clear shadow shapes. • Now you can carefully erase your grid, patching up any erased parts of your drawing as you go - if you've drawn it lightly enough, this shouldn't be difficult. The grid in this example is much darker than I'd actually draw in practice. Then you can complete it as a line drawing, or add shading. • If you need a very clean surface, you might want to trace your completed sketch onto a fresh sheet of paper. • This technique is useful for transferring a drawing to large sheets for pastel drawing or to canvas for painting. When enlarging a drawing, you need to be particularly careful of distortion; lack of detail in the original can be a problem.