Using a grid to create a drawing is not cheating. Drawing, with the use of a grid, teaches the artist to closely observe and reproduce what he sees. To begin a grid drawing, use a ruler to carefully draw vertical and horizontal parallel lines across the resource image. Remember, tracing paper can be used to cover the image or a printed transparency can be used as a grid. The resulting transparent squares must measure one-inch each. On a large sheet of newsprint paper lightly draw a two-inch grid to proportionately enlarge the resource image by four times. A grid of more than two inches will enlarge the recourse image to an even larger drawing.
Each one-inch square on the resource photo will, within itself, not make sense. Drawing each square, following the boundaries of the square, will accurately render a complete image. The artist will follow the grid on the resource photo while reproducing each corresponding square onto the newsprint. For example, the top left square on the newsprint is the same as the top left square of the resource image. When drawing each square of the grid, concentrate on the large details and leave out small details at first. Once the overall image has begun to take shape, add smaller details. Next, trace the enlarged drawing onto a white sheet of drawing paper by using graphite paper or a light box. The white drawing paper will be the surface of the finished drawing. Continue to observe the resource image for detail and value, while completing the drawing on white paper.
The above steps can be used for copying, enlarging or reducing a resource image. To reduce the resource image the squares created by the vertical and horizontal lines need to be larger on the resource image and smaller on the finished drawing. Whether enlarging or reducing an image, bypass the use of newsprint paper by drawing a very light grid on the white drawing paper. Use a 3H pencil so that the grid can be erased after the vital details of the drawing have been completed and the artist is ready to begin adding final detail and value.
A distorted grid is sometimes used as an exercise in creativity and originality. Follow step one for drawing a grid on the resource image. To distort the image, while maintaining the likeness, draw grid lines across the newsprint, or white drawing paper, that are not parallel. Draw lines that are slightly, left and right, diagonals. The number of vertical and horizontal lines must be the same as the grid on the resource image. Numbering the lines will help this process. In the finished drawing, some squares will be larger than others. When drawing the distorted image, observe one square at a time on the resource image and draw each corresponding square onto the enlarged, distorted grid. Transfer the image to white drawing paper or erase grid lines if the drawing is already on white drawing paper. Add final details and value.
Working with a grid on any image, whether it is a portrait, landscape, still life or figure drawing is an effective method of copying, enlarging or reducing an image. More than being a technique, grid drawing forces the artist to draw what he sees and not what he knows. Time spent practicing drawing with the grid method develops the eye to hand coordination needed to draw from life or photos without a grid. It is the beginning of learning how to paint a photo portrait. Working with the aid of a grid is a free-hand method of drawing.