How To Grid A Picture To Draw (Why it's BETTER than tracing!)

In this video I show you why using a grid to draw graphite portraits, animals and more is better than tracing. Use this method and you can draw without tracing, suitable for beginners and experienced artists in sketching and drawing. Learn to scale up any picture to make a great piece of pencil art or under-drawing for any painting or craft.

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Introduction
2:11 Grids can enlarge your picture
2:45 You still get the satisfaction of drawing by hand
3:01 Less artificial looking than tracing
3:32 Using a grid improves your drawing skills
4:12 How to size and draw a grid for your photo
13:30 How to transfer your gridded photo onto your paper

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[moniquecaton]

I always use a grid on my photos and canvas. My art teacher taught that in the early 70s. I truly love your work! The things you are doing are not being taught anymore. Not in the lower grades.

[kirkmccollum]

Michelle, not only are you my favorite art teacher on YouTube but I also have developed an ear for your amazing humor. I was listening so intently to this class when you drifted off subject and commented about your visit to your dental hygienist. While I agree with your thoughts about proper care for one’s teeth, I was totally caught off guard with your comparison of men’s teeth to horse’s teeth at 22:20. Your comment was so funny I had to pause the video until I could stop laughing! 😂 Being an avid horse lover and rider as well, it was the funniest comment that I’ve heard in a while. Now I have two reasons to watch more of your fantastic videos; your amazing art teaching skills and your unique humor. 🤩👏🤣 Keep up your great work! 🙏🏻👩‍🎨🎨

[jimscanoe]

I use an overhead projector which shines any picture I have on my computer (including all my photographs and any other pictures on the internet) down onto my watercolor paper. I then trace the picture with as much detail as I want and, as Bob's your uncle, I'm ready to paint. The great Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer (Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Milkmaid, ...) in the mid 16 hundreds, used a similar setup to draw all his subjects and, hey, if it's good enough for Vermeer, it's good enough for me.

[kyliemartin]

I love your teaching style Michelle and your honesty. I had exactly the same thought today, as I too make clothes but am appalling at maths. But I told myself today, I can make something three dimensional out of a flat piece of cloth. And here you are saying the same thing. You are fabulous.
My drawing is coming along nicely. I seem to have a natural talent. Which I’m very pleased to say.
So onwards and upwards. 😘

[brackalack]

Perfect example of why I hate gridding up, I always end up with the dots wrong! I just lightly trace basic shapes now with a light box then do my drawing over the top of the shapes. Less is more when tracing! If you're going big then a projector helps too.

[claudeclawsonne]

I have used grids for decades and was very tickled when our teacher shared it. It was American high school and a year or two before graduation and I'd been working on my drawing skills for decades by then, but still found this a real joy to use. I've since learned how to use tracing and all sorts of other techniques to make my work better ad since added computer skills to the mix, but when I speak to new artists who think they have no drawing skills I make sure to teach them this technique since, as you pointed out they are still exercising those parts of the brain that allow you to draw accurately by eye! It thrilled me so to learn how to do this. Grids have been at the basis of so many of my best work!

The old carpentry saying truly applies here in spades: "measure twice; (or more! There's no measuring tax, so go nuts! make certain!) cut (or in our case draw) once"

Cheers, Michelle. Well done lesson!

[gracewest]

I am so happy that you covered this topic. I was curious and tried to do it on my own, but it's best when a teacher explains--thank you!

[michelleanne]

This was so helpful to me. I learned about drawing grids years ago but was so discouraged by the experience that I gave up (age has made me much more patient). Now I am completely excited about it. Thank you for being a good teacher.

[mickhamilton]

Nice work. I've used this technique over many years and I find it very helpful to number all the grid lines vertically and horizontally to prevent drawing in the wrong square.

[stewartjen]

Thank you Michele, it makes a lot of sense now to use a grid instead of tracing. I love your inclusion of the errors. It helps to know how to correct mistakes. Very informative.

[natlisan]

Another great informative video Michele! I use the grid mostly when I'm trying to capture a likeness as you mentioned. I draw directly on my watercolour paper with a col-erase colored pencil in a warm grey colour. It's dark enough to see while painting and It doesn't smudge like the graphite, it also keeps my colours from getting muddy because the wax content in the pencil keeps the watercolour from picking up the pencil.

[donnamarquart]

I took several art classes one oil for beginners and watercolor for beginners. This technique of grid was taught. It works great! Thank you. From USA

[valeriec]

I never understood how to use the grid system to expand a photo, now I do. Thank you!

[aliciashackley]

I’ve heard others refer to the grid system before but never have utilized it. Thx for this very useful video Michele.🥰

[joykruczay]

Another great one! On the rare occasions I use a grid, I try to make the drawing squares as large as the subject will tolerate, which brings in more drawing skills but retains proportions. And less "maths", as you would say! Thank you for your cheerful demeanor and teaching style.

[marypartridge]

Thank you, you explain so clearly and you dont go to fast. Us artists often find maths and computers hard so simple is great. Great teacher.

[nikkia]

Am I the only one surprisingly impressed by the way your green pencil matched your ring?

[marthamorris]

Thank you for this lesson Michele! It's made me brave enough to try grinding again. I'm so glad I was smart enough to subscribe to your channel when I found you! What a lovely teacher you are!

[JA-edtj]

I learned this technique in elementary school, in the 1960s. We used our favorite cartoons. Mine was a cartoon by Harvey Comics named Hot Stuff (little devil). I remember being very pleased with the results! Thank you for reminding me of this technique. I had forgotten how to do it. I want to draw my granddaughters. This will certainly help! Thank you so much!

[CarlWinter-oyuf]

Been using grid system for over 50 years ---still the most accurate ---well done !