Why Artists Use Grids for Drawing

• It is easier to draw a line or a curve than it is to draw a face. In other words, copying shapes out of context is an easier process than drawing something familiar from memory. For this reason, some artists draw grids over reference pictures to break the images up into smaller parts that they can copy more easily. By drawing the image one grid at a time, the artist is more likely to focus on observing and recreating lines and shapes instead of relying on his memory of the subject. Using a grid can also enhance the likeness between subject and drawing.
  
  

Starting Techniques

• If new to grid drawing, it is best to imitate simple black and white line art rather than grayscale or color images. This makes it easier to focus on form and line without the distractions of detail, shading and color values. It may be helpful to start with larger grids at first, though smaller grids capture detail better. The grid over the reference image should be dark and bold, but the grid used for the drawing should be light for easy erasing. It is also useful to number the squares so as not to put the wrong shape in the wrong place.
  
  

Techniques for Drawing Portraits

• As the subject becomes more complex, it is still better to use the grid for simple lines only. For instance, it is better to make quick shapes to indicate shading and wait until after erasing the grid to do the actual shading. The same applies to the hair, which should be a large outline left unfinished until completing the rest of the portrait. The artist should avoid focusing on facial features, paying attention instead to shape and line.
  
  

Finishing Techniques

• The medium of the finished portrait determines how an artist should approach grid drawing. If the artist will finish the portrait in graphite pencil, then it is important to determine gray scale values if the reference picture is in color. This system means assigning five or six shades of white, black, and gray to correspond to the colors in the image, the lightest being 0 and the darkest being 4 or 5. If the artist will finish the drawing in colored pencil, she will draw as little as possible using the grid and focus on using color to define shapes after erasing the grid.