How to Draw with a Grid

Transcription

1 Level: Beginner Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.3 Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease: Pages and 12 Illustrations How to Draw with a Grid Exploring the grid method to draw accurate outline drawings This resource has five sections: Placing a Grid on a Photo ArtSpeak Outlining a Grid on Paper The Process of Plotting and Dotting Plotting and Dotting to Outline a Drawing Transferring an Outline to Quality Paper The great art masters used the grid method to create accurate drawings. Strings were attached to the inside of a large wooden frame to create samesize squares (Figure 1). Figure 1 Grid: An arrangement of squares of exact sizes proportionately drawn on both a reference image and a drawing surface. Plotting and dotting: The process of working within the perimeters of grid squares or drawing spaces to accurately outline a subject. Figure 2 The grid (Figure 2) was placed on a table in front of the artist, between the drawing board and a model.

2 2 Placing a Grid on a Photo Modern artists use a grid of accurately measured squares to copy a photograph or a drawing. The grid method is ideal for drawing from your own photographs, or for transferring a sketch or drawing to a larger or smaller scale. As an Aside I prefer to draw grids onto clear plastic sheet protectors (transparent pockets/sleeves that are the size of a regular sheet of bond paper) to help keep the photo secure. A couple of small pieces of tape guarantees that the photo won t move. Figure 3 You can draw a grid directly on a print image with a soft grade of pencil or a fine-tip black marker. An even better option is to draw a grid on a reusable sheet of clear plastic or a plastic sheet protector (Figure 3). To create a clear plastic grid, use a ruler and fine tip permanent marker: Step 1: Draw the outside rectangle of a grid on a sheet of plastic or a plastic sheet protector. Step 2: Divide the outside rectangle accurately into same-size squares. You can use a grid with large or small squares. Just make sure that all the squares are the same size. Figure 4 Step 3: Number each square along the top and write letters to the left of each square along the side (Figure 4). Step 4: Line up the grid over top of the photo. If you are using a plastic sheet protector, slip the photo into the sleeve. You can use a small piece of tape to secure the photo. Step 5: Draw halfway marks (dashes) along all four sides of each small square using a ruler or your artist s eye.

3 3 Outlining a Grid on Paper To copy a photo or drawing onto a piece of ordinary bond paper, you first draw a corresponding grid proportional to the plastic grid (Figure 5). To outline a grid on paper using a ruler and graphite pencil: Step 1: Draw the outside rectangle in proportion to the plastic grid and divide it accurately into same-size squares. Step 2: Use numbers and letters to identify the squares just as you did with the plastic grid. Step 3: Measure and mark the halfway points along the sides of each small square, using your artist s eye or a ruler. These marks helps you render your drawing accurately and keep track of where you are as you draw. Caution! To avoid confusion while outlining your subject: use dashes to identify distances (such as the halfway marks shown in Figure 5). use dots to mark the locations of important parts of the contours of a drawing subject (peek ahead to Figure 6 and check out the small blue dots). Figure 5 Tip! The Process of Plotting and Dotting To plot, dot, and create an outline drawing of the contents of a single square (refer to the example in Figure 6): Step 1: A ruler and graphite pencil is used to draw a 2 in (5.1 cm) square on plain bond paper. Consider using smaller grid squares in highly detailed sections of your subject: 1. Accurately outline the basic grids for the reference image and on the bond paper (as shown in Figures 3 to 5). 2. Examine the contents of each grid square on your reference image (Figure 4) and identify those with intricate details. 3. Connect the opposite halfway dashes with straight lines inside each square you identified. You now have four small grid squares inside each detailed grid square. For increased precision, mark halfway points of each of the small squares on both grids.

4 4 As an Aside Horizontal and vertical comparisons are an integral component of seeing as an artist. If you have ever straightened a picture hanging on a wall, you already know how to use horizontal and vertical comparisons. When you straighten a picture, you probably step back and compare the horizontal edges of the picture to a horizontal reference, such as where the wall meets the ceiling or floor. More than likely, you also compare the vertical sides of the picture to a vertical reference such as the vertical line created where two walls meet in a corner. Figure 6 Step 2: Measurements are marked along the sides of the page to help compare lines, curves, and angles. Mark the halfway, one-quarter, and one-eighth way with dashes along the sides of the square as needed. Step 3: Dots are marked where lines touch the outside of the square. Use the measurements along the sides of the square for comparison. Keep in mind that some dots might be a little bit before or after the halfway or quarter way marks. To increase accuracy, split these measurements in half as many times as needed. Step 4: Plot dots on the inside of the square by taking two measurements: one from the nearest top or bottom, and one from the nearest side. To plot straight lines, plot a dot at the beginning and one at the end. Plot five dots along the curve: one at the beginning, one at the end, and three in the middle. Take two measurements for each dot (as illustrated by red dotted lines in Figure 6.) Always compare to the halfway and quarter way marks. Step 5: Lightly sketch the pattern by joining the dots. When the pattern in one square is complete, move on to the next square (until the outline drawing is complete). Plotting and Dotting to Outline a Drawing Plotting and dotting to copy the lines within a grid relies on your ability to accurately compare lines, curves, and angles to the horizontal and vertical sides of the squares. This process begins by examining a single grid square (A1) on the photo (refer back to Figure 4). Figure 7 shows a close-up view of this square. The first goal is to identify the contours of the sections of the subject that are inside this square. In this case, the subject is the upper tip of the petal on a flower.

5 Figure 7 Horizontal and vertical comparisons are used to visually identify the locations of key points along the petal s contours. Dots are used to mark these points in grid square A1 on the photo and on the paper (Figure 8). The first two dots are marked at the points where the contours of the petal meet the sides of this square. You outline this section of the petal by connecting the dots. The goal is to draw the lines accurately in each square of the grid by referring to the corresponding lines marked on a photo reference. Figure 8 Continually check your outline drawing by referring to the halfway dashes marked along the sides of each square to help compare lines, curves, and angles. As each section of the subject is outlined, move on to the next square until the outline drawing is complete. At this stage, you have two options: If your drawing is outlined on quality paper, erase the grid and begin shading. Caution! If your outlined drawing is on bond paper, use the process described in the next section to transfer the outline drawing to quality drawing paper and begin shading (Figure 9). Figure 9 Don t press too hard when transferring lines! This dents the paper and causes problems later when shading. Transferring an Outline to Quality Paper Before you transfer your drawing, you need to make a graphite transfer sheet. 5

6 6 There are many types available for purchase but it is easy to make a reusable one using tracing paper and a 4B graphite pencil. To make a graphite transfer sheet: Figure 10 Step 1: Apply 4B graphite to an entire side of a sheet of tracing paper (Figure 10). This sheet can be used again to transfer future drawings. Step 2: Place the graphite side of the transfer sheet face-down onto your quality drawing paper and secure the corners with masking tape. Figure 11 Step 3: Place the outline drawing over top of the transfer sheet (Figure 11) and attach it with masking tape along one long edge so that you can flip the paper up to check your work (Figure 12). Step 4: Use your HB pencil to draw over the lines to transfer the image. Continually check your work to make sure that the image is transferring properly and that you re keeping the pages in place. Figure 12 Challenge! Before you attempt to use the grid method to create a drawing, use plotting and dotting to accurately draw a pattern in a single grid square. Refer back to Figure 6 as your reference image. Now you re ready to use a grid to create a drawing!