Grid drawing tool
Lay a square grid over a reference photo to copy it accurately onto paper or canvas, the way artists have for centuries.
- Free
- No watermark
- No signup
- Photos never leave your device
Your reference photo appears here with a square grid over it.
Scaling your grid to paper
The grid on the photo and the grid on your paper must have the same number of squares, not the same size. Divide your paper width by the number of columns shown above. Example: 8 columns on a 24 cm wide sheet = 3 cm squares.
Draw the paper grid lightly in hard pencil (2H) so it erases cleanly. The letters along the top and numbers down the side let you find “square C4” on both.
Questions
What is the grid method for drawing?
You draw a grid over a reference photo and a matching grid (same number of squares) on your paper, then copy one square at a time. It breaks a complex image into simple shapes and keeps proportions accurate.
How many squares should my grid have?
Beginners do well with 6–8 columns. For detailed portraits use more (10–16), or add diagonals, which give extra reference points without making squares too small.
How do I scale the grid to my paper?
Keep the same number of squares and change their size. If the photo grid is 6 columns and your paper is 30 cm wide, draw 5 cm squares.
Why use greyscale?
Seeing the reference in greyscale helps you judge values (lights and darks) instead of being distracted by colour, which is the main thing that makes a drawing look three-dimensional.