Step by Step Drawing with Grid Drawing

Step by Step Drawing:

One of the easiest ways of drawing that I can think of, is called grid drawing. If you are not that sure of your drawing capabilities and want to try some other way of drawing, like an for instance.

Then I think what I am about to teach you here, will help you gain confidence and start you on the way to drawing.

I remember doing a form of grid drawing back in my school days in art class, and it was amazing just how efficient this system was. In think that I did a rearing horse, how about that! I can still can remember...

Grid drawing is a system of creating a grid of precise measurements of which you will need, drawn on a piece of tracing paper. There are different grades of tracing paper, and some aren't as clear as others.

So the cheaper tracing paper is probably not the way to go. It is better if you can get the more professional tracing paper on the market which you should be able to pick up at your local news agent or art shop.

 This way, using a clearer tracing paper will enable you to be able to see the detail of the photo or picture below it in more detail.

Step by Step Drawing Grid (small Squares)

I have done a couple of different grid dimensions that you need to consider, It really depends on you. If you feel that you are more capable of going with the grid that has bigger squares; this means that you will need to draw more detail in each square of your step by step drawing.

Where the grid which has smaller squares, will break up the image more and allow you to follow the lines more closely, bit-by-bit.

It also depends on how much detail there is in your photo. The more complex your photo or picture, I would suggest you make the grid that has the smaller squares. This way you will be able to capture the detail of your picture much easier.

Now I want you to have a look at each of these two grid examples, have a look in the individual squares. What do you see, what part of your subjects different lines are placed in these individual squares?

When you concentrate on individual squares only, you just see shaped line, (forget about the overall picture). This all I want you to concentrate on right now.

Because placing the lines at their start and finish points is very beneficial to how realistic your picture will be to the original. "By the way, my "Pet Art Newsletter" get more in depth advise on grid drawing, to help speed up their skills, such as with this lesson on step by step drawing.

The bigger the squares; the more detail you need to position and get the start and end points joining right in each individual square.

Then when you start drawing in the lines within the next square to it, you need to do each drawing within each square separately. Just remember to start your lines off from the previous line in the adjacent square ends for your step by step drawing.

Step by Step Drawing Grid (large Squares)

II have chosen the subject of photo silhouette to start off with for your first attempt at drawing a picture.

Because I don't want to start you off with a difficult picture on your first attempt. Once you have this first drawing completed, the next one will be easier once you have grasped the concept of graph drawing.

Now I want you to draw another grid on a plain piece of paper. You can draw the grid as big or as small as you want it, as long as you have the same number of squares vertical and horizontal and get the measurements of the squares all the same.

You see, it doesn't matter about the size that you draw on your separate piece of paper, as long as you follow the drawing lines in each individual square. The picture will still come out the same. Just bigger or smaller to your liking.

When you draw your grid on your separate piece of paper, you need to use a soft pencil and draw in the lines very lightly. So that you will be able to rub them out when you have finished your drawing.

If you push too hard with your pencil, you will see the groves in the paper that the pencil has left behind, and no amount of rubbing is going to get them out completely.

Ok, now you can start to draw, starting wherever you want to in the picture. This method is a great way of mapping out a whole scene of a picture to a canvas if you want to get the positioning right. Even for a mural.

"To draw is to make a shape and movement in time." ~Stuart Davis, 1951

Slowly as you draw square by square, you will see you begin to see your picture take form on your separate piece of paper. Now you can do one of two things, you can go over the outline of your new drawing with a drawing pen.

This way, when you rub out the grid patterned lines on your paper, you don't have to worry about trying to rub around the lines of your subject.

So if you want to choose to start drawing something that you really like and don't want to get straight into drawing free hand, this system of step by step drawing is going to give you the drawing that you see right in front of you.

And once you have your drawing outlines, you can begin shading it, and putting in more detail. I know its a bit slower with preparation in measuring a grid out, though you will find the end results well worth it.

Remember, treat each square as an individual when drawing, then move onto the next square, and everything will fall into place. Its a great way to get the drawing that you wanted, first time.....

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