Portrait Drawing The Smart Way: Grid Drawing - Part 1
This course features:
5 Hours of Instruction
19 Videos
18 eBooks
30 Day Money Back Guarantee
Lesson Description
A look at setting up a grid and drawing the contours observed in the reference. Portrait drawing using a grid - Part 1.
Lesson Materials
"HB" graphite pencil, ruler, toned gray drawing paper, kneaded eraser.
Lesson Resources
Download eBook
Reference Image
Course Curriculum
Lesson 1: Introduction and Materials (4:35)Lesson 2: The Skull - Frontal View (20:31)Lesson 3: The Skull - Profile View (13:40)Lesson 4: Basic Facial Proportions (14:31)Lesson 5: The Planes of the Face (30:08)Lesson 6: The Eye - Frontal View (31:45)Lesson 7: The Eye - Profile View (20:35)Lesson 8: The Nose - Frontal View (15:00)Lesson 9: The Nose - Profile View (13:12)Lesson 10: The Mouth and Teeth (19:56)Lesson 11: The Ear (15:12)Lesson 12: Hair (14:50)Lesson 13: Grid Drawing - Part 1 (10:39)Lesson 14: Grid Drawing - Part 2 (15:56)Lesson 15: Grid Drawing - Part 3 (14:34)Lesson 16: Triangular Grid - Part 1 (8:38)Lesson 17: Triangular Grid - Part 2 (15:36)Lesson 18: Triangular Grid - Part 3 (13:19)Lesson 19: Conclusion (3:42)
I am new to your site but I have been working recently on developing a grid system. I would like to know if you or anyone foresee any problems with my approach.
What I am doing is first printing the grid on a transparency. I am placing this transparent grid under the selected support, e.g. Stonehenge and placing the support and the transparent grid on a light box. In this way, I do not have to draw onto or erase the grid off the support.
Next I print another grid on Dura-Lar matte finished film. Then I print the reference photo on the same piece of Dura-Lar film with the grid already printed on it. In doing so, it makes both the reference photo and grid transparent. I then juxtapose the reference photo on the light box along side the support with its grid underneath and draw using the light box.
I haven’t actually used this systematic approach yet b/c my light box is not large enough. I have ordered a larger light box but have not received it. Again I was wondering if you or anyone have experienced any problems with this proposed approach to using grids.
Thanks,
Hi Forrest,
What an inventive approach! I’m wondering if you are using a light board, why not just trace the contours lightly and throw out the grid completely?
I’m a newbie, Matt, but what I’ve seen so far in your instructions is fantastic! I have been using the grid system for several months and found it very helpful. In Photoshop I can toggle any grid I want over an image I am trying to draw. It’s ridiculously easy and saves a lot of time. This is what I do after opening the grid in Photoshop:
1.Edit > Preferences > Guides, Grids and Slices
2.In the Gridline box I enter 1 for 1″, 2 for 2″ squares(or whatever size I want), Then go back to image
3.View > Extras will toggle the grid over the image or remove it..
Hi Tony,
You’re absolutely right! I use Photoshop to do the same thing. In “Basic Photoshop for Artists”, we cover this technique…http://thevirtualinstructor.com/members/basic-photoshop-for-artists-creating-a-grid/ It may be helpful for others that stumble upon this comment.
Hi,
wish I had seen this tutorial before I started the portrait!!
I was using a 2H to do the contour lines and I, invariably, did damage the surface. Now I’m using the HB and the result is much better, clearer lines and no damage to the surface – Thanks!
Love doing these grids it really does give more accurate drawings
There are also several apps and freely available software to create grids on images. For example, Proportion Grid Maker, allows making grids on any image.
I find the grid method so frustrating. I spend half the time counting squares then lose the gist of what I’m doing.