PrintablePapers

The grid method of drawing, step by step

The grid method splits a picture into small squares and copies it one square at a time. It is how muralists enlarge sketches and how beginners get proportions right. This guide walks through the whole process.

By The PrintablePapers team · Fact-checked 30 October 2026

Key takeaways

  • Grid the reference and the paper with the same number of squares, labelled the same way.
  • Use 6 to 8 squares across for simple shapes, 12 to 20 for portraits, or add diagonals.
  • Mark where lines cross each square's edges, then join the dots one square at a time.
  • To enlarge, only the square size changes: drawing width divided by squares across.
  • Draw the grid lightly and erase it in stages as you shade.
On this page
  1. Why the grid method works
  2. What you need
  3. Step by step
  4. Diagonals for portraits
  5. How many squares fit on a page?
  6. Enlarging and reducing
  7. Common mistakes
  8. When to stop using grids

Why the grid method works

Copying a whole picture freehand asks your brain to judge dozens of distances and angles at once, and small errors add up: an eye a little too high, a chin a little too long. The grid method replaces one hard problem with many easy ones. Inside each small square you only need to place a few lines relative to the square’s edges, which almost anyone can do accurately. Because both grids have the same number of squares, the errors cannot accumulate across the picture.

The method is ancient. Egyptian artists squared their walls at least 5,000 years ago, partly to keep human figures in fixed proportions, and Renaissance painters squared small sketches to transfer them onto walls and canvases. Museums still find the faint grid lines under finished works.

What you need

  • A reference image with a grid on it. You can draw lines on a printout, or use add grid to image, which overlays a labelled grid on your photo without uploading it.
  • Paper with a matching grid, either drawn lightly by hand or printed. Grid drawing paper prints squares from 5 mm to 2 inches with letters and numbers on the edges.
  • A hard pencil (2H or H) for the grid, a softer one (HB to 2B) for the drawing, and a kneaded eraser.

Step by step

  1. Choose the number of squares. Count squares across the reference. Six to eight is plenty for simple shapes; 12 to 20 for portraits. More squares mean more accuracy but more grid to draw.
  2. Decide the drawing size. Divide the drawing width by the number of squares to get the square size on your paper. The proportion calculator does this, and also tells you the height.
  3. Draw or print the matching grid. Label columns with letters and rows with numbers on both grids, so you can find square C4 on the photo and its twin on the paper instantly.
  4. Mark crossing points. In each square, mark where the main lines of the picture cross the square’s edges. These dots are your skeleton.
  5. Join the marks. Connect the dots square by square, looking only at the shapes inside each square rather than at “the eye” or “the hand”.
  6. Check whole rows and columns. Every so often, compare a full row of squares with the reference to catch drift.
  7. Erase the grid in stages as you add shading, so you never lose your place.
  • ABCD 12345 Reference4 × 5 squares of 3 cm, labelled
  • ABCD 12345 Step 4: crossing pointsthe same grid at 6 cm squares: 14 points where the lines cross the grid
  • ABCD 12345 Step 5: join square by squarerows 1 to 3 joined; the rest still dots
The grid method on a simple drawing. Every square has the same label on both grids, so square B3 on the reference is copied into square B3 on the paper, however big the paper is.

Diagonals for portraits

Faces are unforgiving: a millimetre’s difference in the corner of a mouth changes the expression. Adding diagonals divides each square into four triangles, giving extra reference points without doubling the number of squares. Use them in the areas that matter (eyes, nose, mouth) and leave the background with plain squares.

  • ABCD12 Plain 1 in squaresletters across, numbers down
  • ABCD12 With diagonalsfour triangles per square
The top-left corner of our grid drawing paper, plain and with diagonals. The bar under each sample is 1 cm on the printed page.

How many squares fit on a page?

Our grid drawing paper labels the squares and prints them at exact size. This is how many fit on one sheet:

Paper1 cm1/2 in2 cm1 in2 in
US Letter18 × 2414 × 199 × 127 × 93 × 4
A418 × 2714 × 219 × 137 × 103 × 5
Squares across × down on one portrait sheet, read from the generator with its default margins and label space.

For a portrait with 12 squares across on a single sheet, 1/2 inch or 1 cm squares fit; for a bigger drawing, tape sheets together or draw the grid on larger paper at the square size the proportion calculator gives.

Enlarging and reducing

The grid method is also the classic way to scale a picture. A 6 × 4 inch photo with six squares across has one-inch squares; to draw it 30 inches wide, draw six five-inch squares across. Murals, signs and painted furniture are planned exactly this way. For very large work, snap chalk lines or use a long straight edge and a level.

Reference widthSquares acrossDrawing widthDrawing square
6 in612 in2 in
15 cm1030 cm3 cm
10 in840 in5 in

Common mistakes

  • Mismatched grids. If the reference has 8 × 6 squares, the drawing must too. Count twice before drawing.
  • Drawing the grid too dark. It will show through light shading. Use the lightest line you can see.
  • Copying symbols instead of shapes. Draw the shape you see in each square, not the idea of an eye. Turning both the reference and the drawing upside down helps.
  • Skipping the check. Squares can each be right while a whole row is shifted. Compare long lines across several squares.

When to stop using grids

Many artists use the grid method as training wheels: after a few dozen drawings, your eye learns to judge proportions and you need fewer squares, then just a few guide lines, then none. Others keep using grids for commissions and murals because accuracy matters more than speed. Either way, it is a tool, not a crutch.

Printable 1″ labelled grid – US Letter — preview of the PDF
Example sheet: 1″ labelled grid – US Letter — open it in the generator from any paper page.

Sources

Facts in this guide were checked against these sources on 30 October 2026. Figures marked as our own data were calculated with the same code that runs our tools.

  1. Squaring (art)— Encyclopaedia Britannica
  2. Traditional transfer techniques: squaring— J. Paul Getty Museum (Google Arts & Culture)

Frequently asked questions

Is using a grid cheating?

No. Squaring, as it is also called, has been used for at least 5,000 years, from Egyptian tomb painters to Renaissance workshops, sign writers and muralists. The grid only helps with placement; shading, line quality and colour are still entirely your work.

How many squares should I use?

Six to eight squares across is enough for a simple shape. Portraits and detailed scenes usually need 12 to 20 squares across, or fewer squares with diagonals.

Do the squares have to be square?

They must have the same proportions on the reference and the drawing. Square cells are simplest, because then only the number of squares across and down has to match.

How do I keep the grid from showing in the finished drawing?

Draw it very lightly with a hard pencil such as 2H, or use a water-soluble pencil for paintings. Erase in stages with a kneaded eraser as you finish each area.

Can I use the grid method on a phone or tablet?

Yes. Put the gridded reference on your screen and draw on paper with a matching grid. The add-grid-to-image tool makes the reference and the matching printable grid for you.

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