ArtGrid: Drawing Grid Maker

Turn any reference photo into a clear drawing guide with ArtGrid. Add a customizable grid overlay to your image and use the grid method to study proportions, placement, shapes, and details as you sketch.

DRAWING GRID FOR ARTISTS

ArtGrid is a drawing grid maker for artists, students, beginners, hobbyists, and anyone learning to draw from reference photos. Use it for portrait drawing, pencil drawing, animal sketches, landscapes, figure studies, objects, realistic drawing, painting practice, and traditional drawing on paper or canvas.

CREATE A GRID IN SECONDS

Choose a photo from your gallery or take one with your camera, then build a drawing grid around the reference. Set rows and columns from 1 to 50 and adjust the grid to match your drawing workflow.

GRID FEATURES

• Rectangle grid that fills the reference image
• Square grid with true 1:1 cells
• Diagonal guides: /, \, or both
• X and Y grid offset for precise alignment
• Optional row and column coordinates
• Show or hide the grid without losing your settings
• Quick reset to the default grid

CUSTOM DRAWING GRID

Choose a high-contrast grid color or enter a custom HEX color. Adjust line opacity and thickness, and switch between solid, dashed, and dotted lines. Make the grid subtle for detailed references or stronger for quick studies and transfers.

REFERENCE PHOTO TOOLS

Prepare your reference image before drawing. Crop it to common aspect ratios or use a custom crop, rotate in 90° steps, flip horizontally or vertically, and switch between Normal, Black & White, and High Contrast views. These tools help you study values, edges, shapes, and important details more clearly.

ZOOM, PAN & LOCK

Pinch to zoom into small features, pan across the image, and return to the fitted view when needed. Lock the canvas when your reference is positioned correctly to prevent accidental movement while you draw.

KEEP YOUR WORK

ArtGrid automatically saves your current drawing setup so you can come back without rebuilding the grid. Your original reference image stays preserved while grid settings and image adjustments remain part of the project.

EXPORT YOUR DRAWING REFERENCE

Save your gridded reference as JPG or PNG. Standard export is available free for quick sharing and everyday drawing. Need the original source resolution? Free users can unlock original-resolution export with a rewarded ad, while ArtGrid Pro provides instant export without ads.

FROM PHOTO TO DRAWING

1. Choose or capture a reference photo.
2. Create a drawing grid.
3. Set the rows and columns.
4. Adjust grid color, opacity, thickness, diagonals, and labels.
5. Zoom into the details you want to study.
6. Lock the view and draw one section at a time.
7. Export your finished reference.

WHY USE A DRAWING GRID?

The grid method divides a reference into manageable sections. Instead of trying to reproduce the entire image at once, you can focus on one area at a time and compare positions, angles, shapes, and proportions. This makes the method useful for learning, practice, portraits, animals, landscapes, and detailed pencil drawings.

ARTGRID FOR YOUR DRAWING WORKFLOW

Whether you are learning how to draw from a photo, practicing realistic sketching, transferring a portrait to paper, or preparing a reference for canvas work, ArtGrid keeps the process simple: choose a photo, create a grid, adjust the view, and draw.

ArtGrid — Drawing Grid Maker for reference photos, grid drawing, and sketching.