Artist's Secret Weapon: The Grid
In 2004, I signed up for Portraiture in the Fine Art department of Principia College. I was a senior, and as an art major, I had already completed a million art classes by then, most including portraiture. I excelled at portraits, so I wasn't sweating this class. I thought, meh, it will be a breezy class where I can relax and knock out portraits. Then Professor David Coughtry assigned a monumental task: a photorealistic self-portrait in pencil. And oh, it was 3 foot by 4 foot. Gulp. I tried not to cry. Like how in hell could I draw something that enormous and have it be in proportion? And photorealistic?
Fortunately there was a trick to it. A trick that artists have been using for centuries. And one that I've found so useful, I continue to use it to this day. The Grid.
What is a grid and why do artists need it? A grid is a table drawn on the canvas that helps you transfer your subject matter to the canvas in exact proportion. Grids are especially useful for large scale art when you are working in a realistic or photorealistic style from a photograph. Instead of painting the entire image and spending excess time making the proportions of your subject correct, you will simply transfer the picture square by square using a grid. A grid guarantees accurate ratio, which is difficult to accomplish in oversized paintings. It also simplifies the image so you can capture a lot of detail without being overwhelmed by the monumental task of painting a four foot head. While I have used grids for various portrait projects since my epic class assignment (which worked out well to my relief!), I also love to do complicated sunsets and landscapes using a grid, because it breaks down the color patterns into something manageable.
Ok, so you're thinking this is great to know about, but I how do I draw and use a grid? Also, how do I make it to scale with the photograph I'm using for reference? If you're like me (and most artists) math is a terrifying topic. But this process is simple. Essentially we will make two grids: one on the actual photo in a 1" scale, and then the grid on the canvas that we will calculate. Once both grids are complete, we will then transfer the image to the canvas square by square.
Here are 7 easy steps to creating a successful grid:
1.) Choose your image and have it enlarged. For my example for this post, Purple Landscape, my image was an Instagram shot I took of the sky.
As all of you know who follow me on Instagram, I'm a sucker for a good sunset. So it was a given that this gem would be my choice for a painting. I had the photo enlarged to an 8"x8" print, and then I made a color copy. The color copy is important as you will draw a grid on it to work square by square as you transfer the image to the canvas. (It's easier to draw on a paper color copy than a photo, which is why I copy it. But it's totally your call).
2.) Measure out a 1" grid with a ruler, and draw the grid on the photograph/color copy. I then number the grid squares at the top (A-H) and along the left side (1-8). So it looks like this:
Color copy with the 1" grid lettered and numbered.
3.) Purchase your canvas. Be sure to buy a canvas that will easily relate to the photo size, and is a variable of the photo size at the outset. This will simplify the process. Since my photo was an 8"x8" square, I purchased a 24"x24" square canvas. 24 is a multiple of 8, so this will give me an even square size in my canvas grid.
4.) Calculate the square size for the canvas grid. To calculate the square sizes for the canvas grid, you divide the canvas size by the photo size. So for example, if my photo is 8"x8" and the canvas is 24"x24," then you divide 24 by 8. So the size of the grid squares on the canvas should be 3 inches.
5.) Create the canvas grid by marking 3" increments with a ruler and drawing the lines in pencil. Double check your work by making sure you have the exact same number of squares and rows as your photograph.
I lightly draw the lines so you can easily cover them with paint.
6.) Create a view finder. I make a 1" view finder to put over my photo so I can transfer the image square by square to the canvas without being distracted by the surrounding squares. I create a view finder by taping 4 strips of paper together so they form a 1" opening that can be put on top of the photograph. This will block out the surrounding squares and make it easy to focus on the exact square you are drawing.
View finder. I've had this one for at least ten years! LOL
The view finder really helps isolate the square you're copying.
I use painter's tape to secure the view finder onto the photo so it stays in place and is easily adjusted as I move through each square of the grid.
7.) My last step in the grid-making process is to label the rows on the canvas the same way I did on the photo color copy (ABC on top, and 123 on the side). This way it's easy to calculate where you are in a large piece. Say you need to find M16, it will be simple to go right to the labeled rows rather than trying to count and guess which row you're on. It's not fun to accidentally repeat a square (believe me, I've done that, and it is NOT pleasant to redo your work LOL).
Now for the fun part. I will go square by square copying the photo image onto the canvas. I get pretty detailed in this step as the more accurate the under painting, the better the final work will be. After I have completed the under painting and it has dried, I then go and add the color going square by square in the same fashion. And voila!! You have a realistic, detailed painting in perfect proportion to the photograph!
I tend to start in the upper left and work my way across, and so on.
Completed under painting. The color here is my favorite for under paintings, Burnt Sienna. Notice that I have left the grid lines visible: you will add the color square by square in the same fashion so it's important you can still see the grid outline through the under painting.
Starting to add in the color square by square.
There's a lot of glare here from my easel light, but you can see the progress.
Finished painting! Purple Sunset, oil on canvas, 24"x24," 2014
So there we have it! One of the best tools in the art box put to use!
This method is used by photorealists to copy images exactly with an insane amount of detail. Greats such as Chuck Close use grids to paint enormous portraits in amazing micro-detail. Some are so realistic you can't tell the difference between the photo and the painting. How far you go with detail is your choice, and you can play with how realistic you can push things! For me, I like to land somewhere in between photorealistic and impressionistic, usually with heightened color, so I don't copy the squares exactly in minute detail and I always punch up the color. But that's just my preference. You can do anything you want with it! And the grid makes it all easy and fun. Happy Painting!