Problems with the Grid Method - A few Issues You Might Encounter When Drawing with the Grid Method

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Problems with the Grid Method - A few Issues You Might Encounter When Drawing with the Grid Method
If you are reading this, Let's assume that you understand what the grid method is. You simply put a grid on top of your reference photo then put a grid over your paper. Then you transfer what you see in the boxes on your photo reference, to the corresponding boxes on your drawing paper.

The grid method is a fantastic way to keep your sketch is in proportion and it definitely makes it simple to make sure you are actually drawing all of your lines in the suitable place. The grid method is not without its problems however. One of the problems with the grid method is that it is pretty time-consuming as well as monotonous. To draw in a grid over the top of your photo reference and place a grid over the top of your drawing paper every time you wish to do a drawing requires a great deal of time and is not a whole lot of fun.

If you are placing a grid over the top of your drawing paper, you will also have to remove all of those grid lines to have a good , finished drawing. Removing the grid lines takes time but it can present some other problems too. One issue is that no matter how hard you try, you may not be able to fully eliminate the grid lines simply by erasing them. There may be a little bit of graphite and a trace of a line remaining.

Another issue is once you erase your grid lines, even if you are able to remove all of the graphite, in some cases the section of the paper that you erased is not able to hold graphite as nicely as the part of the paper you did not erase. This results in what I call a ghost grid once you begin shading your drawing. When you start shading your drawing, you will sometimes be able to notice lines where you erased your grid lines. Because the part of the paper you erased will not hold graphite as well as the part of the paper you didn't erase, it makes it hard to get a nice uniform tone because the lines that you erased might be slightly lighter than the shading around those lines.

The great news is that I have come up with many solutions to every one of the various problems that the grid method could present. I don't have time to reveal all of those strategies right now but I have created a video where I describe everything in fine detail. My procedures enable you to get all of the benefits of using the grid method without all of the issues and frustration.