The Grid Method -- DaveThePaintingGuy.com internet show

This video Paintcast™ episode of my podcast series "Everyday Paintings" (©2006 David R. Darrow) details the use of proportional grids as a means of transferring a drawing to canvas as a means of obtaining an accurate likeness for portraiture. You can subscribe to my Paintcast™ for free, and also get on my e-mail mailing list to receive free pictures of my daily paintings in your e-mail box by going to my picture website: www.EverydayPaintings.com

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• david
• darrow
• oil
• painting
• portrait
• likeness
• art
• technical
• photoshop
• female
• annie
• professional
• artist
• podcast
• method

[patindaytona]

How do you make a screen capture using WINDOWS system?

[drdarrow]

@patindaytona On many Windows keyboards there is a key marked on the side or top with the letters PRNT SCR or Print Screen. When you push that button once, nothing visible happens, BUT it makes a copy of the screen image and holds in the Clipboard (memory). All you need to do is open a Paint program that allows you to create a new, blank document, and Paste (control-v, or Edit (menu) > Paste) and the screen image should be available.

[DIETRICHART]

Using the Photoshop Grid works great, but when I go to print an 8x10 I get the photo but not the grid,... how do I print the grid?

Thanks.

[drdarrow]

@DIETRICHART Do a screen capture and print the screen capture, or use the grid to "snap" lines (using the line/shape tool over the photo to print that photo.

You really only need the grid to get down the basic shapes accurately, and all the detail can be refined by hand/eye.

[LordN3r3v4r]

You should've used the built-in grid within photoshop instead of going through the hard process of creating a grid by adding guide lines. Just go to View -> Show -> Grid and then in the Edit -> Preferences -> Guides, Grid & Slices window you can customize the grid's interval (px, percent, inches, cm, and so on); I hope this helps :)

[drdarrow]

@LordN3r3v4r You are right! I have since learned of that, but did not want to bother with making a new video. You are right though. It's a LOT easier! I either did not know you could edit the grid settings in Photoshop, or it was not available in PS when I did that video. Thanks for mentioning that!

[drdarrow]

I suppose you could look at it that way. Then again, it's cheating if you don't grow your own flax and weave it into linen canvas, and carve your own wood into stretcher bars, mull your own oil paints, or press your own charcoal.

Or maybe it's cheating to hold your thumb up to a pencil to measure the model.

Should we always choose to make art the hard way?

The purist only takes longer to do everything by self-imposed standards that have no basis in actual or practical value.

[502amandab]

i use this method, i do not paint but sketch and draw, i found when i didnt my drawings looked much like picaso's, but this helps them almost perfectly

[mrfrenik]

I'm fairly certain that English isn't PRettyWoman281's first language...

[PRettyWoman281]

@drdarrow okkkkkkk I will not argue))) think so. a feather in one's cap you. bye

[Jayjay38]

Hello. I'm a grid addict it's a very useful tool, not only for portraits but for everything ! But I'd like to ask you for advices. How can I draw without it and without having troubles with proportions ? Thanks, and greetings from France.