Make an 8x8 drawing reference from your photo, then download the same grid on a blank sheet. Adjust cells, labels, and paper before drawing.
Blank Square 1:1 grid, 8 rows x 8 columns
A 4×4 drawing grid keeps the portrait in proportion.
Upload a photo with the full subject visible. Select a paper shape that leaves room around the outline you want to copy.
Start with eight rows and eight columns. Keep labels on so you can find the same cell on both sheets.
Save the gridded reference, then the matching blank grid. Keep the settings unchanged between these two downloads.
Use enough to locate the main features. An 8x8 grid is a starting point; very small cells can hide the overall shape and slow the drawing down.
Both exports are PNG images, 2400 pixels wide. Select the physical paper size and print scale in your print dialog; this tool does not create a PDF.
Find where an important contour crosses a cell edge. A nose tip halfway across one cell should stay halfway across its partner cell. Mark the outline lightly before shading; dark construction lines are harder to remove from a finished pencil drawing.
An eight-column reference printed 16 cm wide has 2 cm cells. A drawing printed 24 cm wide has 3 cm cells, giving a 1.5 times enlargement. Keep the same page proportions and row count so the height scales by the same amount.
AI styles
Choose a style, preview an example, then create an image with AI credits.
