An Art Gamechanger: The Grid Method

Grid Gratification // Letting artists create new works and work on art foundationals, the grid method is a way that allows people to express themselves and is an excellent way for aspiring artists to learn the foundations of art. 

Artisans around the world, for millennia have expressed themselves through pottery, poetry, and painting. Each is made up of different styles, compositions, and methods. One such method has been used for centuries in paintings, ranging from ancient Greece to modern times, known formally as the proportional grid system. 

Commonly referred to as the grid method, it is a diverse way to create many different artworks aside from paintings. By referencing an image, artists then break the photo down into lined squares, hence why it’s referred to as the “grid method.” Once the reference has been lined with squares, a separate piece of paper, or many other mediums, the paper is lined with an equal number of squares. Analyzing the squares, artists then draw in each square until it’s complete, ending with a drawing with perfect proportions. 

Though this method is incredibly useful, there is controversy within the art community, depending on who is asked. Since the method is literally breaking down an image for artists to copy down, not everyone agrees with the legitimacy of the method. It’s often debated whether or not the grid method is allowing artists alike to have original, creative pieces drawn from their own hands or minds. It’s also frequently argued whether or not it stifles creativity because the technique is similar to tracing.

However, despite such concerns, the grid method is an excellent tool for artists. Famous painters, such as Leonardo da Vinci, who painted the world famous Mona Lisa, was known to use this method to make sure his portraits wouldn’t give his subjects an unproportional nose. In ancient times, painters would make a wooden frame and tie strings, almost like framing a photograph before the camera existed, to make their scenic, nature-based paintings easier. 

The grid method is similar to building a car. Before the paint job, the mechanic must have the framework done and the tires set in place. The grid method works the same way, allowing for the framework and integrity of the artwork to be set in place before the artist can start painting. Once the base is done, the artist can paint, etch, and bend the work to their will. It doesn’t suppress creativity; rather, it allows for the control of it. 

Aside from paintings, the grid method is used in many ways. Architects have been known to use grids to accurately scale and sketch blueprints for buildings. Muralists use it to make sure their art on buildings looks good from every angle. Even from a mathematical standpoint, grids like the coordinate grid can be used to make art on complex software such as Desmos. 

The grid method has remained popular with artists all over the world. On social media, many videos featuring the grid method on Instagram, have gained millions of views. Youtube is filled with tutorials on realistic portraits and art pieces using the technique. Even conventionally, contemporary artists continue to use the grid method. 

Ultimately, the grid method is one of the most versatile and useful conventional tools for artists, allowing the creation of a multitude of creative works to survive and thrive from medieval times to now. By giving the perfect proportional framework from breaking down an image, the method allows for the world of art to endure, forever.