BETTER than the Grid Method: Scale up drawings faster and easier!

In this video drawing tutorial I show you a better, faster and easier way to scale up your photo for drawing. Make it bigger or smaller without drawing a traditional grid of squares. This method is suitable for beginners and involves no calculations or measuring. Learn how to draw more accurately with ease.
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Introduction, about this method
2:58 Prepare your photo
3:41 Check the proportions of your paper
7:16 Create your simple grid
10:00 Use your grid to draw your subject
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www.michelewebber.com
• BETTER than the Grid M...

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Let me know if you found this video useful and do share your own drawing tips! Next try: Improve Drawing Skills (10 Fast Tips!) kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5mahoppp7Ktr5o

[@carollen5633]

That method of scaling is the best one for me. Thank you Michele. Best wishes with Sunak.🤐

[@marypartridge5154]

Hi What do you think of projectors for drawing. I have one from Aldis that magnifies but it distorts. What is the best to use in your opinion. Love your lessons from Mary Ann from Queensland Oz.

[@LiLiJughead]

This video looked very interesting but a little bit into it I developed a severe migraine from the unnatural perspective created by your video angle. I couldn't watch it longer than that. Would you consider changing your set up so the painting/paper is straight on instead of at an angle? I would really like to have viewed the rest of it.

[@celticpeasant9753]

Its so funny, mostly I just draw, but with something really complicated I just grid but I don't measure. I am really liking your technique Michelle.

[@timothyrector6112]

Hello, I liked your method of using the diagonal to establish the size and proportion of the paper. I have used the square grid system but now will use your method in the future. Thank you for this video. I enjoy all of your videos.

[@peterreece2340]

To make your brain draw what it sees and not what it knows ( as in a bird here), do the grid as you do it and draw the image upside-down.

[@SamA-xu9gy]

Explain more , please

[@jgfreer8322]

@peterreece2340 That’s clever! Thank you, I will take your advice 😊

[@LiteOfArt]

It is called drawing with right side of the brain

[@dleigh4534]

Yes that's how I was trained to draw in school, upside down!!! draw what you see not what you think you see

[@fuzzy6329]

​@@SamA-xu9gy, Drawing upside forces your brain to draw what it sees, and not what the brain remembers something should look like. Other wise it forces you to draw what you see, and not off of memory.

[@Joxman2k]

If you have a difficult picture you can Bisect that grid once again, to give you even more of a layout. :) For example if the upper quadrant with the beak was giving you a headache you could once again draw the X pattern for that quadrant. This grid type allows you to bisect what you need and leave the rest alone saving time :) Great video :D

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Indeed!

[@carolvanoppen2118]

Yes! I teach art to grown ups that are scared to draw and this grid gives them confidence. And after using it for a time they can draw directly on the page

[@kathyhall668]

This is the best technique to draw from a photo. I'm always amazed how accurate it is.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad you think so!

[@bknesheim]

It is a lot faster and more accurate to do a scan it, print it and then use a light table. 🙂

[@rosedoucet2188]

@@bknesheim that’s great if you actually have all the equipment to do so. This technique is available to everyone with paper, picture and pencil🤓

[@AnasthassiaMurillo]

​@@bknesheim in that case, you wouldn't be drawing but copying.

[@bknesheim]

@@AnasthassiaMurillo It's a copy anyway, but a trace is a lot less work.

[@GratefulThird]

Great tutorial! I use a light table and put the grid for my drawing underneath my paper so that I don’t have to erase the grid from my drawing paper. I use a piece of transparent drafting film with the grid for the photo and lay it on top of the photo.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Great tip!

[@suspage]

I have been using this scaling method since you first introduced it, and it has made a huge difference. It has been especially helpful with the beginner’s drawing course. Traditional grids work fine, but I find this SO much faster and easier. Thank you!

[@annettefournier9655]

Thank you Michele. This is incredibly helpful for me. Another thing I like to incorporate is after I put the reference lines in to scale by ; I like to turn the reference photo and my paper upside-down. That way my brain doesn't interfere with what I think I see but just draw the lines where they actually are. Then I turn everything right-side up again to refine the details after I have the shape blocked in. I'm sure once I get more experience drawing that I will have to do this less as I will have better trained my seeing. If that makes sense. I don't know exactly why this works but it does for me.🥴💜

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

I believe this upside down trick is used in the book Drawing on the right side of the brain. The reason it works is that it stops you making assumptions about what you see, by reducing the familiarity of the shapes.

[@annettefournier9655]

@@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber ahhh. That makes sense!

[@mpv9866]

​@@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber it is in that very good book, and also, yes, that is how/why it's effective

[@violetpaints]

it's kinda exactly what she said...That way my brain doesn't interfere with what I think I see but just draw the lines where they actually are. The technique you use also comes from books. It's called diagonal scaling...

[@cathyreed7957]

great idea!

[@delphinewood7519]

I found every minute of this tutorial helpful. I can easily see myself practicing this, and then learning to visualize the grid on anything I want to draw. Thank you!🙏💙🌵

[@Graham.Hanson]

Love you and your channel Michele. You have given me the inspiration to take up drawing again for the first time since O’level Art at school back in 1976.

[@tbm7187]

I definitely like this grid better than the standard. My new favorite drawing tool! ❤️❤️

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Great to hear!

[@klarapetelei702]

Hi Michele, your videos are fantastic. I watch lots of similar ones, but I always come back to yours, for they are very clear, well structured, professional, no blah-blah. I am very grateful that you help me and a lot of others too.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thank you!

[@dewindoethdwl2798]

This is a really nice use of ratios and so well explained. It does make changing the size when copying an image far more straightforward. A lot quicker than drawing squares.

[@chammikaiser7740]

This is so well explained Michele. Thank you for all you do for budding artists.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are so welcome!

[@KWicksable]

I pride myself in being a trouble shooter, but I never in my wildest dreams thought 💭 to scale up using this method. I am blown away and will certainly use your method. Thank you so very much for making my life easier. This is by far a game changer for me. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼😊😊😊

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

That's great! Thanks for watching :-)

[@lindarobbins7741]

I find this so helpful. I was about to start a drawing using the square grid but this is so much easier. Thank you.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are welcome :-)

[@lizbamford1037]

Thank you again, Michelle. Really excited about trying your grid method for proper proportions in images. You are such a wonderful teacher.💕

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Have fun!

[@joanc7422]

You make it look so easy! I can't wait to try this. Thanks for teaching this method.

[@sweetmelon149]

One easy way to scale up is to export your image in to a power point presentation. Fit the image to the blank presentation. Then on the powerpoint menu go to insert and click table and add a table. Then scroll on the insert table grid and select the grid type from 2x2, 4x6, 5x8, any you desire. Then spread the created grid to cover the image and you are done. You may need to unfill or make transparent the fill color of the resulting "gridded" image. Then print this image and voila you can start working with scaling up.

[@ginitaprofitt4065]

Brilliant idea!!! I will certainly try your suggestion.

[@lalaperezperez100]

Thanks. I love your idea.

[@adeyinkaogunyomade4008]

Brill ❤

[@Lisa-eo9gd]

I appreciate your video title. It is completely accurate. This faster, easier method makes drawing so much more enjoyable!

[@rhonacohen8908]

Thank you for this information. I’ve always struggled with the regular squared off method finding it too pedantic and slow and usually I’ve not got the same proportions . This is going to be so helpful.

[@roxy5154]

Yes, I was dreading 'having' to learn how to scale traditionally (math flunkie). This method is as simple as it comes, and gives me confidence in giving scaling a crack with some charcoal I've been dying to use in a specific project on a beginners course. I'd love to see your other methods. Cheers.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

No problem, thanks for watching ☺️

[@photographicamateur]

Great tutorial- no more calculator ☺️ Especially useful for me is the section on matching the proportion of the image to the drawing paper. Thanks

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad it was helpful!

[@johannagoldenberg3300]

This is a fantastic tutorial! Very clear instructions.

[@delphinewood7519]

Watched this twice. Such a great idea. Thanks 🙏💙🌵🌵

[@TheArghnono]

Thank you for another excellent video! These are excellent tips. I have also found it really useful to have a proportional divider - sometimes it can be used as the primary tool for getting the proportions exactly right, but more often I just use it to check out the difficult details of any drawing to get it right.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Yes they are a good thing, but I found most of my students got themselves into trouble with the dividers, loose screw usually (the tool not the students!)

[@TheArghnono]

@@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber Loose screws get us into trouble all the time. Thanks! :)

[@ShirleyBeattie]

This is great, Michelle - much simpler than the traditional grid method - can't wait to try it. Thank you.

[@heatherwhelan1376]

Oh, yes. I think that is going to give me a reference without the full grid, which only sometimes helps. I think this also makes me feel study the photo more and decide where the middle of the drawing should be - promotes a stronger composition. Thanks for your hard work on this video.

[@mondogenerator1775]

Good , It's good to hear the inner monolog of an artist

[@kazkav9841]

Brilliant. I’m definitely going to use this method. Ps. I loved how you used your sewing yard stick. I have one too and I love it when one craft crosses over into another ❤

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

I love to make clothes, art is my 'job' now so sewing is my relaxation!

[@RevMattThomas]

I love that you know we skip ahead in videos and had a warning there. I didn't this time but was about to (having learned about the scale from you previously). Thanks for all you do.

[@dianemcgregor6171]

Yes! This looks much easier to do this way. Thank you Michelle.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are most welcome!

[@sarahbhutta251]

These are great hints. I knew this method of sizing the papers correctly but do like the use of the diagonal lines rather than the grid! Will have to try that.

[@dwebb6478]

Thank you Michele. Always very, very helpful!

[@winpowell1024]

Michele, I have never used a grid--I sometimes use a proportional divider to locate key points--but your method is much better than a grid. This is my first time to see your video and it is very instructive and clear.

[@momlikesmemore]

I haven’t drawn in many years and this technique makes so much sense than using the traditional grid. One day I will try it.

[@sherryfurr9115]

You are the Queen of Tips!

[@joannerichardson3316]

Thank you for this very helpful video. I always wondered how to draw photos to scale and you have made it so simple to understand and get great results.

[@lelarice1879]

Lovely , different type of grid placement. So smart. I’ll share it with my granddaughters. I love your informative videos. I took 1 class in watercolor 30 years ago, but I have been away from WC for ages , caring for my handicapped Sweetheart & just able to get back to this medium I love for a few minutes a day during the week. I really have learned so much about watercolor mixing from you, you are a joy to learn from. Clear explanations and demos of aspects I had never been exposed to before….I really appreciate your efforts . Thank you , from Utah , USA. 🤗

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are very welcom Lela!

[@wittywoo]

Michele, absolutely brilliant. Thank you. You make it look so easy. I will now put your technique into practice.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Great, hope you like it 😊

[@davidhirt821]

Thank you, Michelle I found your technique very useful and was especially pleased to learn how to quickly adjust the proportions of the drawing paper to those of the original photo with a simple diagonal line and another perpendicular to the point on the edge where the diagonal intersects it

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

I got it wrong for years before I found that method!

[@michaelpaul1802]

Fantastic ! Very helpful...Thank you Michelle.

[@Twistnthewind]

Ty so much for.this technique.........so much easier......my new go to.....ty again Michelle.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Wonderful!

[@anettedouglasdotter]

Absolutely brilliant technique! ❤ Thank you so much for sharing this! ✨️🙏

[@johnkanzler6646]

Cannot wait to try this! Looks so much smoothe than locking in to square tiles

[@M0odyBlue]

I can’t wait to try this technique. Thank you so much, Michele!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Have fun!

[@myrnalandersartist]

You're such an excellent teacher Michelle! ❤

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thank you! 😃

[@jeffreyduff4269]

Great variant to the traditional square grid. Swift and sweet!

[@velvetbees]

I love the precision.

[@carolslabinski4172]

So enjoyable to watch and so brilliant! thank you Michele!!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@marielouisedavidson4834]

Extremely useful! Makes so much sense and so much easier. Thank you!

[@christinedekeuster7378]

I will also practice this scaling method, for sure (I watched just before your super interesting video on the square grid). I think I already prefer this method here 😊, but I think it may be useful to test both and simply choose the most comfortable for oneself. Your explanations are so clear. Again, sincerely thank you, Michelle.

[@jadeduh4555]

Picked this up as a kid. Learned the grid method during middle school. Only difference I got was in the method. Folding a picture/photo to have it fit my small pockets as a child is how it came to me. Now that's much easier but of course messy 😊 Good stuff 👍🏼👍🏼

[@ConnieWoodworth]

Michelle is the very best teacher and instructor with the best understandable videos, I can follow. My go to channel.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thank you! 😃

[@CherzArts]

That was very helpful! Never saw it done that way before. Thank you!

[@nancytipton2640]

Thank you for sharing this very easy and accurate technique for drawing.

[@seahorse5689]

What a great technique. I have no patience with the standard grid method, so this is a huge help. Thank you for sharing!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You're very welcome!

[@magpiegirl3783]

This is fantastic. I have a painting to start and was worried about the proportions but this is very helpful. Makes lots of sense too! Thank you.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You're very welcome!

[@sandyhough3901]

Brilliant Michele! Thank you so much. My drawing skills are abysmal and I don't have patience for the traditional grid method. This technique will help so much.

[@rosedoucet2188]

This is a game changer for me! It will definitely shorten the sketching time. Fabulous! Thank you

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Happy New year 🎉

[@lyndabrooks2740]

This is a technique that I didn’t know about and will definitely use. Thank you very much !

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are welcome 🙂

[@shirleygreaves9650]

What a fantastic tutorial, thank you so much Michelle. X

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thanks for watching! 😊

[@cynthiabsaibes3381]

Thanks for showing this method. Great instruction.

[@garypickering2594]

Thank you Michele for another easy to follow, informative video, will give this a try.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thanks for watching!

[@jonathanjeffreys3007]

What a beautifully elegant and instinctively practical demonstration of basic geometry, without any needless excursions into complicated calculations. This is a real wake-up for mathematicians. I also took on board your throw-away comment on drawing mouths - i.e. start with the centre line. This makes so much sense. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed the video.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

No problem Jonathan!

[@debekane4205]

Very helpful, thank you Michele ❤

[@geoffdavies1199]

Excellent, many many thanks. This is exactly the method my school art teacher taught us in about 1973. As long as the diagonal angle matches then the proportion will match. You can easily add extra grid lines for more detailed areas if you need. I've not seen anyone else use this brilliant method!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad it helped Geoff!

[@susanthebeautiful]

Game changer! Thank you.

[@loiseilers5058]

Brilliant! Thank you for this. Very helpful.

[@aliciashackley5830]

Such a useful video Michele. Thx as always. 🥰

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are welcome as always :-)

[@jlighthouse9458]

Excellent demonstration , thank you.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are welcome!

[@kathleenwilson4668]

I am blown away by how easy that method looks. I will be trying this. Thank you so much because I suck at drawing.

[@debbyshehane9955]

Thank you! I'll try this asap!

[@rhonacohen8908]

Michelle. Thank you so much for this . I used this method today and was amazed at how easy it was to transcribe a picture. Less confusing than the grid method. I am thrilled.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Wonderful!

[@lauramullen4702]

So much simpler than traditional grid! I will try it out with transferring a drawing to canvas. Thank you so much Michele!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are so welcome!

[@viviancurtis2182]

Love this method!!

[@jeremiahthompson82]

Thank you so much. You British people are intelligent. Innovative. Thank you.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

🙏💚

[@marielouisedavidson4834]

This is brilliant! Many, many thanks! So appreciate your fabulous videos and teaching.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thank you!

[@elaineblaine5292]

Love how you teach. Thank you! Going to try this. ❤

[@elecktra6223]

Brilliant! I can’t wait to try this. I am not a strong drawer, this should help so much. Thank you once again ❤

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You’re welcome 😊

[@laura3071934]

Excellent technique for transferring the image, thanks Michele !

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

You are so welcome!

[@chrismarcotte4241]

I love this method thank you!

[@susanreinersuedahl]

Excellent video going into more detail on how to do the 4-corners grid method. Thanks Michele.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

No problem!

[@dawndonly1489]

Great tip for me as I am a novice just building skills.

[@Joodster]

Marvelous demonstration. I'm looking forward to giving it a try.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@Jethro-ts]

Never seen this method before so I'm very keen to try it out, thank you.

[@deannamcconnell465]

Hello. I have been watching your videos with other sites for some time. I have been working/playing in many media for 70 years from age three when manilla paper and crayons were my media. But I have not previously in all the classes, books and videos that I have learned from nothing gave the the huge leap in drawing from an image than your radial grid has given me, it is much easier for my drawn !INE to flow. I think it may just fit my brain better than a chess board grid!!!!! Your site is a pleasure to watch when doing some warm up brush work and often gives me a sense of "use it or lose it !" Kind of thing! Sometimes inspiration requires a kick start from the "teacher relationshp" which first came with actual teaches , And then artist' s books (yeah thriftbooks!) And then KZbin. All good and THANK YOU! DeAnna

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Hi DeAnna, thanks for watching!

[@jakea1035]

Smashing info! Thank you.

[@debh3404]

Thank you! I love it. Very helpful

[@alicebeshay6124]

This is a real easy method Michelle Thank you so much for teaching us 🌹❤️👏

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad it was helpful!

[@janiceheger291]

This is a great concept. Thank you.

[@uriahoxford9945]

Thank you! Love the video and your energy!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Thank you so much!

[@carolphilbrooks-clark937]

Thank you, Michele. I will definitely try this technique!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Wonderful!

[@juliahelland6488]

Thanks again for sharing! 💯

[@nanschifris8734]

Wonderful! Looking forward to trying this!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@kayebleek4891]

Love this method Michelle. I have struggled with people/faces since I began drawing in the early 1980’s. I NEED to try this today. Thank you

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Glad it was helpful!

[@SusanBayly-hb4ck]

Loved this method, I noticed the beak angle could have been a little straighter but your bird was in perfect proportions. THANK YOU

[@heatherburrell3502]

Thanks Michele, I used this method on a complicated landscape drawing and I was able to get a very accurate drawing and practice my drawing skills at the same time.

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

That's great 😃

[@tbm7187]

Yay! Awesome new tip! Thank you!

[@IntheStudiowithMicheleWebber]

Any time!

[@MrsBeasleys1111]

I’m looking forward to trying this. Thank you!

[@sheana2005]

Fantastic video! Thanks so much.