Hello everyone!
My painting skills are progressing a bit, but I find that I do need to start with a grid. Once I get everything carefully laid down the painting goes well. But I have found just creating the grid to be very challenging. After priming, when it’s time to lay down the grid, I am extremely careful and try to be as precise as I can possibly be. But I have found that even just a tiny variation in the angle of the yellow pencil can really throw off the grid and therefore the drawing.
I found some pre-gridded canvas which worked OK. What I didn’t like about it is that I couldn’t prime it with a neutral color plus surface for painting was not ideal. I couldn’t prime over it because then I would lose the grid. So now I’m back to more high-quality canvas, the Geneva primer, and making my own grid. But it’s difficult to be precise enough.
I’m just wondering if anyone has found a good technique to lay down a really accurate grid. And now I’m on larger canvases so it’s going to be even more difficult. I’m kind of wondering if I have to just be extremely patient and lay down each line with a long straight edge and even clamps. That will be a very time consuming process on a 24 x 30 canvas. Anyone have any brilliant ideas?
0 ·
Comments
I have found this triangle lattice method the easiest - no measuring, automatic sizing,
smaller triangles can be used for more detailed areas, creates rule of thirds lines.
Start by drawing lines corner to corner. So much faster than rectangular, measured grids.
Just remember to have the source image and the new canvas the same proportion. That is the drawn through corner diagonals line up.
Trying to find live links…. Hold on…..
This link gives step by step with graphics - Check out this link:
https://www.drawinghowtodraw.com/drawing-lessons/improve-drawing/articles/dme-copying-transfer-sketches-triangulation.html
Hope this is helpful.
Rob
The nice thing about this "no measurement" system is that any amount of enlargement or reduction is easy.
Sometimes I combine Mark's two reference lines and proportional divider with the grid and just use the grid as a double check.
I am not exact/precise enough and am a bit too "rip,....and bust" when it comes to beginning a work. I often end up in difficulty and run out of canvas due to this! My answer is to start with a canvas or board bigger than I need. That way it can be cut down later. I am either a slow learner, or just plain stubborn; or both!
I find if I labour too much on the drawing, I lose the spontaneity of what I am trying to paint. Perhaps I need to rethink how I work? It may save a lot of time and heartache in the long run....
My plein air mentor has been having me to lay out the darks and the lights first, sometimes even going so far as to do a complete value painting in monochrome. She has me start with a rough 4 value sketch on an index card to get the composition right, then pick the best one and do the same on the canvas. Then I start filling in the details.
This keeps me from running out of room and makes it more possible to keep it spontaneous.
Still working at it though!
Another good resource is Mastering Composition in Photography & Art – IPOX studios & Canon of Design
A different way of going about getting the drawing you want onto the canvas if you don't want to do graphs.