Step 1: Upload or Paste Your Reference Photo
Choose a file, drag and drop it onto the page, or paste an image straight from your clipboard. JPG, PNG, WEBP and GIF are all supported, and your photo never leaves your device.
Grid Maker: Add a Grid to Any Photo
Add a grid overlay to any photo and draw it square by square. Free, no sign-up, and it runs right in your browser.
or drop an image here, , or
- Free
- No sign-up
- Private
- No watermark
Line Color
Grid Maker Features for Accurate Drawing
Numbered Grid Labels (A1, B2, C3) for Easy Square Matching
Switch on labeled cells and every square gets a coordinate like A1 or B2, so matching each square to your canvas is effortless. Scale the label size from 25% to 200% so they stay readable on small sketches and large prints alike.
Cross Lines for Angles, Curves and Diagonals
Add diagonal cross lines through each cell to form an X. They make it far easier to judge slopes, tilts and curves — ideal for faces, figures and anything that does not line up neatly with the grid.
Edge Detection for Instant Outline References
Convert any photo into a clean line drawing that shows only its main edges and contours. Adjust the thresholds and blur to control how much detail you keep — perfect for contour drawing and studying structure.
Printable Paper Guide for A3, A4, A5, Letter and Legal
Pick your paper size and Grid Maker calculates the exact spacing in millimetres between every line, so you can recreate the same grid on real paper with a ruler. Custom sizes up to 2000 mm are supported too.
Fully Adjustable Grid: Rows, Columns, Colour, Thickness and Opacity
Set anything from a quick 4x4 to a detailed 30x30 grid, then fine-tune line colour, thickness and opacity so the overlay sits clearly on top of your image without hiding it.
Grayscale Mode to Focus on Light and Shadow
Desaturate your reference in one tap to remove colour and read values more accurately. Combine it with edge detection for a stripped-back outline study.
Grid-Only Mode for Blank Printable Templates
Hide the photo and keep just the grid on a white background, then download or print a blank grid template to draw on directly. In this mode you can also export crisp, scalable SVG.
Force Square Cells for True Proportions
Lock every cell to a perfect square no matter your image shape, so proportions stay consistent across the whole drawing.
How to Use the Grid Method to Draw
The grid method is a simple, time-tested way to copy or scale any image accurately. Here is how to do it with Grid Maker in five steps.
Step 2: Choose Your Grid Size
Set the number of rows and columns. Start with 8x8 or 10x10 for portraits, go higher for detailed work, or lower for quick gesture sketches.
Step 3: Customize the Grid Overlay
Adjust colour, thickness and opacity, then switch on labels, cross lines, grayscale or edge detection until the reference is easy to read.
Step 4: Get Exact Paper Measurements
Select your paper size to see the precise line spacing in millimetres, then draw the matching grid on your canvas or paper with a ruler.
Step 5: Download the Gridded Image and Draw
Export your gridded reference as PNG, JPG or SVG at full resolution with no watermark, then work square by square to transfer the image with accurate proportions.
Why Draw With a Grid?
What Is the Grid Method?
The grid method breaks a complex image into small, manageable squares. By focusing on one square at a time and copying exactly what you see, you reproduce shapes and proportions accurately without freehand guesswork.
Scale Any Drawing Up or Down
Because the grid is proportional, you can enlarge a small reference onto a big canvas, or shrink it, simply by drawing a grid with the same number of squares. Every square keeps its relative size and position.
Built for Beginners and Professionals Alike
A trusted technique used by artists from Albrecht Durer to today’s illustrators, the grid method trains your eye while guaranteeing accuracy. It works for portraits, landscapes, murals, digital art and classroom teaching.
Grid Maker - Frequently Asked Questions
What is Grid Maker?
Grid Maker is a free online tool that adds a grid overlay to any photo so you can draw it accurately using the grid method. It includes numbered labels, cross lines, edge detection and printable paper measurements.
Is Grid Maker free to use?
Yes. Grid Maker is completely free with no signup, no watermark and no limits. You can create and download as many gridded images as you like.
How do I add a grid to a photo?
Upload, drag and drop, or paste your image, then set the number of rows and columns. The grid appears instantly and you can download the result as PNG, JPG or SVG.
What is the grid method in drawing?
The grid method divides a reference image into equal squares so you can copy it one square at a time. It is a reliable way to capture correct proportions and to scale a drawing up or down.
What grid size is best for a portrait?
An 8x8 or 10x10 grid works well for most portraits. Use more squares (20-30) for highly detailed work and fewer (4-6) for fast sketches.
Can I print a blank grid template?
Yes. Turn on Grid-Only mode to hide the photo and keep just the grid on a white background, then print or download a blank template, including as scalable SVG.
What are cross lines used for?
Cross lines add diagonals through each cell, making it easier to judge angles, slopes and curves that do not align with the straight grid lines.
How does edge detection work?
Edge detection converts your photo into a simplified outline showing only its main contours. You can adjust the thresholds and blur to keep more or less detail.
Do my images stay private?
Yes. All processing happens locally in your browser, so your photos are never uploaded to a server.
Which image formats can I upload and download?
You can upload JPG, PNG, WEBP and GIF, and download your gridded image as JPEG, PNG or SVG (SVG is available in Grid-Only mode).
Does Grid Maker work on phones and tablets?
Yes. It works in any modern mobile browser on iPhone, Android and tablets, with touch-friendly controls.
How do I scale up a drawing with the grid?
Draw a grid with the same number of squares on your larger canvas. Because the squares stay proportional, copying each one transfers the image at the new size with correct proportions.
Can I use Grid Maker for digital art?
Yes. Download the gridded reference and drop it into Procreate, Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint or any app as a layer to guide your digital drawing.
What paper sizes are supported?
Grid Maker provides exact line spacing for A2, A3, A4, A5, Letter and Legal, plus custom dimensions up to 2000 mm.