DrawGrid

DrawGrid / Practice

Grid Drawing Practice

Build observation, proportion and drawing accuracy through structured grid exercises.

Follow the numbered path, or choose a skill to repeat. Each exercise includes a reference, a matching blank grid and printable A4 / Letter sheets.

One shape at a time

Beginner

Compare width and height, then follow a single contour. Start with the apple; use the mug and vase to introduce ellipses and a center axis.

  1. 01Original illustration of a red apple with an uneven silhouette, brown stem and one green leaf

    Beginner · 15 min

    Apple study

    Skills: Organic shapes · Contour · Proportion

    Start Practice →
  2. 02Original illustration of a blue ceramic mug with an elliptical opening and a curved handle on the right

    Beginner · 15 min

    Simple mug

    Skills: Proportion · Ellipse · Negative space · Symmetry

    Start Practice →
  3. 03Original illustration of a rounded cream ceramic vase with a narrow elliptical opening and a soft side shadow

    Beginner · 15 min

    Round vase

    Skills: Symmetry · Center axis · Relative proportion

    Start Practice →
  4. 04Original illustration of a horizontal yellow lemon with unequal pointed tips and a simple lower shadow

    Beginner · 15 min

    Lemon study

    Skills: Axis · Contour · Asymmetry

    Start Practice →
  5. 05Original illustration of a yellow-green pear with a narrow tilted neck, broad base and short brown stem

    Beginner · 15 min

    Pear study

    Skills: Relative proportion · Organic curves

    Start Practice →

Read the spaces between

Intermediate

Move between several landmarks. Compare petal tips, overlaps and the empty wedges between stems before adding details.

  1. 06Original illustration of a coral five-petal flower with a yellow center and two green leaves, on a white background

    Intermediate · 15 min

    Easy flower

    Skills: Petal landmarks · Organic curves

    Start Practice →
  2. 07Original illustration of two red cherries at different heights with curved stems meeting above them

    Intermediate · 15 min

    Two cherries

    Skills: Relative position · Negative space · Stem curves

    Start Practice →
  3. 08Original illustration of a chestnut mushroom with a broad domed cap, dark underside and pale curved stem

    Intermediate · 15 min

    Mushroom study

    Skills: Curved planes · Width to height

    Start Practice →
  4. 09Original illustration of a pink cup-shaped tulip above a slender green stem and two long asymmetric leaves

    Intermediate · 15 min

    Single tulip

    Skills: Negative space · Directional curves

    Start Practice →
  5. 10Original illustration of a curved green twig with five pointed leaves at staggered heights

    Intermediate · 20 min

    Leaf sprig

    Skills: Repeated forms · Spacing · Landmarks

    Start Practice →

Bring the parts together

Advanced

The most involved studies in this collection: coordinate overlapping leaves or a body, lid, spout and handle. Difficulty here describes progression within these illustrated still life studies.

  1. 11Original illustration of a five-leaf green succulent in a small tapered terracotta pot

    Advanced · 20 min

    Potted succulent

    Skills: Overlapping shapes · Ellipses · Taper

    Start Practice →
  2. 12Original illustration of a pale blue teapot with a spout on the left, open handle on the right and a round lid

    Advanced · 20 min

    Small teapot

    Skills: Complex landmarks · Negative space · Alignment

    Start Practice →

Take the same method to your own reference

Choose a familiar object, mark its outer limits and compare the spaces around it before drawing the contour.

Open Grid Maker →Learn the observation techniques →Make a worksheet with your photo →