How Grid Artist works
The grid method is how artists have copied proportions accurately for centuries: divide the reference into squares, then draw what you see inside one square at a time. Grid Artist does the dividing, the measuring and the bookkeeping so you can spend your attention on the drawing.
- Add a reference photo from your library, the camera, or Files.
- Set the grid — or let the app suggest a size based on how much detail your photo actually has.
- Tap a square. It fills the screen, and everything else dims.
- Copy it onto your paper, mark it done, and the next square comes up.
- Export or print the gridded sheet at the exact paper size you're using.
Common questions
What grid size should I use?
Open the Assist tab and the app measures the edge detail in your photo and suggests a size, with a short explanation of why. Simple shapes get a coarse grid; fine detail gets a finer one. You can always override it — rows and columns are independent, and the square-cell lock keeps them matched if you want.
How do I get the grid on my paper?
Two ways. Either print the Blank Grid export at your paper size and draw on it directly, or draw the grid on your own paper and use the app purely as the reference. Set the paper size under Guides → Paper first so the printed sheet matches what you're drawing on.
Can I print one square per page?
Yes. Choose Square-by-Square Sheet in Export. You get a cover page with the whole gridded reference, then one page per square, printed large and labelled.
Does it work with Apple Pencil?
Yes. The Draw workspace is a PencilKit canvas, so you get pressure, tilt, palm rejection, the ruler, the system tool picker and unlimited undo. Finger drawing is on by default; turn it off from the ⋯ menu if you want strict palm rejection with a Pencil.
What do the AI features do?
Four things: suggest a grid size, crop to the subject your eye lands on, trace the photo into line art, and lift the subject off its background. For portraits there is also a proportion-guide detector that marks the eye line, nose and mouth. All of it runs on your device using Apple's Vision and Core Image frameworks — nothing is uploaded, and it all works offline.
Where are my projects stored?
On your device, in the app's own storage. Deleting the app deletes them, so export anything you want to keep.
My line art came out sparse
Line tracing needs contrast to find edges. Raise Contrast in the Photo tab, or try the High Contrast or Threshold style first, then run Line Art again.
Features
Photos, camera & Files import Crop, rotate, flip Independent rows & columns Major grid lines A1 / numbered / in-cell labels Rule of thirds & golden ratio Cell Focus mode Progress tracking Apple Pencil canvas Trace underlay Suggested grid size Line art & subject isolation PNG / JPEG / PDF export AirPrint A3–A5, Letter, Legal, custom iPhone & iPadGet in touch
Found a bug, or want a feature? Open an issue — it is the fastest way to reach me, and other artists can see it too.