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I want to use my photos to paint from. I would like to know how to find a grid for my screen to square off my photo. This would aid in transferring it to a canvas or paper.
I've tried to find a photo editor app, etc. but none offer grid overlays I guess you'd call them. I'm an artist, not so smart about computers and what's available.

Joachim
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In2White
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1 Answers1

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We don't really allow for product recommendations, but you can make your own grid overlays:

  • Buy a sheet of flexible plastic, and use a permanent marker and ruler to create a grid with your preferred scale, and simply put it up against your monitor.
    Usually it can rest against the borders of the screen, but a little tape will definitely hold it in place.

  • In an image editor like Photoshop or the free open-source Gimp you can:

    • add guidelines;
    • (add a transparent layer and) add lines on top of the reference image (and save that layer to use it whenever you need it);
    • make use of the feature to show grids (the size can be adjusted);
    • find premade grids on transparent background images online.
Joachim
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  • I'm not at my pc now, but I think the gimp can show a grid as an option. – Chris H Feb 28 '21 at 12:49
  • No problem - and I can confirm it's under View|Show Grid, configured with Image|Configure Grid. You can set the defaults in preferences. – Chris H Feb 28 '21 at 18:06
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    Thank you so much. Maybe the most obvious is the best solution. I will check out Gimp again and them make my own I think.... – In2White Feb 28 '21 at 22:12
  • I think a faster way to add lines, cut, and + might be using google drawings, I sometimes use it and it perfectly works – Isaac750 Mar 01 '21 at 15:23