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Marjorie Firth

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Posted
I think it’s about capturing something peculiar to the person - the tilt of a mouth, the look in the eye…..
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Peter Smith

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Posted
Yes, exactly, it's about capturing the character. 
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Russell Edwards

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Posted
If you don't feel the need for a grid then great but I find them useful when plotting main features and proportions especially if the subject is wearing glasses! I guess it depends on the outcome you're hoping to achieve.
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Marjorie Firth

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That’s true Russell, as I’ve said. I make a fair few mistakes along the way but I adjust….as long as We are happy with the outcome. Re glasses…I well remember getting my husband’s glasses skew whiff but we had a good laugh. By the way, your specs are perfect!

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by Marjorie Firth

Denise Cat

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I draw freehand. I tried a grid just once but it didn't suit me. I agree with Peter with regards to drawing or painting without the use of aids even if mistakes are made. To me, freehand is the purest form of expression. I don't use rulers for straight lines either.
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Carol .

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Posted
Using a grid is handy for scaling up a piece of work, proportional dividers are a handy tool, also. Like, Denise I draw freehand, this encourages your own style of work. 
Entwined, abstract

Sandra Kennedy

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Posted
I'm enjoying this discussion. Always interesting to know how people create their lovely paintings. Peter you're a man after my own heart! Can well imagine that your portrait might well have been the only freely expressed one. Marjorie, whatever process you use works a treat, a bit impatient or not, your paintings have a lovely freedom. Having started with abstract I've never used a grid, I can see a use for scaling up, but haven't ever tried that. I can't see myself ever attempting a portrait, nor still life. 
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Russell Edwards

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If my 'specs are perfect' maybe it's because I used a grid Marjorie. 😂 I don't use 'aids' when painting or when using charcoal as mistakes are easily rectified but when drawing certain portraits with a pencil the last thing I want are lots of corrective lines and dirty marks caused by 'rubbing them out' and so a grid is very helpful. 
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Marjorie Firth

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Yes, of course, I can see the reason and your pencil portraits are easily identifiable as yours and are excellent. Your oil portraits are a bit different, the texture of the paint comes through - do you use a grid to start those?
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Russell Edwards

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Only when glasses or sunglasses are a feature Marjorie. When looking straight ahead the lenses are symmetrical so a grid helps with that -  nothing worse than wonky specs! A 3/4 view and the lenses obviously become asymmetrical but again I find a grid helpful. 
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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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I tried to use a grid a very long while back, suggested by a local artist when I was first learning to paint, he used them  to set out and plot out his landscapes and just about everything. Took far to long to set up , even after almost rubbing it out the lines were still visible through the watercolour, it also looked too contrived, no life to it needless to say I never repeated the exercise. I very rarely do a figure of portrait and even then I much prefer freehand , the little mistakes, bits hanging over into what would be the next square make the whole thing look more natural, vive la odd mistakes and wrong  colour. 
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Peter Smith

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I totally agree Paul. 
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