Still life grid drawing.
Contour first. Then value.

Compare line and illustrative value references from six arrangements. Place contours and open gaps before applying the same enlargement to tone shapes.

Choose US Letter or A4 for prepared downloads. Original PDF and SVG files, worksheets and reference answers are free without signup. Collection packs contain the same individual pages in order.

On every student page, the top reference uses 8 × 6 cells at 12.5 mm per cell, for a 100 × 75 mm illustration. The lower target uses the same number of cells at 17.5 mm, giving 140 × 105 mm. Both length ratios equal 1.4. A point halfway across a reference cell belongs halfway across its matching target cell; row and column locations do not change.

Use the student pack for attempts and keep the completed-reference pack separately. Each pack repeats its individual pages rather than adding more subjects. Compare the outer silhouette first, then two or three internal landmarks and the gaps between them. A hand rendering can differ in line quality while retaining the mapped relationships. The supplied drawings are original stylized studies, with no photographs, identified portrait subjects or copied character art.

The line-reference and value-reference files retain the same structural contours. The value guide uses three neutral gray fills on white paper, with a stated upper-left light direction and shadows extending down-right. These are illustrative blocks rather than a photorealistic light calculation. Follow an overlap in the line sheet before copying its tone in the student frame.

1. Setting Up the Grid System Choose a student sheet to see the smaller 100 × 75 mm reference and larger blank 140 × 105 mm target together. These are illustration-frame dimensions, not the dimensions of the paper itself. Both frames have eight columns and six rows, with cell sizes of 12.5 mm and 17.5 mm. Begin with an object’s overall width and height and then locate a gap beside it. The line-reference version strips away the value fills while keeping the structural contours. The value-reference version uses three illustrative gray tones on white paper, so you can study the arrangement before adding tone to your copy.
2. Applying Value Blocks Correctly When filling in the illustrative value blocks, remember that the light source is positioned at the upper left. Cast shadows should consistently fall toward the lower right of each object. These blocks are not intended to simulate photorealistic lighting or replicate photographs. Instead, they serve as structural guides for understanding form. Use the three-level grayscale references provided in the same path geometry to match tones accurately. Focus on distinguishing structural overlaps from accidental lines that might appear to cut through foreground objects. This approach helps maintain clarity in the six distinct arrangements, such as the pitcher with apple or the teapot with cup.
3. Verifying Structural Integrity Review contours before tones. Use the line reference to locate an overlap, then compare that edge with the value reference. The student model and its completed answer use the same original value geometry; the lower completion is a uniform 1.4 enlargement. Cast shadows extend toward the lower right under the stated upper-left light direction. The gray blocks are an illustrative guide rather than a physical lighting simulation. A hand drawing can vary in texture and mark-making while retaining the object sizes, open gaps and order of overlaps. Compare those relationships instead of trying to reproduce a photograph that is not part of this collection.

Print the PDF matching the paper in your printer at Actual size / 100% if you want to retain the millimeter dimensions defined in the file. Turn off Fit and Shrink when those dimensions matter. Uniform resizing preserves relative image proportions and angles but changes physical lengths. Unequal resizing can distort both. SVG editors and browser print dialogs can also change scale, so measure a physical calibration span when the task relies on size.

These files have digital geometry and layout checks. Physical printer testing has not been completed. Complete a student page before comparing the worked answer or reference illustration. A geometric or counting result can be exact, while a hand drawing can vary in its marks and interpretation. The original resources use CC BY 4.0: credit Zumola, link the license and indicate changes.

Further reading: National Gallery of Art: line and value observation. The downloadable illustrations and exercise data are original Zumola work.