Printable Grid with Scale Figures
Three people at 5, 10 and 20 metres, a crate and a door. Size everything against them.
What this grid is for
Figure placement practice and environment sketches with people in them. The figures' eye lines all sit on the horizon; their feet fall lower the closer they are. Compare any object you draw against the crate (1 m) and the door (2.1 m).
Three things to draw on it
A street scene with a crowd: place each new figure's feet on the ground grid, then run their height from the nearest printed figure; a bus stop with three people and a bench; a market with stalls sized against the door.
Tips for this sheet
Everyone at the same eye height has their eyes on the horizon, wherever they stand; only the feet move. The printed 1.75 m figures at 5, 10 and 20 m give you three checkpoints; interpolate between them for other distances. The 2.1 m door is a second yardstick for architecture. If the terms are new, read how to draw perspective first; it uses the same camera settings as this template.
How to use it
Print the PDF at actual size and lay tracing paper or a thin sheet over it on a light pad, or use it directly and draw lightly so the printed lines do not fight your drawing. Each square is one metre on the ground; the eye level (the dashed horizon) is 1.6 m up, a standing adult. A door is about two squares tall, a person a little less, a car about four and a half squares long.
Both vanishing points sit outside the sheet. Keep verticals vertical, follow the red lines for one set of faces and the green lines for the other.
Want a different angle?
This sheet is fixed so that a class or a study group all works from the same grid. For any other rotation, lens or horizon, open the interactive two-point grid at these settings, adjust it, and export a PNG or SVG.
Questions
How do I scale a person who is not at 5, 10 or 20 metres?
Draw a line from the horizon through the head of the nearest printed figure down to the ground, then slide that height along the ground grid to where your new figure stands, keeping the head on a line to the same vanishing point. The figure height calculator gives the exact number if you want to check.
How do I print it at the right size?
Download the PDF for your paper size and print at 100% ("Actual size"), not "Fit to page". The one-metre squares then keep their proportions. For the PNG, set the print dialog to the same paper size.
Can I use it in Procreate, Clip Studio or Photoshop?
Yes. Download the PNG at 150 or 300 DPI and import it as a layer, lower its opacity and lock it. For a transparent version with exactly your own angle and lens, use the interactive tool instead.
Is it free to use in a classroom?
Yes. Print as many as you need for students. A link back is appreciated but not required.
Can I change the angle of the 2-Point Grid with Scale Figures?
This template is fixed so that everyone gets the same sheet. For other angles, lenses or horizon heights, open the matching interactive grid; it exports PNG and SVG at any setting.