Isometric Grid Generator
Isometric, dimetric, pixel-art 2:1 and oblique grids at any spacing, with a reference cube. Export a layer or print a sheet.
What the grid is for
An isometric grid is the drawing aid for everything that is not in perspective: technical sketches, game tiles, architectural diagrams, product exploded views, pixel art, and the kind of quick furniture or room sketch where you want to measure straight off the drawing. Lines that are parallel in the object stay parallel on the page, so a 3-unit-long edge is 3 grid cells wherever it sits. There are no vanishing points, which is exactly why these drawings look calm and slightly unreal: real eyes see convergence. When you want convergence, use the 2-point grid instead.
Which grid type
Isometric 30° is the standard: three axes 120° apart, all equally foreshortened. Pixel art 2:1 is the same idea at 26.57°, so lines step two pixels across for each one up and render crisply in a sprite. Dimetric 7° / 42° flattens one axis and steepens the other for a view that reads more like a real photograph of a box. Cavalier and cabinet oblique keep the front face flat and true (a plan or elevation you already have) and run depth lines off at 45°; cabinet halves the depth, which is what everyone does because full-depth cavalier looks stretched. Custom gives you both angles and the depth scale for anything else, including the 35°/35° and 45°/45° grids some games use.
Reading the grid
The reference cube is three cells on each axis. Use it to check the foreshortening you are getting: in isometric all three visible faces are the same size; in dimetric the top face is larger; in cabinet the side face is half as deep as it is wide. Heavy lines every 5 cells (or whatever you set) make counting easy, and the verticals can be turned off for a cleaner sheet if you draw verticals freehand.
Getting it into your app
The PNG export is transparent, so it drops onto any drawing as a layer: paste with Copy to clipboard in Procreate (Actions → Add → Paste), Clip Studio (Edit → Paste), Photoshop or Krita, lower the opacity and lock it. The SVG export has one path per line and imports into Illustrator, Affinity Designer, Inkscape and Figma as real vector lines you can snap to. For paper, export A4 at 4× and print at 100%.
Related
For a grid with real convergence and a lens, the 1-point, 2-point and 3-point grids; for boxes at real sizes on a perspective ground plane, the perspective box generator. Perspective drawing tools explains where the isometric grid sits among the other drawing aids.
Questions
What is an isometric grid?
A grid of three line families: verticals and two sets of diagonals at 30° from horizontal. Drawing along them gives isometric projection, where the three axes of a box are equally foreshortened and parallel lines stay parallel, so measurements can be taken straight off the drawing. There are no vanishing points.
What is the difference between isometric and 2:1 pixel-art isometric?
True isometric diagonals are at 30°, which does not step cleanly in pixels. Pixel-art isometric uses 26.57° (two pixels across for every one up), which draws as a clean staircase. Choose Pixel art 2:1 for game tiles and sprites, Isometric 30° for everything else.
What are dimetric and oblique grids?
Dimetric uses two different angles (here 7° and 42°) so one face reads more naturally than in isometric. Oblique keeps the front face true and flat and adds depth at 45°: cavalier at full length, cabinet at half length, which looks more believable and is the standard for furniture and quick technical sketches.
What spacing should I use?
It depends on the size of the smallest thing you will draw along the grid. For tiles, match the tile width: a 64 px isometric tile wants a 32 px grid. For general sketching, 40–60 px at 2× export gives a comfortable line spacing on an A4 print.
How do I use the grid in Procreate, Photoshop or Clip Studio?
Copy to clipboard or download the transparent PNG, paste it in as a layer, lower the opacity and lock it. Procreate and Clip Studio also have their own isometric guides (Drawing Guide → Isometric, and the Parallel Line ruler); use this when you need a specific angle, spacing or a printable sheet.
Can I print it?
Yes. Choose A4 portrait or landscape, export at 4× and print at 100%. Light grey lines scan out of a finished drawing; non-repro blue is the traditional choice for the same reason.