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Discover how to trace any image in detail with our art advice
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Whether you're struggling with perfecting a drawing or you just want to quickly copy an image, tracing is a fast and easy way to get a 'carbon copy' of a picture. There are several easy ways to trace, including using tracing paper, transfer paper, or a light box. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through the best ways to trace an image with each method so your drawing comes out perfect.
How to Trace an Image
- For the easiest option, put tracing paper over the image and trace around the outline. Shade the back of the paper and go over the outlines again to transfer the image.
- To quickly trace an image, Place transfer paper between the image and your drawing paper. Go over the outlines to trace the picture.
- For the most accurate tracing, put your image on a bright light box. Set the drawing paper on the image and trace the outlines.
Steps
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Tape a piece of tracing paper over your image. Tracing paper is very thin—almost like tissue paper—and as a result, it’s easy to see through. Place the image you would like to trace on your tabletop, and tape the corners down. Put your tracing paper over the top of it. You can also secure the corners of the paper with tape, or leave it free so you can make adjustments as you draw. [1] X Research source -
Outline your image on the tracing paper. To use tracing paper , carefully draw the outlines of all the figures in your image with a pencil. Don’t worry about adding any shading just yet, but instead focus only on drawing the outlines. Be sure to include any small details that you want to include in the image. [2] X Research sourceAdvertisement
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Coat the back of your tracing paper with graphite. When you’ve finished tracing your picture, remove the tape and flip your tracing paper over. Using a soft graphite pencil (such as 6B or 8B), shade over all the areas where you’ve drawn lines on the other side of the paper. Use a relatively thick layer of pencil so that it has a solid, consistent shade. [3] X Research source
- Kelly Medford, a professional artist, says that if you’re transferring the drawing to a canvas, coat the backside of the tracing paper with vine charcoal instead.
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Lay your tracing paper over your final drawing paper. Take the paper that you want to transfer your image to, and tape it to your tabletop. Then, flip your tracing back so that it is right-side up, and tape it in place on top of the drawing paper. [4] X Research source
- Be careful not to rub the tracing paper too much because you could smear the graphite onto your final drawing.
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Go over the image’s outline with a hard pencil or pen. Take a very sharp pencil or pen, and draw over all of your outlines again applying medium to heavy pressure. As you do this, the graphite you shaded on the underside of the tracing paper will transfer onto your drawing paper. Work around your picture until you’ve completed all of the outlines. [5] X Research source
- Lift up your tracing paper every so often to check the outline on your final piece of drawing paper. If you notice any areas where the outline is light, go over that section of tracing paper again with a little more pressure.
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Add details and shading to finish your drawing. After going over your outline a second time, you can remove the top sheet of tracing paper to reveal your final drawing on the drawing paper below. At this point, fill in any missing lines that there might be, and add any shading or details from the original image. [6] X Research source
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Lay the transfer paper in between the image and your drawing paper. Put the drawing paper that you’re transferring the image to on a flat surface and tape it in place. Then, lay down a sheet of transfer paper with the darker graphite side face-down. Then, secure your image on top. [7] X Research source
- Using transfer paper also works great for tracing an image onto canvas or any other medium.
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Go over the image’s outlines with a sharp pencil or pen. Carefully work around the outline of each figure and object that’s in your image. As you apply pressure to the outline, the graphite on the transfer paper below will go onto the drawing paper on the bottom. Make sure to go over any smaller details you want from the image so they appear in your final drawing. [8] X Research source
- Avoid adding any shading to your drawing yet because it could make the drawing paper messy or smeared with graphite.
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Add details, shading, or colors to finish your drawing. When you’re sure you’ve traced all the major components in your image, remove the image and transfer paper from your drawing paper on the bottom. Now, just go in and make any changes or enhancements to the outline that you’ve traced, such as shading or coloring in your image.
- Save the transfer paper for another drawing since it can be reused 2-3 times.
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Set your image and drawing paper onto a light box . Place your lightbox on a tabletop or flat surface, and put your image over the top. Tape the corners of your image down, and layer your drawing paper on top of the image. Secure the drawing paper with tape as well, and turn the light on. As long as your drawing paper isn’t too thick, it will look translucent so you can see the image below. [9] X Research source
- If you don’t have a light box, then try taping your image onto a sunny window or a tablet screen with a bright background.
- If you’re using thicker drawing paper, then try turning off the other lights in the room to see if the image is visible. If not, then use a thinner piece of paper or another method to trace.
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Trace the outline of your image. Carefully work around your image, outlining all the major objects and figures with your pencil. Since your drawing paper is on top of your image, you can also add some shadows in addition to the outlines, if you want. [10] X Research source
- Press the paper down flat to ensure that your traced outline and the image line up perfectly.
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Shade or color your drawing to add finishing details. Turn off the light on the lightbox to check if you’ve missed any spots on your drawing. If you have, turn the light back on, fill them in, and finish up your outline. When you’ve finished tracing the image, move on and add color, more shading, and other details you want to include.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow can I trace without using tracing paper, transfer paper, or a light box?Community AnswerTape your picture to a bright window, and place a clean sheet of paper over it. The original picture will shine right through the blank paper. You can also save your picture onto your computer, turn off the lights, and place a blank sheet of paper over your screen; the light from the screen will also cause the picture to shine through the blank paper.
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QuestionWhat if it is dark out and you have to do it in a days time?Community AnswerUse a tablet/ipad with a white background or a computer screen with a white background.
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QuestionHow can I check to see if someone has traced a drawing?Community AnswerIf they have other artwork available, check that to compare the style, materials, etc. You can also just do some research and see if you can find their drawing, or a similar one, from another source.
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Tips
- If you want to copy the drawing in a different size, Medford suggests drawing a grid over the original illustration and then making a larger, proportional grid on your piece of drawing paper. Then, you can draw what’s inside each square to scale.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://youtu.be/xfCCsKzeXlI?t=130
- ↑ https://youtu.be/7w-Tjd5DrS0?t=121
- ↑ https://youtu.be/xfCCsKzeXlI?t=245
- ↑ https://youtu.be/DZV9LPZV-T4?t=100
- ↑ https://youtu.be/DZV9LPZV-T4?t=132
- ↑ https://youtu.be/SIGZ_YmIpBw?t=410
- ↑ https://www.fionavalentine.com/blog/how-to-use-graphite-transfer-paper
- ↑ https://youtu.be/cVfZqBxVVJ8?t=158
- ↑ https://youtu.be/hzcK41OAmpk?t=57
About This Article
Article Summary
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To trace an image, start by taping the picture you want to replicate on a tabletop and putting tracing paper over it. Next, use a pencil to draw the outlines of all the figures in your image. Then, flip your tracing paper over and use a soft graphite pencil to shade over all the lines you’ve drawn. Once you've shaded the lines, flip the tracing paper over again and place it onto a new piece of paper. Finally, use a sharp pencil to draw over all of your outlines again, which will transfer all of your graphite to your final drawing. To learn how to trace using a light box, keep reading!
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Reader Success Stories
- "Tracing paper is a life saver. Saves time, energy, and doesn't cost too much! Great method! "
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"Tracing paper is a life saver. Saves time, energy, and doesn't cost too much! Great method! "
"All of the steps were simple enough to understand and I liked the variety of options."
"I liked the Q and A. It helped answer my questions."
