Enlarging a Picture

I have always worked with a grid to transfer the image to the paper. This helps to keeps my proportion accurate from a small image to the big paper. When I started doing this I used PowerPoint to grid out my pictures. It's easy and I will take you step by step how to use it.

1.Open PowerPoint to a blank page.

2. Draw a square that is 5 x 7 inches by going to INSERT.

• Click on shapes and find the square. Drag a square on your blank page don't worry about the size. 
• Double click on the square you drew.
•  At the top of the page to the far right is the size. Type in 5 tall and 7 wide
• Also look for the square that is outlined with no color in it to make your square see through but with a perimeter.

3. Inside the 5 x 7 square make a 4 x 4 table.

• Back in INSERT tab
• On the far left is the table tab
• Click and it and hold the mouse down to highlight 4 squares wide and 4 square tall. 16 total squares are highlighted.When you let of the mouse it will magically appear.
• Click on your table that is random colors and a Table tool will appear. click it.
• Click on the Table and hit Control and the A key at the same time. 
• While the whole table is highlighted, In the Shading tab (about the middle of the page)  click no Fill.
• In the borders section click all borders.
• Resize it by dragging the edges to be the same size as the square.
• SAVE it now!!!

4. Adding the Picture. 

• Insert is the place to be.
• Click the picture icon and go to where your pic is located. Select it
• Right click on your picture and hit go to back
• (If white box appears that means you have a fill in your square or your table) see note
• Resize with the little balls on the edge of your picture. Use the ones on the corners only or it will distort the picture. 

5. Print and work from anywhere. 

NOTE

Click on the table and go to the table tab. Click on the back ground and click no fill.

Click on the square (sometime you have to move the table) and click draw tab. Click the background and click no fill. Move table back.

I also have printed these on transparency to take and lay over printed pictures to work from.

  This is a great way to resize your drawing and get to know your subject better while sketching it. 

(if I am drawing to an 10 x 14 or 16 x 20. True the large size is not a perfect match it converts to a 15 by 21 but you can add background to the edges or crop to make it fit the standard canvas.)

Double bonus is my daughter likes to use the grid drawings for coloring sheets later.