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How to Make a Viewfinder a Drawing Aid for Artists

Using a viewfinder is a great way of making drawing easier. Composing pictures for oil painting is also made possible when the artist isn’t sure where to begin.

A Drawing Aid for Oil Painting

Finding inspiration from life can be overwhelming. What does the artist cut out and leave in? The viewfinder is ideal for editing out unwanted visual information in order to simplify what is seen. The viewfinder is simply a piece of card with a window cut in the middle from where the artist may view a particular aspect. Looking through the window is rather like looking through a camera lens before taking a picture.

Plotting your drawing is made easier because the image can be viewed through a frame. Here, I will show you how to create a viewfinder containing a frame compatible with most drawing pads. Plotting your drawing couldn’t be easier.

Making a viewfinder is simple. Here is a step‑by‑step demo on making your own.

Demo on Making the Artist’s Viewfinder

The first image shows materials that will be required. These are:

A cutting mat or old magazines to cut on.
A piece of card measuring 11 × 8 inches (20 × 28 cm).
Scissors, scalpel, pencil, ruler, double‑sided sticky tape and strong thread.

Cutting mat and materials required to make a viewfinder
Materials needed for making a viewfinder

Making Your Own Viewfinder

Firstly cut the piece of card in half so that each measures 5.5 × 8 inches (14 × 20 cm). Lightly draw a cross in the centre of each card.
Cutting a window in the artist's viewfinder
Cut the card in half
Scalpel a rectangular hole in the middle of each card. The hole should measure 2.5 × 3 inches (6 × 7.5 cm). These proportions match standard sketchbook sizes and make sketching easier.

Creation of a viewfinder step by step with scissors and card
Cutting a rectangular hole in the viewfinder
Affix thread across the window using tape so it stretches horizontally across the middle. Repeat vertically. You should now have a window split into four equal quarters.

The artist viewfinder with cutting mat, scissors and string
Sticking thread across the viewfinder

This “cross” can be used as plotting points for your drawing when looking through the viewfinder and transferring the image onto your sketchbook.

Now place the other piece of card over the first, sandwiching the thread. Use extra double‑sided tape for strength.

Trim off excess thread. The two pieces of card should now be stuck securely.

Process of making the artist viewfinder
Stick the 2 pieces of card together

The viewfinder is ready for use.
List of materials needed to make an viewfinder
The viewfinder is ready for use

Composing the underdrawing for oil painting is now made easier when the artist wishes to sketch from life.

My next article will show you how to use the viewfinder.
The images and text have been taken from my book Draw What You See Not What You Think You See.

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