# Tracing Buddy: Drawing Grid — Sketch guides tool

> Drawing grid and anamorphic image creation tool for artists. (iPhone/iPad app by La Fáppbrica.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracing-buddy-drawing-grid/id1470174296 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [La Fáppbrica](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470174145)
- Category: Graphics & Design, Utilities
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 929 App Store ratings · 50 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 28 MB
- Languages: American English, Latin American Spanish
- Released: 2019-08-09
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracing-buddy-drawing-grid/id1470174296/reviews.md

## What is Tracing Buddy?

Tracing Buddy is a drawing grid and anamorphic images creation tool. 

Built for simplicity, Tracing Buddy allows you to easily transfer pictures to a drawing surface

Using the perspective distortion functionality, now you can enter the world of drawing illusions. First, apply the distortion to your images and then transfer them to a drawing surface with a grid

The app is optimized for both iPhone and iPad use, including Dark Mode support

Grid Features:
- Square divisions or choose the preferred aspect ratio
- Change color and transparency of grid lines
- Choose from four subdivision styles and change color and transparency as you wish
- Change the grid background color and the transparency of your image
- Change the scale and position of your image relative to the whole grid
- Save grid settings in projects

Image Features:
- Choose from a regular image, line art style, black & white values, or remove backgrounds with the person detection filter
-With the B&W and values filter you change your image to black & white, adjust shadows and highlights to you liking with the included tone curve and reduce the number of values in the picture to a more manageable amount. With the value selection tool you can inspect where values are placed in your image
- Use the person detection filter to remove the backgrounds of pictures with people in them, change to a transparent or solid color background instead

Anamorphic images:
- Add perspective distortion to your images choosing from two method: AR or using a picture
- In AR method let Tracing Buddy guide you through the whole process, you only need an iOS device equipped with AR capabilities
- If you need more control about the distortion, you can take a picture from your phone or with external camera and apply the distortion manually, for this method to be effective, you need to know the dimensions of the surface you want to transfer your picture to

Premium Features Add-on (either by subscription or lifetime purchase) required for:
- Ad removal
- Premium Image filters
- Multiple Project management
- PNG type export

Privacy Policy:
https://lafappbrica.com/tracing-buddy-privacy-policy

Terms of use
https://lafappbrica.com/tracing-buddy-terms/

## Key features

- Drawing grid with customizable lines and subdivisions
- Perspective distortion for anamorphic illusions
- Image filters: line art, black & white, background removal
- AR-guided distortion process
- Manual distortion control
- Save grid settings in projects

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.49 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $3.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Features | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium Features | $12.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Tracing Buddy?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Fantastic app
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Versatile and easy to use
- 👍 Cheap and has just the perfect amount of help
- 👍 Awesome app for pencil drawing and watercolor
- 👍 Best app around for artists
- 👍 Fantastic for drawing and paintings
- 👍 Helpful tool for artists

**Cons**

- 🐛 Zoom feature not working
- 🐛 Grid feature not working as expected
- 🐛 Lock feature not working properly
- 🐛 Instructions and customer support not helpful
- 🐛 Ads cover drawing area
- 🐛 App only works once, can't reuse

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Zoom feature not working
- Grid feature not working as expected
- Lock feature not working properly
- App only works once, can't reuse

**Most requested features**

- Ability to crop photo inside the app
- Easier way to start a new drawing
- Ability to rotate image
- Grid with numbered overlay and adjustable starting point
- Grid size based on specific measurements

## Recent user reviews (10 of 50)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracing-buddy-drawing-grid/id1470174296/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Fantastic!

*2026-01-27*

This app will is so helpful for my drawings and paintings. I’d be lost without it!

### 5/5 — Love it

*2025-10-14, version 3.8.1*

This is a great app

### 1/5 — Zoom

*2025-08-11, version 3.8.1*

What happen to being able to click on a square that it becomes enlarged? Can you fix that please.

### 1/5 — Grid

*2025-08-01, version 3.8.1*

Not clear at all how to apply grid over photo. I hit grid and basicaly 2 lines went over the photo NOT a grid made of multiple lines horizontal and vertical which is what i want

### 5/5 — Versatile and easy to use

*2025-07-14*

Excellent app, flexible grids and sub-grids. Love the value finder feature also.

### 2/5 — Image alignment

*2025-05-05*

In the final image, the grids, mostly vertical, (sometimes both vertical and horizontal), don’t get aligned to the edges, half grid lines appear at both vertical ends; eg. if 10 verticals are chosen, always 2 halves appear at both ends , the image alignment function does not have any effect. Sometimes same happens on horizontal lines also.  While setting the lines, all seems ok in that screen, but shows UNaligned in the next page screen.
Do check and correct this .

**Developer response:** I'll investigate, if you have any screenshots of the issue please send them to appfeedback@lafappbrica.com

### 5/5 — Fabs

*2025-03-29, version 3.8*

Good tool for drawing

### 5/5 — Love this app

*2025-03-05, version 3.8*

I never leave reviews. But I actually am so excited about this app.

### 5/5 — Best app ever

*2025-02-24, version 3.8*

This app gave me the urge to impregnate someone’s wife

### 1/5 — Most unprofessional customer service ever experienced

*2025-01-05, version 3.8*

This company fraudulently charged my credit card after I tried using the app. When I contacted the company through FB after emailing them, the person was rude, unprofessional, flat out lied multiple times, was confrontational to the point that I had to ultimately block them. Then, they texted me to harass me further. DO NOT USE THIS APP! The creator vile.

## Frequently asked questions about Tracing Buddy

### What does Tracing Buddy do?

Tracing Buddy is a drawing aid that helps you transfer images to a drawing surface using a grid system. It also allows you to create anamorphic images by applying perspective distortion to your pictures.

### What are the key features of Tracing Buddy?

Key features include a customizable drawing grid with adjustable line colors and transparency, various image filters like line art and background removal, and tools for creating anamorphic illusions using AR or manual distortion.

### How much does Tracing Buddy cost?

The app is free to download and use with basic features. Advanced functionalities such as ad removal, premium image filters, multiple project management, and PNG export require a premium add-on, available via subscription or a lifetime purchase.

### Is Tracing Buddy compatible with my device?

The app is optimized for both iPhone and iPad use and includes Dark Mode support. It also leverages AR capabilities for certain distortion methods, so an AR-equipped iOS device is recommended for those features.

### What are some common use cases for Tracing Buddy?

Common use cases include accurately transferring reference images onto a canvas for sketching, creating optical illusions and anamorphic art, and simplifying complex images into manageable line art or value studies for drawing practice.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.8.1 — 2025-07-15

In this update, the “Lock” function on the main grid screen now prevents switching between screens and also keeps the grid fixed in place—no more unintentional zooming or moving!
If you have any other suggestions, we’d love to hear them.

### 3.8 — 2023-11-01

Bug fixes and performance improvements, compiled for the new iOS release

### 3.7.3 — 2023-06-16

Fixes an incorrect handling of image proportions after choosing a project

### 3.7.2 — 2023-05-01

Solves an issue where an user might be able to open two purchase screens at the same time

### 3.7.1 — 2023-03-18

Purchases logic has been completely rewritten to help us deal with uncommon cases that have occurred during the app's history

## Apps similar to Tracing Buddy

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Photo to Sketch Drawing Maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-to-sketch-drawing-maker/id1466744353) | 4.5 (5,815) | Free | Graphics & Design |
| [AR Draw: Tracing Paper Drawing](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-draw-tracing-paper-drawing/id6504627878) | 4.3 (288) | Free | Graphics & Design |
| [AR Drawing Sketch: Trace Draw](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-drawing-sketch-trace-draw/id6450619018) | 4.6 (1,169) | Free | Graphics & Design |
| [AR Drawing How to Draw Sketch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-drawing-how-to-draw-sketch/id6451340162) | 4.7 (23,927) | Free | Graphics & Design |
| [Tayasui Watercolor & Painting](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tayasui-watercolor-and-painting/id671867510) | 4.6 (5,019) | Free | Graphics & Design |
| [Da Vinci Eye: AR Trace & Draw](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/da-vinci-eye-ar-trace-and-draw/id1120304868) | 4.6 (11,309) | Free | Graphics & Design |

## More apps by La Fáppbrica

- [Drawing Proportions](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawing-proportions/id1490326761)
- [Magic Marquee - Banner maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-marquee-banner-maker/id1537273613)
- [Rezzize: Image resizer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rezzize-image-resizer/id1618629294)

All apps by La Fáppbrica: https://appshunter.io/developer/1470174145

## Related topics

[drawing grid method](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/drawing-grid-method) · [cuadricula](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cuadricula) · [drawing tool](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/drawing-tool) · [drawing grid for the artist](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/drawing-grid-for-the-artist)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*