What is BeforeYouDraw?

BeforeYouDraw is a web-based drawing system that converts any photo into a structured drawing plan. The plan includes four discrete value tiers, simplified shadow shapes, proportion anchor points, and contour edges. Users follow the plan to draw their subject in traditional media.

Does BeforeYouDraw upload my photo?

No. BeforeYouDraw processes photos entirely in your browser using MediaPipe Face Mesh and client-side image processing algorithms. Your photo never leaves your device.

The current version works with human portrait photos. Pets, landscapes, and still life are planned for future releases.

How is BeforeYouDraw different from generative AI?

BeforeYouDraw does not generate images. It analyzes a photo and produces a structural plan that the user follows to make their own drawing by hand.

Who built BeforeYouDraw?

BeforeYouDraw was built by Jeffrey Tokarz, a charcoal portrait artist based in Fairport, New York.

A guided drawing system

Upload your subject, choose your approach.

Upload a clear portrait photo. We'll turn it into a structured drawing plan: values, shadow shapes, anchors, edges. So when you pick up the charcoal, you start with vision instead of guesswork.

Drop a portrait photo here

JPG, PNG, or HEIC · up to 20MB · clear, well-lit faces work best

Photos are processed entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to our servers.

You can change the approach later.

Studying the photo…

Your plan

The drawing was already there. Now you can see it.

Architectural 7 layers

Reference photo

photo.jpg

Processed in your browser

Approach

Try another

The full plan: all four values, every anchor, hard edges. Best for first attempts and for learning to see structure.

Materials

Paper & media

Smooth white drawing paper. The paper is your highlight; build values down from there.

What to look for

Or just keep this open beside your easel.

Guided drawing

Draw with the plan, one step at a time.

Use ← → to navigate steps · Esc to exit

i

Step 1 of 7

Anchor placement

Place the five anchor points on your paper before any other mark.

Why this matters

Anchors lock in proportion before drawing begins.

Tools for this step

Vine charcoal, lightly.

1 / 7

BeforeYouDraw — See it before you draw it.

Upload your subject, choose your approach.

Drop a portrait photo here

How do you want to approach this drawing?

Architectural

Studio

Expressive

The drawing was already there. Now you can see it.

Draw with the plan, one step at a time.

Anchor placement