AR drawing: trace a picture through the camera

An online tool for tracing a drawing through your camera: the picture you choose is laid as a semi-transparent layer over the live camera view while you repeat its outlines in pencil on a real sheet. It works like tracing paper or an artist’s projector — a photo can be turned into clean lines right away, and the grid keeps your proportions honest.

How to draw

1

Load a picture — a photo, a drawing or a screenshot.

2

Start the camera and prop the phone above the sheet with the screen facing you: a glass, a mug or a stack of books works.

3

Fit the picture to the sheet: one finger moves it, two fingers scale and rotate it.

4

Set transparency to about 50% and press «Lock» so an elbow cannot shift the picture.

5

Trace the outlines in pencil on the paper while watching the screen.

Overlay a picture on the camera and copy it onto paper

Drop a picture here or click to choose
PNG, JPG, WEBP, GIF, SVG, HEIC ·
Load a picture and start the camera
55%
Picture
Placement

One finger moves the picture, two fingers scale and rotate it. Mouse wheel scales, Shift + wheel rotates.

Prop the phone above the sheet — a glass or a stack of books works. The picture does not follow the paper: move the phone and the outlines shift with it. The «Lock» button protects you from nudging it with a finger.

Features

Outlines from a photo
A Sobel operator turns a snapshot into lines right in the browser, and the detail slider decides how much fine texture survives.
Transparency on one slider
From 5 to 100%: you see both the picture and your own pencil stroke on the paper.
Perspective correction
The camera always looks at the sheet at an angle — drag the four corners onto the edges of the paper and the proportions stop lying.
3×3 grid
The classic grid method: the same division on the picture and on the sheet keeps the scale under control.
Snapshot and recording
A frame is saved as PNG, the drawing session as a video file up to 5 minutes long.
The screen stays on
While the camera runs, the page holds a Wake Lock so the phone will not fall asleep mid-drawing.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to install an app?

No, the tool opens in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer. All it needs is camera access, which the browser itself asks for the first time you start it.

Does the picture follow the sheet of paper?

No. The image is fixed relative to the screen, so the phone has to be propped up and left alone. Every tool of this class without special markers works that way — in exchange, the picture never drifts because your hands shake.

Why does my drawing come out stretched?

The camera almost always looks at the sheet at an angle, so the rectangle of the picture lands on a trapezoid of paper. Switch on «Perspective» and drag the four corners onto the edges of the sheet.

Can I trace an ordinary photo?

A photo is easier to trace once it is turned into lines — that is what the «Outlines» mode does. For logos, lettering and cartoons the «Black & white» mode usually works better.

Why does the camera refuse to start from an Instagram or TikTok link?

Those links open in the app’s built-in browser, which often denies camera access. Copy the address and open the same page in Safari or Chrome.

Is sound recorded?

No. The video only contains what is visible on screen: the camera view and the picture laid over it.

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Who is this tool for?
✨ Content Creators 🎓 Students 👨‍👩‍👧 Parents & Families
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