Nachzeichnen

Nachzeichnen is a German verb meaning to trace or redraw by following the outlines of a subject, usually from a reference. The prefix nach- indicates reproduction or repetition, and the compound can refer to both copying a model and reworking a drawn image.

In art and design education, nachzeichnen is used to study proportion, line quality, and shading, and to create studies that reproduce a reference for learning purposes. It can also be employed by professional artists to reproduce details or to build a study from an existing image before creating an original work.

Common methods include direct tracing with tracing paper placed over a source, using a lightbox to illuminate lines, the grid method to transfer a drawing to a different size or surface, or projection and transfer paper to reproduce an image onto another support. Materials typically include tracing paper, graphite pencils or charcoal, rulers, and suitable drawing surfaces.

Differences with abzeichnen: abzeichnen emphasizes exact copying of lines, while nachzeichnen can allow interpretation, refinement, and the addition of new details. In professional contexts, copyright and attribution considerations apply when reproducing artworks or photographs; using nachzeichnen for study is generally acceptable, but presenting the result as someone else’s original work is inappropriate.

Etymology: the word combines nach- (“after” or “again”) with zeichnen (“to draw”). In English, nachzeichnen is commonly translated as trace or redraw.