---
{
  "title": "How It Works: Trace a Picture with Your Phone | Pencilbloom",
  "description": "Prop your phone over the paper, pick a picture and trace the lines you see on the screen. Here is how AR tracing works, step by step.",
  "url": "https://pencilbloom.com/how-it-works",
  "lang": "en",
  "kind": "lessons",
  "dateModified": "2026-10-29",
  "publisher": "iHux"
}
---

# How Pencilbloom works

Your phone shows the picture. *Your hand draws it.*

Pencilbloom is a tracing app: prop your phone over the paper, pick a picture and trace the lines you see on the screen with a real pencil. No drawing skill is needed: the app shows the lines one part at a time and saves a time-lapse of your drawing as you go.

Updated October 29, 2026

How it works

## Three steps, *no talent required.*

How AR drawing works: the camera keeps the picture lined up with your paper, so you can follow it with a pencil.

1. ### Pick a picture

   Choose a drawing from the app, turn your own photo into clean lines, or imagine something new.
2. ### Prop up your phone

   Rest it on a cup, a stack of books or a stand, about a hand’s width above the paper.
3. ### Trace, then color

   Follow the lines with a real pencil, one part at a time. Your drawing is saved as a time-lapse.

Tracing modes

## Two ways *to trace.*

Use it like a tracing projector with your phone on a stand, or hold it in your hand and let AR keep the picture pinned to the page.

- Most popular

  ### On a stand

  Steadiest lines. Best for longer drawings, portraits and anything with fine detail.
- AR mode

  ### Hold your phone

  No stand needed. AR pins the picture to your paper even when your hand moves.

Pictures

## Trace anything *you like.*

Start from the library, or turn any photo into a clean line drawing in a few seconds.

- **176 drawings** Flowers, animals, faces, places, anime and more, sorted by difficulty.
- **Your photos, as lines** Pets, people, places: we turn the photo into clean outlines you can trace.
- **Imagine** Describe a picture and we draw the lines for you.

![A photo turned into a line drawing in the app](https://pencilbloom.com/_astro/photo.14xcms49_Z1IO5GR.webp)

Is tracing cheating?

## Artists have traced for centuries, with grids, projectors and the camera obscura.

Tracing trains your hand and your eye. Pencilbloom’s lessons slowly hand the work back to you: more guide at first, less every time, until you draw it on your own.

[Read: Is tracing cheating?](https://pencilbloom.com/guides/is-tracing-cheating)

## Your first drawing takes *about ten minutes.*

Free on iPhone, iPad and Android.

scan to download

## Keep exploring

- [Learn to draw](https://pencilbloom.com/learn)
- [Coloring pages](https://pencilbloom.com/coloring-pages)
- [Tracing guides](https://pencilbloom.com/guides)

Made by [iHux](https://ihux.co).