I am a novice and am wondering about using grids, clipers, and other tools to help get portrait layouts correct. For some reason I get the sense that "real" artist don't sight proportions with their pencils much less use grids, etc. Is this true or am I off in left field? Will using layout aids slow the delevopment of my ability to get proportions correct from sight alone?

Different strokes for different folks is what a friend of mine always says. "Real" artists use what they have to in order to accomplish their works. Rest assured, what ever tools you use, eventually your mind will do all the measuring out of habit. It'll become reflex.

Minion's correct. Its all down to individual taste. I know professional artists who use grids and projectors for speed to get the basic form and major points in place for a drawing and others who do it by sight. Aids are just that, a way to assist you in reaching your goal.

The outline, whether traced, projected or gridded is the easy part. The hard part is making that outline come alive with values.