Though they have nothing to do with shadow, making lines across a surface does make that surface look darker, so they most often appear as marks in shading, like in these pillows by Albrecht Durer. They do a lot for a drawing, and they’re interesting. It took me years to realize that I actually like cross contours. When I learned cross contour in school, we did projects like this apple below, and I wondered what the heck this had to do with anything, because I didn’t see any good drawings that were like this, and although it had that nifty 3D effect, I never wanted to draw like this again. Cross contours describe the form like outlines do, but they do it in the middle instead of at the edge. This is where cross contours become useful. Without a mark here and there to cue us in to what’s happening in the expanse of whiteness, the drawing remains flat. These outlines describe what the shapes do around the edges, but inside those edges, with the exception of those tiny hatches at the knuckles, there is only blank white, just as outside the boundaries, there is also only blank white, so we don’t really know what happens there. You can see how the lines describe the contours around the edges of the form, the defining edges of the facial features, and the outlines around the fingers.

Below is an Egon Schiele drawing using contour lines. Contours describe the shape along the edges of a thing. “Contour” is the French word for outline, so contour lines are, quite simply, outlines. We are 1/3 done! Sunday is observational drawing day, so I’m sharing an exercise from school, with a twist. This entry was posted in Drawing on Decemby markmcleod50.Today is the 10th day of our 30 Day Challenge. Follow outer edges of form + borders of light and shadow that describe the surface contours.Yes, you can look at your paper while drawing, but expect distortion.Be as descriptive as possible! Note subtle changes that define edges, textures, volume and form.Follow outer edges of form + borders of light and shadow that describe the surace contours.Nope, you can’t look at your paper while drawing.– Drawing A Contemporary Approach Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso Egon Shiele Egon Shiele Egon Shiele Egon Shiele “A line that delineates both the outside edge of an object and the edges of planes, as opposed to outline, which delineates only the outside edge.” Follow these borders with contour lines on your drawing. Use strong lighting to create bold shadows on your face and clothing.

Find a creative placement for your mirror to capture you and your background environment Don’t forget to add your background environment! Don’t oversimplify your features-drawing what you see, not what you think you see. Don’t use a rapidly applied sketching line Be sure to fill the rest of the page with details from your environment! Use an ink pen or black, fine-point Sharpie at the end to make your drawing stand out. Begin lightly with pencil and make corrections with an eraser as you go. Some distortion and exaggeration is ok but do your best to mark the contours that describe volume around each form you draw. Work slowly and attentively to avoid creating a generic or oversimplified representation. No use of photos is allowed!ĭraw with a singular descriptive contour line and emphasize the unique contours around and across each form you draw. Media-Graphite pencils (H or HB) + erasers + black fine Sharpie or Micron penįor this assignment you will complete 1 detailed modified contour line drawing of yourself and your environment-from observation. Size-18”x24” Drawing paper- available in class (NO NEWSPRINT PLEASE) Students will display proficiency in compositional design. Students will demonstrate ability to draw from observation while using continuous contour to describe form.

Contour line art no background