

It is imperative to note that in cross-contour drawings, there are no outside lines. You are resulting in creating a picture that is an accurate representation of the object in question.Ĭross-Contour Drawing: This type of drawing involves contour lines representing the dips, curves, turns, and bumps of that particular object you are drawing. Looking at your subject will ensure that you are drawing what you are seeing.Īpart from improving your observational skills, blind line drawings also make sure you let go of all the preconceived notions you may have about the shape of a particular object. When you do blind contour drawing, you focus all your eyes on the object you intend to draw while your hands get to focus on the movements of the pencil. With this type of line drawing, an artist spends his entire time only looking at the object he is trying to draw without setting his eyes on the paper.Įven if you were to lift your pen to reposition it, you wouldn’t look at your paper. So, How is a Contour Line Drawing Beneficial to Artists?īlind Contour Drawing: This is arguably the most popular type of contour technique and refers to line drawings that you undertake without looking at your paper as you draw. How Do You Draw a Blind Contour Drawing?.


#A contour drawing how to#
How to Draw Without Looking at the Paper.What is the Difference Between Blind Contour and Contour Line Drawing?.Nearly all art students start their artistic journey through contour drawing by drawing the visible edges of a shape. A contour line drawing is created by studying the subject’s edges, only rarely looking at the paper as they draw. In this post, I will how to create ideas for contour sketches and line drawings. To progress, draw with varying thickness and strength of the line when creating a contour. One of the simplest forms of linear drawing that students can use to study and reproduce their drawing.Īs a general rule, to generate contour drawing ideas, begin by drawing uncomplicated objects such as an uncomplicated still-life object such as a flower or a piece of fruit. The drawings come out very interesting and are a record of what each person observed in the shoe.A contour is simply a line that defines the edge or form. Then they begin drawing the next shoe right on top of the drawing done by the person before. For the activity each student draws the shoe at their seat for 1-2 min no looking at the paper, then when the time is up they get up and move to the seat to their right. I think it is really helpful to see me do a pure contour and to see it come out distorted (because they know I can draw quite realistically) and to know if theirs comes out distorted they are still doing it right. Before students begin I do a demonstration of a blind contour of one of the shoes and explain the activity. I have students use Crayola markers for this exercise because they cannot be erased and because they glide smoothly over the paper. Then students set up a blank page their sketchbooks in front of the shoes. I set out shoes on each of the tables - one per student. The group pure contour drawing exercise is a fun way to start off this unit.
