Contour drawing: Summary
“contour”: noun- 1.) outline
2.) (in full, contour line) line on a map joining points of
equal altitude.
verb 3.) mark with contour lines. Derived from the Latin: “con”,
“with” and “tornare”, “ to turn”
In art practice contour line is a line that appears to turn with the form to which it
pertains. Contour drawing is essentially an objective approach, which involves the
tactile sense. Contour drawings describe 3- dimensional objects by way of a linear
mapping of surface incidents. In art, contour does not simply mean outline. A contour
line can be traced between any two points on the object being drawn.
Types of contour drawing
1.) blind contour: never take your eyes off the subject, do not look at drawing
2.) partial peek contour: look at your drawing only when necessary, to relocate a
contour
3.) slow contour: extended drawing period, concentrated analysis of form
4.) quick contour: timed drawing, maximum of 5 minutes
5.) cross contour: draw only cross contours, do not draw outside contours
6.) continuous line contour: see below, #3 under Sketchbook Activities
Method of contour drawing
It is important to remember that contour drawing demands a single, precise, incisive
line.
1.) Use a sharp pointed instrument.
2.) Keep your eyes on the subject you are drawing.
3.) Imagine that the point of your drawing tool is in actual contact with the subject.
4.) Do not let your eyes move more quickly than you can draw.
5.) Keep your implement in constant contact with the paper until you come to the end of
a form.
6.) Keep your hand and eye coordinated.
7.) You may begin at the outside edge of your subject, but when you see that line turn
inward, follow it to it’s end.
8.) Draw only when there is an actual, structural plane shift or where there is a change
in value, texture or colour.
9.) Do not enter the interior form and draw nonexistent planes or make meaningless
lines.
10.) Do not worry about distorted or inaccurate proportions; they will improve with
practice.
11.) Use a single, incisive line.
12.) Do not retrace already stated lines and do not erase for correction.
13.) Keep in mind line variation in weight, width, and contrast.
Research Artists:
Andrews, Stephen: contemporary Canadian
Curnoe, Greg: contemporary Canadian
Hockney, David: contemporary British
Ingres, Jean-Auguste Dominique: 19th century French
Kelly, Ellsworth: contemporary American
Modigliani, Amodeo: 20th century Italian/French
Rodin, Auguste: 19th, 20th century French
Sketchbook Activities
1.) Begin by making a series of contour drawings (blind, partial-peek and slow) of
single, common objects (eg., your shoe, backpack, a leafy house plant, etc., using the
method described above. Use felt-tip pen, ballpoint pen, and 2B graphite pencil that will
give you the required incisive line necessary for this exercise. Remember to draw to the
edges of the sheet, utilizing the entire picture plane, and do not neglect cross-contour
lines.
2.) As above, but create more complex still-life arrangements with a variety of objects
placed to establish foreground, middle ground and background planes. You may take
your drawing implement off the sheet of paper and look at your drawing to relocate a
contour line when forms overlap.
3.) Using continuous contour line, draw an architectural interior, such as your kitchen or
bedroom. In this method the line is unbroken from beginning to end and the drawing
implement stays in constant contact with the sheet of paper. The completed drawing will
give the impression that the line used could be unraveled or unwound, as though the
image could be comprised of one very long unbroken piece of spaghetti.
4.) Make a series of casual quick contour drawings of objects and people in an
environment. Follow the method described above, but allow yourself a maximum of 5
minutes to finish your drawing.
5.) Do a slow cross contour drawing of a "soft" object, such as a pillow, hanging
garment, or arrangement of drapery. Map the surface topography of your subject using
parallel cross contour lines. Do not draw outside contours.