FUNDAMENTALS OF DRAWING

Contour Drawing: A drawing that uses one or a few lines to draw a subject. A contour drawing defines the edges, value changes, and surface changes of an object. You do not add value to a contour drawing.

Continuous Line Blind Contour: A drawing completed without lifting your pencil and without looking at your paper! However, you MUST be staring at the subject you are drawing. You are training your hands and eyes to move at the same speed.

Continuous Line Modified Contour: A drawing that is completed without lifting your pen/pencil. You may look at your paper briefly for reference, and you MUST be looking at what you are drawing.

Different Kinds of Contour Drawing

Blind Contour Rules

• Do NOT lift your pen.• Do NOT look at your paper

while you are drawing.• You MUST look at the object/person

you are drawing.• You must leave a trail

from one spot to the next!

Continuous Line Blind Contour

Hints: 1.Your eyes are like laser beams with

pencils on the end of the beam.2.Your eyes and pencil should move at

the same speed when drawing your subject.

3.Observes ALL surface edges, ridges, and color and value changes of an object.

4.DO NOT PEAK AT YOUR PAPER!!! 5.This is NOT about a “pretty” drawing!

Modified Contour Rules

• Do NOT lift your pen.• OK to look BRIEFLY at your paper.• You MUST look at the object/person

you are drawing.• You must leave a trail

from one spot to the next!

Continuous Line Modified Contour

Hints: 1.Your eyes are like laser beams with

pencils on the end of the beam.2.Your eyes and pencil should move at the

same speed when drawing your subject.3.Observes ALL surface edges, ridges, and

color and value changes of an object.4.Your eyes should be moving back and

forth like watching a tennis match…look at your paper, then look at your subject, paper, then subject, paper subject….

5.This is NOT about a “pretty” drawing!

SKETCHBOOK PAGES

Example: paper clip, eraser, or small still life object.Hand should be palm-up so you can see your bent fingers.

Focus on the curve of the fingers, not the object.

Continuous Line BLIND Contour

Draw your hand holding an object

On your Blind Contour page

It is OK if drawing overlaps the other things on that page

Draw two still life objects

Example: bottle of glue, pencil sharpener, scissors or stapler.Focus on the object do NOT PEEK at your paper!

On your BLIND Contour page

It is OK if drawing overlaps the other things on that page

Continuous Line BLIND Contour

Draw your hand

holding an objectExample: paper clip, eraser, small still life object.

Hand should be palm-up so you can see your bent fingers.Focus on the curve of your fingers, not the object.

On your MODIFIED Contour page

It is OK if drawing overlaps the other things on that page

Continuous Line Modified Contour

Draw two still life objects

Example: bottle of glue, pencil sharpener, toy, scissors or stapler.Focus on the object NOT your paper!

On your MODIFIED Contour page

It is OK if drawing overlaps the other things on that page

Continuous Line Modified Contour

1. Drawing is the coordination between eye, hand and mind.

2. Do not focus on your drawing (the paper). You must focus on the object you are drawing

3. Look at the object as if you have never seen it before. 4. Use the language of art when drawing:

● What does the shape look like?● Is the line horizontal or slanted?● Does a curve have a smile or a frown?● What is the distance between shapes?● Is the edge convex or concave?● How bumpy is the edge?● What are the shapes of the negative spaces

5. You must learn to draw lines and shapes; values and tones.

TOP 10 DRAWING TIPS

6. Your mind HAS the CAPABILITY to keep the information ONLY if you communicate about shapes, proportions, contours, or textures. 7. You must look at your object CONTINUALLY as you draw. DO NOT look once and then rely on your memory. 8. Drawing is a job for the eyes! It does not matter what you draw, but that you see things as lines, shapes, values, textures, and spaces; and that you compare distance and relationships between objects and shapes. 9. If you are having trouble with a specific area, focus on the negative space around the object. If working from a photo, hold the photo upside down.

10. Draw as if you know nothing about drawing: THINK: “There are only shapes that I see, and I can draw shapes. There is no such thing as knowing how to draw.”

TOP 10 DRAWING TIPS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL3LiR_pvsU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BlUBQmup-M

http://www.valleytech.k12.ma.us/Arts/Gallery10.htm

Blind Contour Tutorial. Use link with INTERNET EXPLORER

Student Samples - Award Winning Work with Continuous Line Contour Drawings

Famous works inspired byContinuous Line Contour Drawings

Artwork by Pablo PicassoWeeping Woman. 1937

Artwork by Pablo PicassoGirl Before A Mirror, 1937