The more practice of this technique, the more confident you will be to just create the single contour line by itself. Once you have lightly created enough strokes for a feeling of your subject, begin to use a more a intentional line to create your contour drawing. This should not deter you from trying, though! A great way to ease into contour drawing is to first start with gestural marks. If you are new to contour drawing, it can be intimidating to make marks that may not be perfect. Line Basics: Contour Drawing of an Art Deco Marquee by Wanderlust Designer This is easily achieved by drawing dimensions and/or overlapping of objects accurately. The difference between purely an outline drawing and a contour drawing is that the intention of the contour is to not only define shape but also volume. The emphasis of a contour drawing is typically the outline of the objects/subjects in your scene. Contour Line DrawingĬontour drawing is a bit more intentional mark making than gestural. Once you are satisfied, move on to another drawing, or use watercolor or color pencils to add some color if you’d like. Gestural drawings tend to be quick, which make them perfect for any sketchbook artist on the go. Don’t worry about overlapping lines, or perceived “mess ups,” just keep sketching. From there, loosely begin to draw more defining shapes within the scene. To start a gestural drawing, quickly sketch the outer boundaries of the forms/shapes in your scene. Line Basics: Gestural Drawing of an Art Deco Marquee by Wanderlust Designer It can also be used as a building block to start a contour drawing (see below.) Lastly, it is the perfect style to use for moving subjects, since the gestural strokes lend themselves naturally to motion. Stylistically it can be perfect in capturing the essence of a location or scene. It is also a great style to use to keep loose with your art work and not worry about details.
DEFINE CONTOUR LINES IN ART FREE
It is free form and liberating to just “scribble” what you see. If you are new to art, gestural drawing is a great place to start. I chose one subject, an art deco marquee close to where I live to illustrate the differences of these 3 mark making techniques. Each type improve your eye-hand coordination skills and are building blocks to so many different art possibilities. These lines are the basis to almost all drawing.
Today’s “Art School” lesson will be studying 3 basic types of line drawing contour, gestural and implied. There are so many wonderful things to draw either at home or on a trip, so time to get started! Art School: Line Basics – Contour vs. I hope in going through my journey I can also inspire you to pick up your pencil, pen, or brush and join in.
DEFINE CONTOUR LINES IN ART SERIES
One of my goals this year is to kick off a new Art on the Go series called “Art School.” Although I attended art school many, many years ago, like any profession, it’s always great review to go back to the basics and brush up your skills. Art on the Go: Art School Line Basics – Contour vs.