Contour Line

Pablo Picasso“I AM ALWAYS DOING THAT WHICH I CAN NOT DO, IN ORDER THAT I MAY LEARN HOW TO DO IT.”

Contour LineCONTOUR LINES - LINES THAT SURROUND AND DEFINE THE EDGES OF A SUBJECT, GIVING IT SHAPE AND VOLUME. THESE SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH A FORM'S OUTLINES

Portrait of Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) 1920 (graphite on paper) by Picasso, Pablo (1881-1973) Private Collection / The Bridgeman Art Library

Draw the most important lines, break it down to it’s essential parts.

Pablo Picasso- Portrait d`Olga (1918-1936)

CONTOUR DRAWING... ...is the marvelous simplicity and elegance of line design. Successful contour drawing is characterized by perception and control and demands the experience of visual and graphic practice to achieve competence.

Blind contour drawing Drawing while looking ONLY at the subject, never looking at your paper.

You learn to see the essential parts of the image. Throw out the non essential details. Use your right brain, distance will not be applicable- that means it won’t look “good” or realistic.

Draw your own hand as a BLIND contour drawing.

•5 min per drawing•4 total drawings- each drawing with your hand in a different position.

Continuous Line- Do NOT pick up your pencil

That means no eraser needed or allowed because you can’t pick up your pencil.

Mistakes will help you learn, if you make a mistake just correct the line and move on with the rest of your drawing- leaving the mistake there