GRADE 5CONTOUR DRAWINGDR. BUDA, WYANDOT ELEMENTARY ART

Contour Drawing

• There is no one “correct” way to draw• People have always drawn, doodled, and sketched out

ideas• Everyone CAN draw---maybe not with the skill of a

master artist, but everyone can learn to render images and by practicing can show great improvement

• By learning how to look at objects just a little differently and by breaking them down into simple shapes, all people can learn to draw.

Blind Contour Drawing Video

Five Views of an Onion, 1950sballpoint on Manila paper16 3/4 x 13 7/8 in. (42.5 x 35.2 cm

ANDY WARHOL

CONTOUR LINES

Contour: the outline of a shape or form• 19th Century Drawing by Kasushika Hokusai

CONTOUR LINES

Contour lines can be outside or inside an object and help define the shape.

CONTOUR LINES

Help an object look more realistic.

Shoes

ALEXANDER CALDER

Elephant, c. 1928 Wire and wood Circus Scene, 1929

Wire, wood, and paint 50" x 46 3/4" x 18 1/8"

STEVE LOHMAN

“WALKING THE DOG”10" x 6' x 3"

Wire Sculpture

“TV MAN”16" x 8" x 4"

Wire Sculpture

“ARTIST”10" x 8" x 6"

Wire Sculpture

Where have you heard the word contour before?

POSITIVE SPACE is the inside of the object/s or subject of the artwork

NEGATIVE SPACE is the outside of the object/s or subject of the artwork

UNDERSTANDING HOW TO VIEW OBJECTS

WHERE IS THE POSITIVE SPACE IN BOTH DRAWINGS?

WHERE IS THE NEGATIVE SPACE IN BOTH DRAWINGS?

NEGATIVE SPACES

EXTERIOR NEGATIVE SPACE is the space surrounding the positive space

INTERIOR NEGATIVE SPACE is space surrounded by positive

PURE COUNTOUR LINES

PURE CONTOUR LINE DRAWING

Only divide positive space from negative space with one continuous flowing line

GOAL is to allow your eyes to move around the object at the same rate of speed as your hand draws

These drawings are most always distorted

LET’S SIMPLIFY THIS EVEN MORE AND LEARN THE PROCESS

EACH STUDENT NEEDS 1 CONTOUR DRAWING HANDOUT AND A SHARPIE MARKER

1. Turn the drawing over to the back

2. First trace the CONTOUR LINE that divides the EXTERIOR NEGATIVE SPACE from the POSITIVE

3. Draw all COUNTOUR LINES around INTERIOR NEGATIVE SPACES

4. Label your EXTERIOR NEGATIVE SPACE

5. Number your INTERIOR NEGATIVE SPACES

BONUS QUESTION

What is the relationship to the number of lines it took to draw your object to the number of negative spaces?

Explain

REFLECT ON YOUR OWN DRAWING SKILLS

• Contour drawing is a great way to practice and improve your drawing technique whether you are a beginner or already a skilled artist

• Somewhere on this practice page write DRAWING UNIT and give yourself a score between 1 and 10 of how you would rate your current drawing skill level.

• We will see where you are at the end of the unit.

DRAWING TIME! LET’S PRACTICE

TABLES NEED

Each table needs one object

Students will have 3 minutes to draw the object and then move object to the next table and draw the new object

STUDENTS NEED

1. Pencils

2. 6 pieces of 50# drawing paper

3. Try to draw objects life size

Too often we draw with the left side of the brain---the logical reasonable side—rather than with the sensory powers of the right side of the brain.

People who draw with the left side of the brain tend to be technique oriented and stiff.

Trust your eyes. Draw only what you see not what you know!!!!!!!

Things to remember:

• draw slowly and deliberately NOT sketchy• contour line drawings are made up of only

lines that divide POSITIVE FROM NEGATIVE spaces

• lines should follow the contours of your still life object(s)

• Each table will have one object and once it is placed on the table no one should move it, just draw it as slowly as possible looking at the object not your hand!

AFTER FIRST DRAWING CHECK WORK

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE DRAWINGS?

DID YOU DRAW MORE LINES THAN NEEDED?