Line
The Element of Line Unit
Line is a mark made using a drawing tool or brush. There are many types of lines: thick, thin, horizontal, vertical, zigzag, diagonal, curly, curved, spiral, etc. and are often very expressive. Lines are basic tools for artists—though some artists show their lines more than others.
What are Contour Lines?
and
Upside Down Drawing Exercise
What you need:
Copies of Handouts #1 & #2
Copy paper--4 pieces
Pencil
Instructions:
Step 1: Go through the power point and read over info below
Step 2: Using copies of the handouts, turn image upside down, cover it up with a piece of paper only showing the portion you are drawing, recreate the image (upside-down) on a piece of copy paper drawing SLOWLY.
Line Contour Upside Down Drawing.pptxWHAT IS CONTOUR LINE?
A contour is the line which defines a form or edge - an outline. Contour drawing is the place where most beginners start, following the visible edges of a shape. The contour describes the outermost edges of a form, as well as dramatic changes of plane within the form. Put simply, a contour line drawing is an "outline drawing," that uses no shading.
A contour drawing is done when the artist looks intently at the EDGES of an object, but rarely looks at the paper while the pencil moves. The goal of contour drawing is to make a line that is authentic and true to what you are actually seeing, and to train your hand to copy your eye's movement.
There are several different types of contour line drawings:
BLIND CONTOUR
'Blind contour drawing' is when contour drawing is done without looking at the paper AT ALL.
This helps train you to look more often at your subject than look at your paper. Staring down at your paper while drawing can be a hard habit to break~
CONTINUOUS LINE CONTOUR
"Continuous line contour drawing' is a contour drawing done without picking your pencil off of the paper. It is essentially done with one long line. Continuous line contour drawings can be done 100% "blind" or not.
MODIFIED CONTOUR
A "modified contour line drawing" allows you to look at your paper and pick up your pen, using multiple lines instead of one.
Although not completely blind, the artist should only look at the paper 10% of the time, and at the object 90% of the time. The artist only looks at the paper to place their pencil when they start a new line
CROSS-CONTOUR
Cross contour lines are drawn lines which travel, as the name suggests, across the form. Cross contours follow the form of the surface area- using curved lines over curving or spherical planes, straight lines across flat surfaces, etc.
WHY DO THEM?
It is a classic drawing exercise to:
capture the edges and details that we often overlook.
develop good hand-eye coordination which is key when learning to draw. With regular practice, contour drawing exercises will help train your hand to follow your eye's movements.
develop the right brain (creative side!) muscles, help it become more assertive and aware of the observable.
balance the left brain's tendency to standardize, generalize, and simplify everything, which creates stereotypical ways of seeing and drawing.
HOW TO DO IT:
Look at the object! While you draw, look at the object 80% of the time (100% of the time if doing a BLIND contour). Look only at your paper when you are ready to make a new line on your paper and you are checking where to place it. Concentrate on practicing your hand-eye coordination instead of worrying about the look of your drawing.
One continuous long line, do not lift the marker off the paper unless you go off the edge of the paper and hit the table or come to an absolute dead end. Whenever several lines meet, simple choose a direction and reconnect those lines later.
Go as slowly as a snail. Draw slowly. If it helps, close one eye while you draw.
Detail, detail, detail! Capture edges only, but capture as much information as you can! Capture every nook and cranny on paper. Each and every edge, crack, line, wrinkly, etc. that is possible to SEE.
Work as close to life size as your paper will allow.
Your Assignment:
UPSIDE DOWN CONTOUR drawing exercise
Try to copy a contour line drawing by look at it UPSIDE DOWN! This is another way to get you to actually SEE what you are drawing, instead of drawing what "you think you see."
Contour Line & Blind Contour Line
Blind Contour Drawing.pptxYour Assignments:
Follow the rules and directions below to create 3 different contour line drawings of your non-dominant hand on a piece of copy paper. To create your "blind" contour drawings, use one of the paper plates with your pencil stuck through the middle so that you are not tempted to peek.
#1 BLIND CONTOUR of hand with small object
#2 MODIFIED CONTOUR of hand
#3 MODIFIED CONTOUR of hand holding scissors
blind contour.mp4Materials you will need:
Your hand
drawing paper (9x12)
Pencil
Scissors
Small object
Paper plate
Remember. . . .
Look at the Object
Draw Long, Continuous Lines
Go Slow and Steady
Detail, detail, detail!
Draw life-size.
#1 BLIND CONTOUR of hand with small object
Hold a small object- like pen or pencil- in your hand and do a BLIND CONTOUR drawing of it. DON'T CHEAT!! No looking at your paper until you are 100% done! It's going to look a bit silly, and that's ok! It's just an exercise :)
Remember to follow the outline slowly with your eyes and try to match that movement with your hand, this helps train your hand-eye coordination. Don't forget to draw all the little details, like finger nails and folds of skin!
#2 MODIFIED CONTOUR of hands
This time you will complete a modified contour drawing of hands. You may look at your paper 10% of the time. You may pick up your pencil and use as many lines as you need.
#3 MODIFIED CONTOUR of hand holding scissors
This time you will complete a modified contour drawing of your hand holding a pair of scissors. You may look at your paper 10% of the time. You may pick up your pencil and use as many lines as you need. Make sure to include ALL details and go slowly!
Now for your projects. . . . .
Blind Contouring Optical Art
Materials you will need:
Your hand
black construction paper (9x12)
metallic pen or colored pencil
pencil
ruler
Instructions:
Look at the “posed” hand and determine both a starting point and a path to follow around the “posed” hand.
Using a pen/colored pencil, begin drawing one continuous line very slowly. The pen/pencil should move as slowly as your eyes. Look at every wrinkle, freckle, crease, bracelet, knuckle, ring, bump, and fingernail. (All lines do not need to be drawn to represent the “posed” hand. You may have extras.) Do not lift the pen.
Your finished drawing will look a little strange, a bit chunky, and somewhat spooky. That is part of the beauty of blind contour drawings and is a sure sign that you did not look at your board while drawing.
Adding Optical Art
Use light pencil lines to create a background behind the blind contour drawing. Do not draw through the blind contour drawing
You may use lines to create a zigzag or a checkerboard pattern, a vanishing point, or even concentric circles. These lines may be drawn freehand or using a ruler
Plan the pattern to change in size at least once. Increase or decrease the line width and pattern to give the illusion of movement. This is the desired effect of optical artwork.
Contour Line Flowers
For your contour line project, you will be using continuous contour line to create floral images.
Materials:
Transparency Film
Sharpies
Washable Markers
Mixed Media Paper
Spray Adhesive (Teacher use only)
First, choose a printed black and white copy of one of the flower images:
Next, tape a piece of transparency film over your paper image. Using a continuous contour line, outline your flower and all the shades included in your image.
After you have finished outlining, cut your image out of the transparency film, and set it aside.
Next, get a piece of mixed media paper. Scribble in some color in the general area of your flower outline. This does not need to be perfect, but try and add the same colors as your image. Once you have finished your background, we will use spray adhesive to attach your transparency film to your paper.
Submit a photo of your finished project to this assignment.
Contour Pine Cone and Shoe
MODIFIED CONTOUR of still life of your shoe
Set up your shoe in front of you. Create a MODIFIED CONTOUR drawing of your shoe in pencil. Remember to look at the shoe more than your paper! Include all of the details. Remember that you can "indicate" lighter or darker shadow areas by varying your line thickness. For example, to indicate a shadow under the shoe, thicken up your line there.
When you are done, neatly go over all your lines with fine-tip marker.
FINAL MODIFIED CONTOUR of a pinecone
Your final contour line drawing will be a detailed drawing of a pinecone. You complete a careful modified contour drawing of a pine cone. Draw quietly and continuously – working hard to shift to the right brain thinking mode. No sketching or shading. Show repetition of patterns and details. Look closely at the pinecone and draw only what you see using inner and outer contour lines.
Go slowly – draw what you see! Vary the width of the lines.Keeping your eyes on the pinecone more than your paper, complete your drawing in pencil. Go over your pencil drawing with black marker- varying your line width to indicate darker or lighter areas.
The Things They Carried (Unit Project)
BIG IDEA:
What do you carry?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
What is a contour line?
How can you balance your text and the drawing of the backpack?
What do you physically and emotionally carry on a daily basis? How does that compare to what the soldiers carry?
The Things They Carried.pptxUnit Project
View the power point to the left. Follow the steps and create a drawing of your
Materials you will need:
Backpack or bag you carry often
12" x 18" paper
pencil
sketch paper
list of the things that YOU carry
Part 1
Sketch your backpack 3 times, each time in a new position. Figure out which position of the paper and the backpack looks best balanced.
Pick your favorite positioning and be ready to start the project on 12 x 18 paper.
Part 2
Set up the backpack the way you chose to draw it. Draw BIG and detailed. This is a test grade.
Part 3️
We will incorporate text into our drawings about the things we physically and emotionally carry on a daily basis.
On a piece of paper, make a list of words or sentences you want to include.
Consider the placement of the text.
It should balance with the drawing and enhance the drawing not distract from it.
The text could outline the backpack, fill the background around it, be written inside the backpack.
Words can be repeated or written only once.
Consider how the words will be written. Some can be larger, block letters to take up space, negative words could be written in a different style than positive ones. Discuss how the word looks can impact the meaning it has.
Check out DaFont.com for font examples of all kinds. Ask yourself: "does this font SUPPORT the meaning behind my drawing?"
To the left is the audiobook of chapter 1 of The Things They Carried. If you are not in class when I read Chapter 1, you will need to listen to the audiobook.
*Warning--There are a few instances of suggestive scenes and profanity as this is a book about men at war. I usually skip over these scenes and rephrase the words.
Sites that information and images were borrowed from:
https://mrs-cook.weebly.com/contour-line.html
http://www.allisonkunath.com/blind-contour-portraits
https://www.youtube.com/c/thevirtualinstructor/featured