Welcome to Ms Borgersen's digital art class
WHAT IS CONTOUR LINE?

​A contour is the line which defines a form or edge - an outline.  A contour drawing shows the outlines, shapes and edges of a scene, but omits fine detail, surface texture, colour and tone (‘contour’ is French for ‘outline’). According to Wikipedia:

The purpose of contour drawing is to emphasize the mass and volume of the subject rather than the detail; the focus is on the outlined shape of the subject and not the minor details.

The illusion of three-dimensional form, space and distance can be conveyed in a contour drawing through the use of varied line-weight (darker lines in the foreground / paler lines in the distance) perspective and the carefull tracing of tone edges.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 shadieng.  then the artist begins to describe the interior of the object ie the form, value, or structure with line only.  


Types of Contour Line

There are several types of Contour line drawings, the most used and famous are the following ones:
  • Cross Contour: Follows the “landscape” of the form. Think of an ant crawling across the object or a topographic map. You would draw lines that would follow along the form. Variable lines make it look even more exciting.
  • Continuos Line Drawing: consists of continuos line drawings without ever lifting the drawing instruments from the page.
  • Contour: Outline of the object and interior parts of the object, really just the basics showing the object without any shading.
  • Pure Contour: The very outline of the object, nothing drawn on the inside. this is a very simple type of contour line drawing.
  • Blind Contour: The act of drawing an object without actually looking to the paper, with the purpose of analysis the object and drawing what you see, and not what you think you might be seeing.
  • Variable Contour: Vary the width of the contour line to give emphasis and weight to the line. It gives the illusion of the line having more. This is one of the most effective type of contour line drawing as it is more realistic.

continuous line artist Kris Trappemiers

Using the asthetic of Contour line Kris Trappemiers takes it one step further by designing the art instead of using a pen or pencil to create the line work he does it with sculpture. He creates pristinely twisty and complex portrait stencils – truly gorgeous art in and of itself – then completes each piece on canvas with spray paint or acrylics.
- Artwork About by Kris Trappemiers
Contour line work done by kris Trappemiers
Same Line work now with added fill in shadding

Project

Project steps

1

 trace the ouline, details, and value lines

requirement
make sure that NO LINES ARE OPEN.  all lines must be closed, there it must start on another line or end on itself making a circle.

 2

fill in the spaces with the value and color

Requirements 
must show value ie not all the shapes of the apple are are the same shade of red. 
in order to further understand simple structures  and learn to abstract them we will be using the idea of Variable Contour lines to create an new type of still life.  
Project REquirements
  • must have at least 2 pieces of a fruit or vegetables that is arranged in an appealing compisiton and is zooming in on.  (food does not jsut float in middle of the frame) 
  • using line must describe value, the contour, and identifiable details
  • must use at least 20 lines and uses line weight to describe a line hierarchy
  • fill in the shapes created by the line work with color.  The coloring displays value and form  and makes an original artwork describing your still life.  

Why Countor lines?

Teaching contour line is a simple way to hone students’ observational drawing skills, preparing them for more advanced activities to come. Because the idea, drawing the outline of an object, is so simple, it allows people to really focus and SEE what is on the object ie the outline, details, value etc. . This is a lesson about how detailed you can be and SEE.

why Vegetables and or Fruit

Still lifes have been a staple in the artist community for YEARS!!! every good artist has done their fair share.  Fruit and vegetables have a variety of lines as well and can display variety of contours while not  being intimidating as they are everyday items.  Plus it shows real creativity to find a way to display these things uniquely. ​ 

PRoject REquirements


Project REquirmewnts
  • must have at least 2 pieces of a fruit or vegetables that is arranged in an appealing compisiton and is zooming in on.  (food does not jsut float in middle of the frame) 
  • using line must describe value, the contour, and identifiable details
  • must use at least 20 lines and uses line weight to describe a line hierarchy
  • fill in the shapes created by the line work with color.  The coloring displays value and form  and makes an original artwork describing your still life.  

Rubric

Tutorial

Extra Tutorials