CONTOUR: ADVANCED APPLICATIONS

Contour as a singular entity is a strong, simple and complete drawing style. It can be augmented with interior shadow outlines, texture, color and mixed media. In advanced applications contour drawing may be utilized as the first step of more complex compositions.
All of these approaches are shown below.

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    The top left contour begins and ends with a single line! This marker drawing is a "continuous line" which overlaps itself as it moves from form to form. Below it is an iguana contour enhanced with spotted texture.

   The bee pencil drawing includes parallel and dotted textures. It's partner is a posed figure study in pencil with a student model. Linear outlines suggest facial and neck shadowing. Accent line adds some contrast drama.

The right group has ceramic (top) and glass (bottom) contours which became large collages. Did you notice another"continuous line" contour drawing in this group?

The contour drawings in the last 2 groups were "1st steps" to succeeding work. The imaginative animal and figure became a mixed media painting which will appear in another graphic section. The glass drawing depicts focus on glass surfaces later rendered in different forms and media. Some requirements were to suggest edge illusions, transparency and unusual arrangements.

Contour Collage

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  A summary drawing was to include color and tissue collage in a large contour composition. These began with student setups, many sketches and arrangements and several textural studies.

  The tissue areas were to accent background, shadows and reflective contours. They were also to visually link object shape and background. All examples also include textural information.

  In the middle drawing, all objects are connected as a continuous line contour in a monocromatic color scheme.

  The last one combines simple contour, continuous line and linear textures in both objects and background.