LINE: Contour and Gesture Drawing

Friday morning began with a slide presentation on Contour Line followed by a series of contour drawings. Students used graphite pencils, ball point pens and markers. In the drawings below, notice the various ways of addressing contour. In particular, the "accented" lines (swelled, darkened and broken lines) add a greater sense of volume.

Devon Ste. Marie-Rubin

Sabin Thapa

The afternoon section began with a presentation on Gesture Drawing.  First the class made drawings addressing the cross-contours of gourds.

Jim Paschal

Jim's drawing demonstrates the cross-contour method. Notice how the lines wrap across the form. Spacing and accenting the lines can add an increased sense of volume.

Julianna Cheplick

Julianna's drawing is composed of one continuous line. Notice how the line creates a bird cage-like structure with vertical cross-contours (i.e. caged volume).

Lupita Perez

Lupita's drawing employs the Scribble gesture technique. Scribble drawings address the mass of a form as well as the light patterns. In addition, everyone's line quality and character is different, some appearing soft like lamb's wool, as in Lupita's drawing, others are coarse like a gnarled wire brush.

Will Dargie

Will's drawing demonstrates the mass technique. Similar to scribble, mass drawings illustrate the solidity and volume of the form as well as the light patterns.
The class finished with a series of drawings combining the techniques as well as one emphasizing the negative space (not pictured).