Cross contours may be horizontal or vertical, as on the right side of the example, or both.
Get started on your creative journey with the best in creative education taught by world-class instructors. A drawing the uses lines to define the outer edges and interior surface details of an object Blind Contour Continuous Line Drawing Cross. Available with seamless streaming across your devices. However, these lines differ in the contour or outline of the form. Most drawings only require a few minutes to benefit from the exercise.Īny mark-making tool can be used, but pens, markers, and graphite pencils are most commonly used. What is Cross Contour Drawing Cross contour lines are drawn lines which travel, as the name suggests, across the form. Join Amy Wynne for Lesson 2: Using Cross Contour Lines To Create 3-Dimensionality of Drawing Fundamentals: Cross Contour Lines and Ellipses on CreativeLive. Cross Contour: This type of contour drawing is one which the lines cross each other, much like 'hatching' in many ways. A sketchbook could be filled with them in a matter of days. Simple line drawings such as these can be created in any environment and do not require a hefty time investment. Cross contour lines are parallel lines that curve over an object’s surface in a vertical or horizontal manner (or both) and reveal the item’s surface characteristics. As artists, we need to spend a bit of time in practice to further develop our drawing skills. While focused mostly on describing the contours, shadows and form can also be communicated depending on the approach taken.Īside from the fact that a continuous line drawing can be a work of art in its own right, it is also a worthy drawing exercise for developing hand-eye coordination and observation skills.
Although mostly created as an exercise, many continuous line drawings can stand on their own as finished works of art.Īs an exercise, continuous line drawing forces the artist to closely observe the perceived lines of the subject. They are the lines that reflect the movement of your eye in and around what you see. When combined with a consistent use of value, the illusion of form in a drawing or painting is easily achieved.A continuous line drawing is one in which a single, unbroken line is used to develop the image. Cross-contour lines are very much an attitude about and approach to drawing. The strokes that are made with a pencil or a brush should flow in harmony with the cross contours of the subject and in turn, communicate more about the form of the object. This is true for any drawing or painting medium. Just like if you were to run your finger over the form, these strokes will change direction in the same manner. The brush strokes or marks made with a drawing medium are more effective in communicating the form of the subject if they flow with the cross contour lines. Draw the shape of the bottle then define the form. Using the bottles on your table practice drawing using cross contour. Cross contour lines may be horizontal or vertical, or both, but always describe the form (three-dimensionality of an object or surface). While cross contour lines can flow in generally any direction, in most circumstances, you'll want to consider lines that flow vertically or horizontally around the form. Cross contour lines are drawn lines which travel, as the name suggests, across the form. This concept is important in communicating form in your drawings and paintings and can help you make smart decisions regarding the direction of your stroke - whether it be with a pencil, pen, or brush. There is practical reason for understanding cross contour lines.
How Cross Contour Lines Can Improve Your Drawing and Painting