A contour line follows an edge of a form. It is not only the outline around the outside. A contour drawing also follows the edges inside: a fold in a sleeve, the rim of a cup, the place where a finger overlaps another finger.
Contour drawing is slow on purpose. Let your eye creep along an edge, and let the pencil creep along the paper at the same speed, as if it were touching the object. Look at the object much more than at the paper.
Key idea
A contour drawing follows every edge you can see, outside and inside, slowly, with your eyes on the object.
Why it works
When you draw from memory, your hand draws a symbol: the idea of a cup or a hand. Following real edges slowly makes you notice the true shapes in front of you, which are almost never the symbol. That noticing is the heart of drawing from life.
Worked example: Your own hand
You draw a contour of your hand resting on the table. Name three inside edges you could include.
- Look for edges that are not on the outline.
- The creases at the knuckles, the edges of the fingernails, and the line where one finger overlaps the next are all edges.
Answer: For example: knuckle creases, fingernail edges, and overlapping fingers.
Common mistake
Many people draw only the outside outline, which looks like a cookie-cutter shape. Inner edges are what make a drawing look solid. Check by asking: where does one part meet another, fold over, or turn away?
A contour drawing of a crumpled paper bag is a classic exercise: it has many inside edges and no "right" shape to remember.