Contour Drawing

This year, I'm going to get off my keaster and start teaching classes at Artistic Portland.  As a member of the Co-op, I am able to teach any art-related classes there, and since I AM a teacher--and have been apart of the Co-op for almost a year--it's about time.  

The class is going to happen later in February and is about drawing what you see (rather than what you think you see), specifically focusing on Contour Line Drawing--drawing the edges that make up on object rather than worrying about shading and texture and all that.   It also involves looking at the object being drawn more than the paper, which can be frustrating and results in some interesting drawings!  Like this continuous contour line drawing I drew earlier this week (drawn without taking my pen off the paper).

In order to make it a continuous line, you sometimes have to create lines that don't exist in real life--like the line connecting my mouth to my hair.

If you're wanting to sit down and draw something that looks exactly like real life--you will be disappointed with contour line drawing.  But if you want to train yourself to be a better observer, to train yourself to really look at things and take in the nuances of whats around you, and to practice being able to draw what you see, then you should try contour line drawing.  I won't lie, it is often very frustrating--especially since you aren't aloud to erase!  I like to use a black marker, so my mistakes and shaky lines are even more pronounced.

I think the results are charming.  Usually.  Sometimes they are just a mess, but that is valuable practice as well.

Since I've being planning for the class, I've been obsessively contour line drawing everyday.  It's been a while since I've taught art--I forgot how much it feeds me.  I haven't even done the actual teaching yet, but the planning has already been inspiring.

By the way, all three of the drawings I've shared on this blog--I originally hated them.  I forced myself to finish drawing each one.   But I now think they are charming and raw and expressive. 

So now you try!