Lesson 1
CROSS CONTOUR
Cross-contour lines help you to understand the solid form of an object that you're drawing.
Often cross-contours look like the contour lines on a map of rough terrain - they help us visualize the topography of a surface. Usually, we don't draw them this mechanically, but use the understanding of cross-contours to help us describe the form with more subtle line or shading. You can actually make visually striking drawings with just those contour-lines (and no shading) but their real benefit, in my opinion, is helping you to understand how objects appear from certain vantage points. They help us understand the three-dimensional form and describe it on a two-dimensional surface. Contours wrap around a form and obey linear perspective.
Cross-contour drawing exercises are great for helping strengthen your observational muscles, and when you start shading your mark-making will be that much more believable as a result.
Cross-contour lines help you to understand the solid form of an object that you're drawing.
Often cross-contours look like the contour lines on a map of rough terrain - they help us visualize the topography of a surface. Usually, we don't draw them this mechanically, but use the understanding of cross-contours to help us describe the form with more subtle line or shading. You can actually make visually striking drawings with just those contour-lines (and no shading) but their real benefit, in my opinion, is helping you to understand how objects appear from certain vantage points. They help us understand the three-dimensional form and describe it on a two-dimensional surface. Contours wrap around a form and obey linear perspective.
Cross-contour drawing exercises are great for helping strengthen your observational muscles, and when you start shading your mark-making will be that much more believable as a result.
Lesson 2
PLANAR
The Technical Challenge
Building off what we've learned about cross contour drawing, now we will study the surfaces of objects deeper by drawing planar lines and planes.
Definition: A planar analysis drawing simplifies complex curved surfaces into flat planes, using straight lines. This process helps students to think about the underlying structure of objects and results in an analytical drawing, that is rather mechanical in appearance.
The Technical Challenge
Building off what we've learned about cross contour drawing, now we will study the surfaces of objects deeper by drawing planar lines and planes.
Definition: A planar analysis drawing simplifies complex curved surfaces into flat planes, using straight lines. This process helps students to think about the underlying structure of objects and results in an analytical drawing, that is rather mechanical in appearance.
...a mathematical twist on this concept...
The Exercise
Like in the "Planar Drawing Video", find a small object. First draw its outer edge contour. Find the planar surface and render the object using the knowledge learned about cross contour lines and planes.
Like in the "Planar Drawing Video", find a small object. First draw its outer edge contour. Find the planar surface and render the object using the knowledge learned about cross contour lines and planes.
An artist needs to have a great understanding of planar drawing in order to create Mecha renderings and other mechanical drawings.
Lesson 3
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Put it All Together!
Cover the 8x11" printed image with the above template to cut and fold the lines on the image. Tape the cut printed image over the drawing paper. Do your best to draw what you see from the printed image in the 4 techniques listed on the template:
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| lesson_3_-_cut_fold_template.pdf |
