Exploring Form Through Cross Contour Drawing
*This post was originally written in January 2024.
In my Drawing I class at the Savannah College of Art & Design, I took everything I’ve was building on over the first few weeks and applied it to my very first project. Earlier, our class focused on contour lines: the outlines that define the shape of an object. By Class 3, we expanded that knowledge into cross contour lines, which take things a step further.
Unlike simple contours, cross contour lines travel across the surface of an object, helping us show its three-dimensional form. They essentially map the surface with linework, giving a drawing more depth, structure, and realism.
To get comfortable with the technique, I practiced cross contour lines on a variety of shapes: spheres, cones, mugs, and more. Each exercise gave me a stronger sense of how line can wrap around form, almost like topographic mapping.
This project challenged me to bring it all together. I was tasked with drawing four different objects, each with distinct form, and applying everything I’d learned so far. This meant not only using cross contour lines effectively but also thinking carefully about composition, placement, and proportion.
Composition: ensuring the drawing fills the space evenly and feels balanced on the page.
Proportion: making sure each object’s size feels accurate in relation to itself and the others.
Placement: drawing the objects as they truly appear in real life.
By combining these principles, my drawings became more than just outlines. They looked realistic, grounded, and true to the objects in front of me.
This project marked an exciting milestone: taking theory and technique and translating it into a finished piece. It’s one thing to practice shapes individually, but it’s another to arrange multiple objects together in a way that feels cohesive and believable.
