UNIT PLAN

Course: Drawing 1
Medium: Graphite

Contour Line Unit

Duration: 8 days

Kansas State Standard VA:Cr2.2.II & VA:CR3.2.I

Materials

Performance Standard: Through experimentation, practice, and persistence,

demonstrate acquisition of skills and knowledge in a chosen art form.
Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Performance Standard: Engage in constructive critique with peers, then reflect
on, reengage, revise, and refine works of art and design in response to personal
artistic vision.
Anchor Standard 3: Refine and complete artistic work.

Newsprint
12x18 Drawing Paper
Drawing Pencils (HB & 6B)
Hands, Shoes, Simple Still Life
Black Pen
Fine & Extra-Fine Tip Sharpies

Objectives
n

Students will identify and use contour lines to define a complex form.

Students will rely on hand-eye coordination to create blind and modified

contour drawings of various items.

Students will demonstrate observational drawing skills to define their

forms through weighted contour line.

Art Production
Day 1 45minutes
Introduction: PPT-Fabric

Independent Practice:
10minutes: Blind Contour Fabric - Newsprint
20minutes: Modified Contour Shoes Drawing Paper
10minutes: Critique

Day 2 45minutes
Introduction: PPT-Plants

Independent Practice:
10minutes: Blind Contour Plant - Newsprint
20minutes: Modified Contour Plant Drawing Paper
10minutes: Critique

Day 3&4 90+45minutes

Introduction: PPT- Soft Still Life

Independent Practice:
Create a still life drawing, using contour.
Your drawing must:
Vary the line weight
Touch at least 3 sides of your paper
Create clean contour lines, no sketchy, dashed lines

Contour Line Unit

Elements of Art
Line, Shape, Form

Principles of Design
Proportion

Vocabulary
Contour Drawing - A contour drawing is
done when the artist looks intently at the
EDGES of an object, but rarely looks at
the paper while the pencil moves. The
goal of contour drawing is to make a line
that is authentic and true to what you are
actually seeing, and to train your hand to
copy your eye's movement.
Blind Contour- a drawing exercise, where
an artist draws the contour of a subject
without looking at the paper.
Modified Contour- allows you to look at
your paper and pick up your pen, using
multiple lines instead of one.
Although not completely blind, the artist
should only look at the paper 10% of the
time, and at the object 90% of the time.
Continuous Contour- a contour drawing
done without picking your pencil off of
the paper. It is essentially done with one
long line. Continuous line contour

drawings can be done 100% "blind" or

not.

Day 4 Critique: Discuss and critique in progress still life as a class.

(Last 15 minutes)
Day 5-8 90+45minutes
Introduction: PPT- Magnified Contour

Line Weight- Contour drawings use no

shading, but lighter and darker tonal areas
can be "suggested" by varying line width
and pressure. Darker, thicker lines can be
used in shadow areas, and lighter, thinner
lines in lighter areas.

Independent Practice:
Create a still life drawing, using contour.
Your drawing must:
Vary the line weight Use pen & fine & extra-fine sharpies
Touch at least 3 sides of your paper
Create clean contour lines, no sketchy, dashed lines
Day 4 Verbal Critique: Discuss and critique in progress still life as a
class.
(Last 15 minutes)
Written Critique:
Answer these questions in a Google Doc, use complete sentences:
1. What part of your contour portfolio do you think was most
successful? Why?
2. What did you find most challenging in this portfolio? Why and
how did you overcome it
3. If you could change one thing about your final magnified contour
drawing what would it be and why?

Art History/Resources
ContourExamples.PPT

Modifications/Notes

Aesthetic Questions
What do we gain by using contour line drawings method of still life drawing?

Art Criticism/Analysis Questions

Did you create clean contour lines not sketchy lines?

How does varying the line weight affect the form of the object?

Evaluation Criteria
CONTENT

CREATIVITY

CRAFTSMANSHIP

COMPLETION

Student demonstrates
observational drawing
skills to define their form
through line.

Student experimented
with various line weights
to creating light and dark
values with line only.

Student created clear and

descriptive forms using
contour line.

Student completed each

step of the project within
designated class periods.

Student demonstrated
control and intent with
their pencil marks. Stray
marks or undesirable
scribbles are not visible
in any portion of the
drawing.

Student completed all

assigned tasks for this
project including:

Students pinecone fills

the whole picture plane,
touching at least 3 sides
of their paper..

Student paid close

attention to detail in
their object and used
varied line weight to
define these details in
their final piece.

Student used smooth

contour lines not sketchy
lines to define the form. .
5

10

15

20

25

10

15

20

25

10

15

20

25

-Fabric&Plant- Blind
-Fabric&Plant- Modified
-Soft Still Life- Modified
-Magnified- Modified
Verbal Critique
Written Critique

10

15

20

25

TOTAL: ___/100pts

Contour Line Unit