Drawing: Continuous line drawings
An insight into continuous line drawing and how to put it into your daily routine.
Continuous line drawings are easy to integrate into busy days as they are quick and require little tools and equipment. Nevertheless this form of drawing is a brilliant way to develop your drawing and observational skills.
What is a continuous line drawing?
A continuous line drawing is a drawing activity where you draw a still life (ideally) or a reference image without taking the drawing tool off the drawing surface, for a set duration of time.
How do continuous line drawings help me?
Continuous line drawings help you develop your observational skills through the co-ordination between the hand and eye. Many issues I have when people say, ‘I can’t draw,’ is actually they can but they don’t spend enough time looking at the object or reference image they are drawing. You are, of course, developing your drawing skills too. Like any practice, the more you do it, the more confident and skilled you will become.
How long do I draw for?
Keep the drawing time short. I often draw or teach others to draw using this technique in set durations, such five minutes. When it is timed, you have to keep drawing until the time is up. This makes you look in depth, especially when you spend more time focusing and looking at the object. The more you look, the more you will see. Shape, line, tone and textures all start springing out at you.
Which drawing tools and surfaces can I use?
The best drawing tool to use is a biro or a drawing pen. This stops you erasing any mistakes. You can also use fine liners, felt pens, pencils, graphite and markers. You can use any type of paper, such as scrap paper, envelopes, newspaper, parcel paper, drawing paper, printer paper and cartridge paper.
What type of things can I draw?
Anything you want. I’ve drawn things like keys, bolts, screws, leaves, flowers, chairs, homewares, seascapes, faces and toys. Whatever catches your eye. Items with lots of shape, textures and angles can be really interesting to draw.
But continuous line drawing aren’t perfect.
No, they certainly are not. It’s not about perfection. It’s all about you enjoying the process and developing your drawing and observational skills, by playing about with different pressures, marks and drawing tools and surfaces.
Who can draw continuous line drawings?
Anyone! I have taught continuous line drawings to five year olds, right through to retired folk. You can be a beginner or a professional artist.
How do I draw a continuous line drawing?
Find something interesting to draw.
If it’s moveable, set out the item you are drawing. Think about the lighting too. Having direct, natural light on the object can give a broader range of highlights and shades, which will give you the opportunity to experiment with tonal marks.
Put yourself into a position you are comfortable and where you can draw, whether it’s on a table, board or your lap.
Study the object carefully. Look at it in detail. Think about where you want to start your drawing and position the drawing tool in a place on the drawing surface (e.g. paper) where you will have sufficient room to draw your object.
Set a timer, for e.g. five minutes. (If you are working with younger children, I would advise to start with shorter times, so they get used to not taking their tool off the surface and build up their hand muscles).
Start drawing, slowly. Your eyes should be flitting to and fro from the object to the drawing. Remember wherever your eyes are, should be where you are drawing. You could start with the outline, following the contour of the shape.
Experiment with different marks and pressures. You can hold the drawing tool right at the top to create light marks or press hard low down to make dark marks.
Start adding detail, creating tone and texture.
Keep looking…I promise you, you will see all sorts that you didn’t see to begin with.
Keep going until the timer stops. You will probably won’t finish it.
Take a look at your drawing and think about what went well. Only think about one thing to improve on. Don’t get in the habit over critising your artwork. Remember you want to build up your confidence and skills, not create low self-esteem on your work.
If you have a go, join the chat below to talk about your experiences.
How can I challenge myself?
You can challenge yourself in several ways:
Continually look at the object and not look at your drawing whilst you’re drawing.
Try out different surfaces and drawing tools.
Find objects with lots of texture, shape and tone.
Vary the set duration.
Have a sketchbook to draw continuous line drawings in, so you can see your progression.
If you have a go, let me know how you get on in the comments.