Faces Gallery
Instructions for one-minute, blind, continuous line contour drawings can be found the bottom of this page...
This set of faces were drawn at Britannia Community Centre's Canada Day celebration in Victoria Park on Friday, July 1. Some are one-minute, blind, continuous line contour drawings and others are collaborative funny faces, where each person draws one features then passes it along to their neighbour.
These are tests for our Canada Day workshop in Victoria Park for the Britannia Community Centre:
Some of the drawings in this set are of two different faces, drawn one on top of the other.
How to do One-Minute Blind Continuous Line Contour Drawings
"One-minute" means you'll only be drawing for a minute... you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish in that time!
The process is "blind" not because you won't be using your eyes, but because you won't be looking at your paper while you draw (you'll only be looking at the face you're drawing).
"Continuous line" means using a single, continuous line to draw your subject without lifting your pen from the page until you're finished.
"Contour" is the edge where two things meet, so this includes the outline of what you’re drawing, but it also includes all the shapes within. So when you do a contour line drawing you look for the outlines and the inlines.
To do your own one-minute blind, continuous-line, contour drawings like the ones above, you'll need: a timer that beeps (or someone with a watch to time you), a mirror (that you don't have to hold), pens (these were done with sharpies), some paper (we love smooth sheets of 6 x 6" bristol) and a clipboard or large book to hold your paper (protect your book by covering it with a larger sheet of paper).
Here's what to do:
1) Set a chair approximately an arm's length in front of a mirror.
2) Get your clipboard, paper and pen ready.
3) Set your timer for one minute.
4) Once the timer starts keep your pen on the paper and your eyes on your face in the mirror—no looking at the paper!
5) Draw the inside and outside edges of all the details of your face without lifting your pen.
6) When the timer goes off, stop drawing and take a look at what you've done.
7) Try drawing your face more than once.
8) Try using only 30 seconds. Try doing a drawing over top of another drawing. What other variations can you think of?
It's lots of fun to do this exercise with a partner. You'll both need a clipboard (or book), a pen and several sheets of paper. Sit face to face, an arm's length away from each other—make sure your partner doesn't look at their paper!
Have fun!
The process is "blind" not because you won't be using your eyes, but because you won't be looking at your paper while you draw (you'll only be looking at the face you're drawing).
"Continuous line" means using a single, continuous line to draw your subject without lifting your pen from the page until you're finished.
"Contour" is the edge where two things meet, so this includes the outline of what you’re drawing, but it also includes all the shapes within. So when you do a contour line drawing you look for the outlines and the inlines.
To do your own one-minute blind, continuous-line, contour drawings like the ones above, you'll need: a timer that beeps (or someone with a watch to time you), a mirror (that you don't have to hold), pens (these were done with sharpies), some paper (we love smooth sheets of 6 x 6" bristol) and a clipboard or large book to hold your paper (protect your book by covering it with a larger sheet of paper).
Here's what to do:
1) Set a chair approximately an arm's length in front of a mirror.
2) Get your clipboard, paper and pen ready.
3) Set your timer for one minute.
4) Once the timer starts keep your pen on the paper and your eyes on your face in the mirror—no looking at the paper!
5) Draw the inside and outside edges of all the details of your face without lifting your pen.
6) When the timer goes off, stop drawing and take a look at what you've done.
7) Try drawing your face more than once.
8) Try using only 30 seconds. Try doing a drawing over top of another drawing. What other variations can you think of?
It's lots of fun to do this exercise with a partner. You'll both need a clipboard (or book), a pen and several sheets of paper. Sit face to face, an arm's length away from each other—make sure your partner doesn't look at their paper!
Have fun!
