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Contour Line Drawing of Posed Figures for High School
Learn to draw posed people using single continuous contour lines. Focus on edge continuity, overlap handling, and pose readability without shading or proportion construction.
Free lesson
Four exercises
Worked answers
Object Drawing Lessons
Contour line drawing asks you to trace the visible edges of a posed figure with a single, unbroken line. Unlike gesture drawing, which captures motion quickly, or construction drawing, which builds proportion from basic shapes, contour drawing slows you down to observe exactly where one edge meets another. In this lesson you will practice three core skills: keeping your line continuous, deciding how to handle overlaps where one body part crosses another, and making the pose readable through outline alone. You will work from posed figures described in text and from your own live model or photograph. All measurements and numerical examples are hypothetical and should be checked against your actual paper and tools.
Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.
Understanding Contour Line and Edge Junctions
A contour line is a line that describes an edge. In figure contour drawing, you draw the outer boundary of the body and the boundaries where parts overlap, such as an arm crossing the torso. You do not shade, and you do not build proportion with geometric construction. The goal is a readable outline that shows the pose.
An edge junction is any point where two contours meet: the neck meeting the shoulder, the arm meeting the torso, or the forearm meeting a thigh. Junctions are where contour drawings succeed or fail, because each junction is a decision about which edge is in front. Before you draw, scan the pose and name each junction aloud, for example 'forearm over thigh' or 'left arm behind right wrist'. Naming the junction first makes the drawing decision deliberate rather than accidental.
- Scan the pose from head to feet and name each edge junction aloud, for example 'forearm over thigh' or 'left arm behind right wrist'.
- For each junction, decide which body part is in front before you put pencil to paper.
- Mark the foreground edge as the contour that remains continuous; stop the occluded edge where it meets that contour.
Keeping the Line Continuous
Continuity means your pencil does not lift while you trace the visible contour. Start at a clear point, such as the top of the head, and move slowly along the edge. At an overlap, the foreground contour stays continuous; the contour of the part behind ends where it meets the foreground edge and resumes only where it becomes visible again. Make that junction deliberate rather than drawing both edges through one another.
Speed is not the goal. Slow, deliberate movement helps you observe small changes in direction. If your line drifts, keep going; do not erase mid-contour. You can correct later by drawing a second contour beside the first, but the first line must remain unbroken to count as a contour study.
- Place your pencil at the top of the head and begin tracing the outer edge.
- Follow the edge down the neck and shoulder without lifting.
- At the armpit junction, choose the arm edge or the torso edge and continue.
- Complete the full outline and return to your starting point if possible.
Handling Overlaps and Making Pose Readable
Overlaps occur when one body part crosses in front of another, such as a forearm in front of the chest. Show the occluding part with a continuous contour. The contour of the part behind stops where it meets that foreground edge and resumes only beyond the occluder, where it is visible again. This creates a T-junction: the continuous crossbar belongs to the foreground contour, while the interrupted stem belongs to the occluded contour.
Pose readability means a viewer can tell what the figure is doing from the outline alone. Check that the head, torso, and limbs are distinguishable and that the direction of each limb is clear. A readable pose does not need perfect proportion; it needs clear edges and consistent overlap handling.
- Identify each overlap in the pose before drawing.
- Draw the foreground (occluding) contour continuously through the junction.
- Stop the background contour where it meets the foreground edge and resume it only where it reappears.
- Review the outline and ask whether a classmate can describe the pose without seeing the model.
Using the Printable Worksheet Plan
The planned printable will include three posed figure outlines, three blank contour-only boxes, and a checklist for edge continuity, overlap handling, and pose readability. The outlines are starting references; the blank boxes are for your own contour drawings. The checklist helps you self-assess before submission.
Because the printable is planned and not yet built, use this text to create your own boxes: draw three rectangles on a sheet, label them Box 1, Box 2, and Box 3, and use the checklist criteria described in the rubric section. Measure your own paper and pencil to set any numerical values you choose.
- Draw three rectangles of equal size on your paper.
- Label each box with the pose name you will draw.
- After each drawing, tick the checklist items: continuous line, overlaps handled, pose readable.
Worked example
A seated figure faces left. The right forearm rests across the thighs and is in front of the left thigh. Describe the visible contours at their overlap: which contour remains continuous, where the hidden contour ends, and where it can resume.
Worked answer
Keep the right forearm’s visible contour continuous across the overlap. Trace the left thigh edge toward the forearm and end that contour where it meets the forearm; do not draw it across the arm. Resume the thigh edge only where it becomes visible beyond the forearm. The T-junction has the forearm as its continuous crossbar and the interrupted thigh contour as its stem, so the right forearm reads in front.
Four practice exercises
Exercise 1
A standing figure faces forward with both arms raised above the head. The left arm crosses slightly in front of the right arm near the wrists. Describe where you would stop and continue the contour line to show the wrist overlap.
Show answer and check
The left arm is in front, so keep its visible contour continuous through the wrist overlap. The right arm or wrist contour ends where it meets the left arm and resumes only on the far side if it becomes visible.
Why: The foreground arm is the occluder, so its contour remains unbroken. The wrist contour behind it is interrupted at the overlap.
Check: Look for a T-junction whose continuous crossbar belongs to the left foreground arm; the right wrist contour must stop at it and appear only beyond it if visible.
Exercise 2
A figure sits on a chair with the right knee raised. The right forearm rests on the raised knee. Identify the overlap and state which edge you draw first.
Show answer and check
The right forearm overlaps the raised knee. Keep the forearm contour continuous; stop the knee contour where it meets the arm and resume it only on the far side where visible.
Why: The forearm is in front of the knee, so the arm is the occluding contour. The knee edge is hidden at the crossing and must not be drawn through the forearm.
Check: Check that the forearm contour remains continuous and the knee line terminates at it, resuming only beyond the arm where visible.
Exercise 3
A figure leans forward with the left hand on the left hip. The left elbow points backward. Describe how to keep the contour continuous from the shoulder to the hand without lifting the pencil.
Show answer and check
Trace from the shoulder down the upper arm to the elbow, around the elbow point, along the forearm to the wrist, and around the hand to the hip, keeping the line unbroken.
Why: The elbow creates a sharp turn; slowing down at the elbow helps keep the line continuous.
Check: Confirm the line has no breaks between shoulder and hand and that the elbow turn is visible.
Exercise 4
A figure stands with the right leg crossed in front of the left leg at the ankle. The right foot points left. Describe the overlap at the ankles and how to make the crossed-leg pose readable.
Show answer and check
The right leg is in front, so keep its contour continuous at the ankle overlap. The left ankle contour stops where it meets the right leg and resumes beyond it where visible. Draw the right foot pointing left to clarify direction; interrupt the left foot edge where the foreground foot covers it.
Why: The right leg and foot are foreground shapes. Their contours continue; the left ankle and foot contours are interrupted wherever those foreground shapes occlude them.
Check: Ask a classmate to describe the crossed-leg pose. Check for a T-junction with the right foreground contour continuous and the left rear contour interrupted and resumed only where visible.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the pencil to fix a wobbly line. Keep the line unbroken and draw a second contour beside the first if needed. The first line stays as evidence of your observation.
- Drawing both contours through an overlap, or interrupting the foreground edge instead of the hidden edge. Keep the foreground contour continuous. Stop the rear contour where it meets the foreground edge, then resume it only where it becomes visible again.
- Adding shading or construction lines to make the pose clearer. Remove shading and construction marks. Use only contour lines and overlap junctions to communicate the pose.
- Making the outline too small to read. Use a larger box and check that head, torso, and limbs are distinguishable at a glance.
Self-check rubric
- Line continuity: the contour is unbroken except for noted accidental lifts.
- Overlap handling: foreground contours continue; occluded contours stop at them and resume only where visible beyond.
- Pose readability: a viewer can describe the pose from the outline alone.
- Junction decisions: each overlap is deliberate and matches which body part is in front.
- No shading or construction lines: only contour lines are used.
Questions and answers
Can I use a photograph instead of a live model?
Yes. A photograph works if the pose is clear and the edges are visible. Avoid photos with heavy shadows that hide contours.
How long should each contour drawing take?
There is no fixed time. Slow down enough to observe junctions and overlaps. A hypothetical example is five to ten minutes per drawing, but adjust to your own pace.
What if my line accidentally lifts?
Note the break and continue. For assessment, a single accidental lift may be acceptable if the overall contour is continuous and readable; check your rubric.
Do I need to draw every finger and toe?
Draw the edges that affect pose readability. Small details can be simplified if the main contour and overlaps remain clear.