I think I spoke, once before, about how much I like to draw what is called a continuous line drawing where I don’t pick my pen or pencil up from the surface of the paper. It is the single most important skill that helps my image making to improve. I think it is because I have to actually relax into feeling the edges and contours of something.
This drawing is considered a broken line drawing, but you can still see the long fluid line of my trying to feel the surfaces of the model.
In both drawings, I applied an ink wash. These were 20 minute poses.
Leslie White 
16 Comments
You know, I’d forgotten about continuous line drawing; I’ll have to re-visit that. Neat — the fabric folds under the leg are especially nice.
Thank-you, Tom. You and others with drawing blogs have helped me want to revisit that wonderful world of drawing for drawing’s sake.
Superb Leslie! I especially like the top one – and the fact that there’s no colour to distract from the excellently observed shape. I envy you your great ability to draw using one continuous line as my attempts to do so were a disaster. Sorry, drooling there, over your ability!
Thank-you for such a great compliment, June. My first attempts were a disaster, also. I still render disasters. I use continuous line as a warm up exercise. What is really fun is to draw something in a continuous line, blind (not looking at the paper, just the subject material. You do so well with the pencil and the pen and ink. You have a creative spirit, that I don’t think I have.
These are great ideas Leslie – your line is so confident – S
I had a remarkable drawing instructor after the first few that I had taken. She started with blind continuous line and moved on from there to teach all aspects of drawing. After that, I never looked back. Instead of drawing with a preconceived notion of what my art should look like, I began to draw from me and where I was at the time. It made all the difference! Thank-you for commenting on this being a great idea, Stephen.
Top Rob is so solidly dimensional. I love continuous line drawings (no surprise there) and the fluidity they produce and I’m deeply impressed with the accuracy of your line work – he’s so very well observed.
Thank-you, Sarah. Coming from you, I consider this high praise. The rob one is not done blind. I’ll post some blind drawings eventually, because I teach it.
And…..not all continuous line drawings come out as nice as that one. I feel good if I get one good one in ten. I hang on to all of them, because there’s always something I learn that I never noticed before.
I’ll let you know how I get on when I try out your suggestion.
Remember that it’s a warm up and helping you to see and feel the form better.
These are fantastic. I am envious of your wonderful drawing ability. And I love that they are B&W.
Both are very sensitively rendered.
Thank-you, Carol, especially for the sensitively rendered.
These are beautiful! I especially love the top one! The form is so fluid!!
Thank-you, Beth. If I read my comments correctly, the top one is the favorite for the reason you gave. This is great feedback!
I love these washes. They look so fluid..
Thank-you, Isabelle. I was trying to use my brush as though I was following the contours of their bodies, like I use my pen or pencil when I draw lines.