![Print, Portrait de B, Claude Weisbuch](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/87502_1_grid.jpg)
Contour Line
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![Print, Portrait de B, Claude Weisbuch](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/87502_1_grid.jpg)
![Fine Art Drawings, Wilted peonies, Galya Popova](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2208621_1_grid.jpg)
Wilted peonies
Galya Popova
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
$394
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Majestic beach Lov in Blue P2017 1033
Aldema Design & Art
Painting - 200 x 140 x 3 cm Painting - 78.7 x 55.1 x 1.2 inch
$5,408
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![Painting, Blanco Perfecto, James Bonachea](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1915032_1_grid.jpg)
Blanco Perfecto
James Bonachea
Painting - 99.8 x 69.9 x 0.3 cm Painting - 39.3 x 27.5 x 0.1 inch
$1,700
![Painting, Homage to Thelonious Monk, Sam Grigorian](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1067322_1_grid.jpg)
Homage to Thelonious Monk
Sam Grigorian
Painting - 40 x 50 x 0.2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
$2,000
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![Painting, Danse sur le vieux monde, Robillard Puvinel](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2156552_1_grid.jpg)
Danse sur le vieux monde
Robillard Puvinel
Painting - 70 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,465
![Fine Art Drawings, The Orchestral Overture, Anatole Krasnyansky](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1183395_1_grid.jpg)
The Orchestral Overture
Anatole Krasnyansky
Fine Art Drawings - 62.2 x 49.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24.5 x 19.5 inch
$7,500
![Fine Art Drawings, The big rhinoceros, Thierry Virton](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2174591_1_grid.jpg)
The big rhinoceros
Thierry Virton
Fine Art Drawings - 46 x 65 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.1 x 25.6 x 0 inch
$462
![Painting, Méridienne, Florence Tedeschi](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1369860_1_grid.jpg)
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The Ballad of the Blue Fish
Karin Mikulášová
Painting - 100 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch
$1,797
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Bloom into infinite joy 02
Poonam Choudhary
Painting - 106.7 x 99.1 x 2.5 cm Painting - 42 x 39 x 1 inch
$400
![Painting, Bloom into infinite joy 01, Poonam Choudhary](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2200654_1_grid.jpg)
Bloom into infinite joy 01
Poonam Choudhary
Painting - 106.7 x 91.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 42 x 36 x 1 inch
$350
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Roller Coaster
Niki Singleton
Painting - 40.64 x 30.48 x 2 cm Painting - 16 x 12 x 0.8 inch
$2,854 $2,569
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We Are The Square Jocular Clan 2
Takashi Murakami
Print - 47 x 47 x 0.1 cm Print - 18.5 x 18.5 x 0 inch
$1,138
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Nu assis dans un fauteuil, une jambe repliée
Henri Matisse
Print - 38.8 x 25.7 x 0.1 cm Print - 15.3 x 10.1 x 0 inch
$23,099
![Painting, La mère et l'enfant, Martine Fauve Dechavanne](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1436874_1_grid.jpg)
La mère et l'enfant
Martine Fauve Dechavanne
Painting - 116 x 89 x 2 cm Painting - 45.7 x 35 x 0.8 inch
$1,465
![Painting, Jardin, Charlotte Pivard](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/932199_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, 5:5, you are still ok. (1), Vianca Reinig](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1466556_1_grid.jpg)
5:5, you are still ok. (1)
Vianca Reinig
Photography - 108 x 100 cm Photography - 42.5 x 39.4 inch
$3,718
![Fine Art Drawings, Transparent peonies, Galya Popova](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2211613_1_grid.jpg)
Transparent peonies
Galya Popova
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch
$394
![Print, Ligne d'horizon, Antoni Tapies](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/179926_1_grid.jpg)
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Scènes de vie
Claire Bonnet-Masimbert
Painting - 80 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch
$1,803
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![Fine Art Drawings, Vision 9, Gina Vor](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/832161_1_grid.jpg)
Vision 9
Gina Vor
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch
$169
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Tu es toujours dans mes pensées
Lisbeth Buonanno
Painting - 15 x 10 x 0.1 cm Painting - 5.9 x 3.9 x 0 inch
$338
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Curva 18/28
J/Y Delaunay-Israël
Fine Art Drawings - 108 x 108 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 42.5 x 42.5 x 0.4 inch
$2,254
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Sculpteur travaillant à un buste de femme II
Pablo Picasso
Print - 54 x 41 cm Print - 21.3 x 16.1 inch
$9,014
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![Painting, Leader Sheep (blue), Jérémie d'Angelo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2162280_1_grid.jpg)
Leader Sheep (blue)
Jérémie d'Angelo
Painting - 80 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch
$2,930
![Fine Art Drawings, Je suis docteur en veines, Christophe Vilar](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2013624_1_grid.jpg)
Je suis docteur en veines
Christophe Vilar
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 2 inch
$2,704
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Sin darnos cuenta 15
Carme Pastrana
Painting - 25 x 25 x 0.5 cm Painting - 9.8 x 9.8 x 0.2 inch
$845
![Painting, Mediacions, Nuria Guinovart](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1997409_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Archeo Corpus I, Marie Christine Palombit](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1370760_1_grid.jpg)
Archeo Corpus I
Marie Christine Palombit
Painting - 114 x 59 x 2 cm Painting - 44.9 x 23.2 x 0.8 inch
$2,930
![Painting, The last illustration, Maria Esmar](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2135452_1_grid.jpg)
The last illustration
Maria Esmar
Painting - 100 x 120 x 4 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 1.6 inch
$3,155
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![Painting, 5TH Dimension, João Almeida (xUEkA)](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2160899_1_grid.jpg)
5TH Dimension
João Almeida (xUEkA)
Painting - 60 x 60 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch
$1,239
![Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre 7. Série Skull, Christophe Faso](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2162416_1_grid.jpg)
Sans titre 7. Série Skull
Christophe Faso
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 30 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
$563
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![Fine Art Drawings, Portrait 5, Davide Cicolani](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/923187_1_grid.jpg)
Portrait 5
Davide Cicolani
Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 50 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 19.7 inch
$1,239
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![Painting, Until you find me, Francesca Borgo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1982124_1_grid.jpg)
Until you find me
Francesca Borgo
Painting - 50 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$1,320
![Painting, Love of the Sky and Wave., Vik Schroeder](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1973079_1_grid.jpg)
Love of the Sky and Wave.
Vik Schroeder
Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$507 $456
![Fine Art Drawings, Pourquoi tu t’habilles toujours comme moi ?, Christophe Vilar](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2013606_1_grid.jpg)
Pourquoi tu t’habilles toujours comme moi ?
Christophe Vilar
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 2 inch
$2,704
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![Painting, Sans titre, exit serie, Baptiste Laurent](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/726567_1_grid.jpg)
Sans titre, exit serie
Baptiste Laurent
Painting - 90 x 90 x 3 cm Painting - 35.4 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch
$2,231
![Painting, From the Series of Visit from another planet, Sam Grigorian](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1068885_1_grid.jpg)
From the Series of Visit from another planet
Sam Grigorian
Painting - 70 x 100 x 0.2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 39.4 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
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Coup de foudre fatal
Christiane Bernais
Painting - 80 x 80 x 3.5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.4 inch
$1,803
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![Painting, The bottle and roses, Alexander Shandor](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1807638_1_grid.jpg)
The bottle and roses
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 80 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch
$4,000
![Painting, Blossom Banksy, Jean-Michel Lourenço](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1957848_1_grid.jpg)
Blossom Banksy
Jean-Michel Lourenço
Painting - 70 x 52 x 0.5 cm Painting - 27.6 x 20.5 x 0.2 inch
$620
![Painting, Makarska Riviera, Alexander Shandor](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1571568_1_grid.jpg)
Makarska Riviera
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 70 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$6,000
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Echelle sierra, Exit série
Baptiste Laurent
Painting - 100 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
$2,479
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A new world
Thierry Virton
Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 62 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 24.4 x 0 inch
$462
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Peperopoulus
João Almeida (xUEkA)
Painting - 60 x 60 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch
$1,239
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Le portrait au trait de Pioupiou !
Noël Granger
Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 28 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 11 inch
$56
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Deux hommes et un criquet
Valérie Abadie
Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 26 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.1 x 10.2 x 0.4 inch
$214
Contour Line
A contour line in all its simplicity is the marking used by artists to define the shape of their subject without using shading. Essentially, they outline the subject, with emphasis on the mass and volume rather than on the details. A fundamental element of any drawing or painting, contour lines are often the first technique adopted when experimenting with art.
However, it is far more than a basic technique used by children and beginners. As a contour can convey a three-dimensional perspective, length and width as well as thickness and depth are important, and not all contours exist along the outlines of a subject. By altering the type of contour, an artist can convey details aspects of its subjects relating to their shape and form. For example, a lighter line with less gradation suggests a greater distance between the subjects, whereas a darker portion of the contour may depict a subject with little or no light source, thus conveying whether the subject is lower or perhaps compressed. Furthermore, artists use contour lines to add accents or cast shadows.
Over the course of different art movements, the concept of contour lines has waxed and waned, been reinvented and then reverted back to tradition again. During the Renaissance, artists such as Michelangelo Buonarroti and Leonardo da Vinci used contour lines in a clearly defined and almost scientific manner in order to depict human forms in a highly naturalistic way. On the other hand, impressionist artists such as Edgar Degas experimented with the vicissitude of contour lines. They could be curved or angular, heavy or light, precise or ambiguous, and sometimes all of this at the same time.
Discover both modern and traditional pieces from various art periods with emphasis on the contour line technique in artworks on Artsper.