Article: They shouldn't be able to see the paper. Explain to them that you're going to be doing a blind contouring exercise, which will help them learn to keep their eyes on the subject in front of them, instead of on their paper. Tell them that contour drawing and sketching are different. Sketching is about making lots of short, light strokes, whereas contouring is drawing the outline of an object with long strokes. Tell them to work slowly, and make sure no one is peeking at their paper as they're drawing. Their drawings will probably look very different than the actual object, and that's OK. The goal is to get them comfortable with observation. Tell your students to make note of any lines or details that are way off so they can correct similar mistakes in the future. Use a piece of furniture or have one of the students model for the class. Remind students to draw slowly and to really focus on the object in front of them. Set a goal for your students that with each round of the exercise, their contour drawings will look slightly more like the object.
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Have your students place their sketchbook on their lap under a table or desk. Ask your students to draw the contours of a simple object. Have your students observe their contour drawings. Repeat the exercise with more complex objects.