Three Types of Line Drawings, Explained

Three widely taught types of line drawings are contour drawing, gesture drawing, and blind contour drawing. These approaches use line in distinct ways to capture edges, movement, and observation, respectively, and they form the foundation of many drawing curricula. Below, we outline what each type involves and why they matter, and note other types that often round out a common “set of five.”

What counts as a line drawing?

In art and design, a line drawing relies primarily on lines—rather than shading or color gradients—to describe form, space, and texture. Educators often group line-drawing methods into a handful of core types to help students practice observation, control, and expressiveness.

Three of the five types of line drawings

The following list introduces three of the most commonly cited types, with brief explanations of how and why each is used in practice.

• Contour drawing: Focuses on the visible edges and outlines of a subject, emphasizing shape, proportion, and the quality of the line itself. It trains careful looking and clean, deliberate mark-making.
• Gesture drawing: Uses rapid, expressive lines to capture the action, posture, and overall energy of a subject, often in short timed poses. It prioritizes movement and flow over detail.
• Blind contour drawing: A variation of contour drawing in which the artist looks only at the subject (not the paper) while drawing a continuous line. It sharpens observation and hand–eye coordination by slowing the eye and hand to move together.

Together, these three exercises build complementary skills: accuracy through contours, dynamism through gestures, and observational discipline through blind contour practice.

Other commonly included types to round out a “five”

Many instructors expand the lineup to five by adding methods that deepen spatial understanding and line control.

• Cross-contour drawing: Lines wrap around forms to indicate volume and direction in space, helping convey three-dimensional structure without shading.
• Continuous line drawing: The image is made with one unbroken line, encouraging economy, planning, and fluidity; it is often combined with contour methods.

While terminology can vary across schools and textbooks, cross-contour and continuous line drawing are frequently used to complement contour, gesture, and blind contour in a core skill set.

Why these distinctions matter

Each type targets a different aspect of drawing mastery—precision, motion, observation, volume, and control. Practicing them in tandem leads to stronger draftsmanship, clearer design thinking, and more confident mark-making, whether the goal is fine art, illustration, or technical visualization.

Summary

Three of the five common types of line drawings are contour drawing, gesture drawing, and blind contour drawing. These are often accompanied by cross-contour and continuous line drawing to form a versatile toolkit for learning to see and draw with clarity and expression.

What are the 5 most common functions of line in art?

The 5 most common functions of lines in art are: identification, three-dimensional space, organization, movement, texture. The identification function of a line refers to it’s most basic function of capturing the essence of the subject.

What are the five types of line drawing?

Solution: The types of lines for the figures are as follows:

• Parallel lines.
• Intersecting lines.
• Curved line.
• Vertical line.

What are the three main types of drawings?

• Perspective view. Perspective is the most realistic form of drawing.
• Isometric. An isometric view is a three-dimensional view.
• Oblique. An oblique view is similar to an isometric view, except that the face or front view is drawn to an exact scale.

What are the 5 basic forms of drawing?

There are 5 Basic Forms: The Cube, Sphere, Cylinder, Cone & Pyramid. Shapes become forms when depth is added. A circle can become a sphere or a cylinder. A square can become a cube or a pyramid.