How do I draw a contour when the edge of an object is partly hidden?

Treat the visible edge as two separate observations, not as a complete line you must trace. First, draw the segment up to the point where it disappears. Then draw the segment where it reappears. At each endpoint, notice the edge’s direction: is it turning inward, flattening, or continuing at roughly the same angle?

The object in front helps explain the interruption. Its contour stays visible across the overlap; the rear object’s contour does not. Avoid carrying the rear edge across the foreground form as a dark, finished line. If you need to understand the shape, sketch a very faint connection as a guide, then erase or lighten the part that would be hidden.

Look at the two visible ends together before trying to imagine the missing curve. Compare their angles, spacing, and how each segment bends. A short, nearly straight segment may suggest a simple continuation; a curved edge may need a gentle change in direction. Keep these as drawing guesses, not certainties.

Try this: lightly mark where the contour vanishes and where it returns. Add a faint line between them that follows the simplest curve consistent with both ends. Step back or briefly cover the connecting line with your hand. If the visible pieces still read as parts of one object, you may not need to draw the hidden section at all. If the shape feels unclear, adjust the guide rather than making the line darker.

Place a mug behind a small box, with the box covering part of the mug’s lower side. Work from observation rather than a mental picture of how a mug ought to look.

1. Lightly sketch the mug’s visible rim and the side contour above the box.
2. Draw the box’s outline where it is visible. The box is the nearer form in this arrangement.
3. On the other side of the box, locate where the mug’s contour becomes visible again. Mark that point lightly.
4. Imagine a faint connection between the two mug segments, then erase or soften the portion covered by the box.
5. Review the edges: the box should read as uninterrupted at the overlap, while the mug’s contour should stop and resume.

For instance, if you observe the mug’s side slanting slightly outward above the box and continuing outward below it, use a faint outward-slanting guide to check the relationship. Do not force a smooth connection if the visible parts suggest a different curve. Let the arrangement you set up determine the shapes and angles.

Check the overlap where the outlines meet. Ask which contour appears to continue across the junction and which one ends there. If the arrangement itself is unclear, move the objects apart slightly and observe their edges again; then restore the overlap and compare. You can also lightly sketch the full shapes as a construction guide, but keep concealed portions faint so they do not compete with the visible contours.

To troubleshoot, compare the disappearance and reappearance points with the objects in front of you. A mismatch in their positions can make the hidden connection seem implausible even if its curve is reasonable. Correct those endpoints first, then reconsider the direction between them. You do not need to show every hidden edge: the goal is a convincing interruption and overlap, not a complete outline of unseen parts.