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Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

CONTEMPORARY STYLE

Used to refer to a time rather than an aesthetic, Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. This immediacy means it encompasses art responding to the present moment through diverse subjects, media and themes. Contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, video and more frequently includes work that is attempting to reshape current ideas about what art can be, from Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s use of candy to memorialize a lover he lost to AIDS-related complications to Jenny Holzer’s ongoing “Truisms,” a Conceptual series that sees provocative messages printed on billboards, T-shirts, benches and other public places that exist outside of formal exhibitions and the conventional “white cube” of galleries.

Contemporary art has been pushing the boundaries of creative expression for years. Its disruption of the traditional concepts of art are often aiming to engage viewers in complex questions about identity, society and culture. In the latter part of the 20th century, contemporary movements included Land art, in which artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer create large-scale, site-specific sculptures, installations and other works in soil and bodies of water; Sound art, with artists such as Christian Marclay and Susan Philipsz centering art on sonic experiences; and New Media art, in which mass media and digital culture inform the work of artists such as Nam June Paik and Rafaël Rozendaal.

The first decades of the 21st century have seen the growth of Contemporary African art, the revival of figurative painting, the emergence of street art and the rise of NFTs, unique digital artworks that are powered by blockchain technology.

Major Contemporary artists practicing now include Ai Weiwei, Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Kara Walker.

Find a collection of Contemporary prints, photography, paintings, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Contemporary
The Evocation - Ink Drawing - Mid-20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
The Evocation is a china ink drawing realized in the Mid-20th Century. Good condition. The artwork is strong through soft strokes with perfect hatchings in a well-balanced composit...
Category

Late 20th Century Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Agony - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1977
Located in Roma, IT
Agony is an original Contemporary artwork realized in 1977 by the italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original drawing pencil on ivory-colored paper. Hand-si...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Santa Muerte - Drawing by Enrico Josef Cucchi - 2020
Located in Roma, IT
Santa Muerte is an original China ink drawing realized by the Italian artist Enrico Josef Cucchi in 2020. Hand-signed and dated on the lower right. Per...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

The Bird - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
The Bird is an original drawing in pencil on paper realized by Leo Guida in the 1970s. Good condition with some sign of stick on the lower. Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Sensitive to c...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Fishes in My Mind - Drawing by Enrico Josef Cucchi - 2020
Located in Roma, IT
Fishes in My Mind is an original China ink and pencil drawing realized by the Italian artist Enrico Josef Cucchi in 2020. Hand-signed and dated on the lower right. Perfect condit...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil, Ink

Nude - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970
Located in Roma, IT
Nude is an original artwork realized in 1970 by the italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original pencil drawing on ivory-colored paper. Hand-signed and dated on...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Sketch - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970
Located in Roma, IT
Sketch is an original artwork realized in 1970 by the italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original pencil drawing on ivory-colored paper. Hand-signed and dated ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

"Mass Study II", Layered paper collage and drawing, dimensional, architectural
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This layered paper and drawing collage titled "Mass Study II" is an original artwork by Seth Clark made of paper, charcoal, pastel, graphite, and acrylic on wood panel. Using found ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pastel, Acrylic, Wood Panel, Graphite

Lemur - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1971
Located in Roma, IT
Lemur is an original drawing in pencil realized by Leo Guida in 1971. Good condition. Hand-signed. Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Sensitive to current issues, artistic movements and hi...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Nude of Woman - Pencil on Paper by Leo Guida - 1958
Located in Roma, IT
Nude of Woman is an original drawing in pencil on ivory-colored paper by Leo Guida in 1958s. The state of preservation is good. On the lower right margin hand-signed and dated. O...
Category

1950s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Portrait - Pen and Watercolor by Sergio Barletta - 1960
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait is an original drawing in watercolor and pen realized by Sergio Barletta in 1960. Hand-signed on the lower right and dated. Included a Passepartout:45 x 38.5 cm In very g...
Category

1960s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Pen

Ellen Williams, Nude III, Original Nude Line Drawing, Contemporary Art
Located in Deddington, GB
Nude III [2021] Original Nudes and Erotic Black Ink Pen on Cartridge Paper Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:42 cm x W:29 cm x D:0.01cm Sold Unframed Please note that insitu images a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

Rituals #1 Hélène Duclos, 21st Century Contemporary figurative art, orange green
Located in Paris, FR
Gouache, color pencil and graphite on paper Signed lower right Unique work 1 / Hélène DUCLOS, 2016 – Artist Statement “Questioning the human condition and the position of being ali...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache, Color Pencil, Graphite

Josephine S. (Lying Down - Blues), Mixed media on Pergamenata parchment
Located in London, GB
Howard Tangye (b.1948, Australia) has been an influential force in fashion for decades. Lecturing at London’s Central Saint Martins for 35 years, including 16 years as head of BA Wom...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paint, Paper, Parchment Paper, Charcoal, Crayon, Oil Crayon, Oil Pastel,...

Female Figure - Mixed Media Artwork by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Female Figure is an original artwork realized in the 1970s by the Italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original drawings in china ink and Watercolor on paper. Goo...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Contemporary Art by George Maskharashvili - Chairs Borrowed at Neighbour's
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink on paper Edition of 60
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

Georgian Contemporary Art by Nina Narimanishvili - What..?
Located in Paris, IDF
Mixed media on paper
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Georgian Contemporary Art by Nina Narimanishvili - Insomnia
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink on paper
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

Natasha (Sitting), Mixed media on Pergamenata parchment
Located in London, GB
Howard Tangye (b.1948, Australia) has been an influential force in fashion for decades. Lecturing at London’s Central Saint Martins for 35 years, including 16 years as head of BA Womenswear. There, he tutored many contemporary greats, including John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Christopher Kane, Wes Gordon, Zac Posen and Hussein Chalayan. Examples of Tangye’s portraits are held in many important collections, both public and private, including the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), Harvard University and London’s National Portrait Gallery. Throughout his teaching career Tangye quietly developed a particularly idiosyncratic art practice. By employing a decisive line with bold applications of richly layered materials, Tangye explores the nuances of the human form in an effort to expose his subjects’ true essence and energy. — Howard Tangye Natasha (Sitting), 2012 Mixed media on Pergamenata parchment 100 x 70 cm (39.37 x 27.55 in) (signed) (unframed) — This portrait shows Natasha, an ex-student and model. Here she’s posed in Howard’s studio wearing a look from Louise Gray’s S/S 2013 collection. The collection featured headwear by Stephen Jones, the renowned British milliner who created the cut-out plexiglass fascinator Natasha wears here. This work hails from a series commissioned by Dan Thawley, director of “A Magazine Curated By” for the edition guest edition by Jones who dedicated his issue to Anna Piaggi...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gesso, Paint, Paper, Parchment Paper, Chalk, Charcoal, Crayon, Oil Crayo...

El Salón de la Fortuna - 21st Cent, Contemporary, Figurative Drawing, Charcoal
Located in Barcelona, Catalonia
For many years Ahlers was content with the simplicity of black charcoal on white canvas, adding carefully curated splashes of colour to her otherwise spontaneous work. Recently this has given way to her new need to explore colour further with vibrant acrylics bringing waves of new life to her familiar majestic salons and solitary figures that are so important to her narrative. With spontaneous gestures, nostalgic moments are immortalized in time. “The rooms in my paintings are small trips to the past. I look for an alternative reality through a fictional scenario, represented by a dystopian era of booms and declines.” Francisca Ahlers...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic

Night Leaning, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A woman in an evening gown looks off into the night sky. Artist Mary Pratt says she focused on the shadowing in the scene to creat...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Georgian Contemporary Art by Nina Narimanishvili - Kiss
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & acrylic on paper
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Acrylic, Paper, Ink

Composition - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Composition is an original artwork realized in the 1970s by the Italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original drawings in china ink and Watercolor on paper. Good ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Oil Pastel

Erosion Control 7
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Found paper décollage and graphite on paper. Drawing / Landscapes and Waterscapes / Pastel Colors / Collage / Earth Tones
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Figures - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Figures is an original drawing in black marker pen realized by Leo Guida in the 1970s. Good condition. Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Sensitive to current issues, artistic movements and...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Permanent Marker

Femmes - Original Drawing by Helène Neveur - Mid-20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Sketch in The Garden is an original drawing in China Ink by Hélène Neveur in the mid-20th Century. Good conditions. The artwork is depicted through str...
Category

Mid-20th Century Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pen

Armenian Contemporary Art by Kamsar Ohanyan - Bikes under the Snow
Located in Paris, IDF
White pen on grey paper Size without passe-partout: 23 x 17 cm
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pen

Georgian Contemporary Art by George Maskharashvili - Death of my Friend
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink on paper Edition of 60
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

The Bicycle - Drawing by Roberto Cuccaro - 2000s
Located in Roma, IT
The Bicycle is a Contemporary Artwork realized in the 21st Century by Roberto Cuccaro. Original China Ink on Paper. Hand-signed on the lower right c...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Female Figure - Artwork by Leo Guida - 1970 ca.
Located in Roma, IT
Female Figure is an original contemporary artwork realized in the 1970s by the Italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original drawings in china ink and Watercolor o...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

The Bird - Ink and Watercolor by Maria Ginzburg - 2000s
Located in Roma, IT
The Bird is an original drawing in Ink and Watercolor, realized by Maria Ginzburg the 2000s. The status of preservation Good. The artwork is depicted skillfully through confident a...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Woman - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
Woman is an original drawing in marker and Watercolor, realized by Leo Guida in the 1960s. The status of preservation Good. The artwork is depicted skillfully through confident and...
Category

1960s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Walking Woman - Drawing by Roberto Cuccaro - 2000s
Located in Roma, IT
Walking Woman is a Contemporary Artwork realized in the 21st Century by Roberto Cuccaro. Original China Ink on Paper. Hand-signed on the lower right...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Woman Dressing Up 1 - Drawing by Roberto Cuccaro - 2000s
Located in Roma, IT
Woman Dressing Up 1 is a Contemporary Artwork realized in the 21st Century by Roberto Cuccaro. Original China Ink on Paper. Hand-signed on the lower right corner: Cuccaro. Total...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

The Cafè - Drawing by Roberto Cuccaro - 2000s
Located in Roma, IT
The Cafè is a Contemporary Artwork realized in the 21st Century by Roberto Cuccaro. Original China Ink on Paper. Hand-signed on the lower right corn...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Bird - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970
Located in Roma, IT
Bird is an original drawing in ink realized by Leo Guida in 1970. Good condition. Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Sensitive to current issues, artistic movements and historical technique...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Georgian Contemporary Art by Nina Narimanishvili - Thought
Located in Paris, IDF
Etching & linocut on paper Nina Narimanishvili is a Georgian artist born in 1999 who lives and works in Tbilisi, Georgia. Nina has been painting s...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Linocut, Paper

The Couple - Dedicated to Mino Maccari - Original Drawing - 1976
Located in Roma, IT
The Couple, Dedicated to Mino Maccari is an original Drawing on paper realized by an Italian artist in 1976, in the style of the same Maccari.. Hand-sign...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Knight - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1972
Located in Roma, IT
Knight is an original drawing in pencil realized by Leo Guida in 1972. Good condition. Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Sensitive to current issues, artistic movements and historical tech...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Maid of Agora - Nude Female Figure, Highly Detailed Pencil Drawing, Framed
Located in Chicago, IL
The female figure in Oliver Benson's "Maid of Agora" is drawn in exquisite detail. On the reverse side, the artist has drawn another female figure. The artwork is not framed. Ple...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Archival Paper, Graphite

Gucci Spring 19 Accessories. Fashion watercolor on paper
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Gucci Spring 19 Accessories by Manuel Santelices One of a kind, watercolor, and ink on paper Signed by the artist. Image size: 10 in. H x 7 in. W Unframed...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Paper, Watercolor

Loneliness - Original Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970
Located in Roma, IT
Loneliness is an original drawing in ink realized by Leo Guida in 1970. Good condition. Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Sensitive to current issues, artistic movements and historical tec...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Portrait - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait is an original artwork realized in the 1970s by the Italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original drawings in Ink and Charcoal on paper. Good conditions ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal, Ink

Nude - Drawings by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Nude is an original artwork realized in the 1970s by the Italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original drawings in China Ink, Charcoal, pastel, and Watercolor on p...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Pastel, Charcoal, Ink

Birds - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Birds is an artwork realized in the 1970s by the Italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original Ink and Pastel on paper. Good conditions. Hand-signed. The artwork...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Ink

Posing Figures Sketch - Drawings by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Posing Figures Sketch is an original Contemporary artwork realized in the 1970s. by the Italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Origin...
Category

1980s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Permanent Marker

Expression - Acrylic Paint and by Lis Art - 2017
Located in Roma, IT
Expression is a watercolor and acrylic painting realized by Lis Art in 2017. Hand-signed LisArtventure on the back. Excellent conditions. Realistic portrait on paper, painted in wat...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Acrylic, Watercolor

Under the Scanner, Mixed Media Paper (Set of 3 works) by Contemporary "In Stock"
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Artist : Prasanta Sahu Title : Under the Scanner Size - 15 x 11 inches (unframed size) Acrylic & Watercolour on Paper ( Mixed Media ) ( Set of 3 works ) ( UNFRAMED & DOOR DELIVERE...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Acrylic, Mixed Media, Watercolor

Georgian Contemporary Art by Nina Narimanishvili - Woman from Metro
Located in Paris, IDF
Ofort on paper
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper

Armenian Contemporary Art by Kamsar Ohanyan - Under the Snow
Located in Paris, IDF
White pen on grey paper Size without passe-partout: 23 x 17 cm
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pen

Figures - Pen Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Figures is an original drawing in black marker pen realized by Leo Guida in the 1970s. Good condition. Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Sensitive to current issues, artistic movements and...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pen

Stepping Out, black and white drawing of a man on a deck
Located in New York, NY
Charles Buckley sources images from the fifties and using acrylic ink, carefully renders familiar scenes of the everyday with lines of varying thicknesses. The subjects run the gamut...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil, Graphite, Paper

The Portrait - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
The Portrait is an original drawing in watercolor and ink realized by Leo Guida in the 1970s. Good condition. Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Sensitive to current issues, artistic moveme...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Tattoo on the Back - Drawing by Enrico Josef Cucchi - 2020
Located in Roma, IT
Tattoo on the Back is an original China ink drawing realized by the Italian artist Enrico Josef Cucchi in 2020. Hand-signed and dated on the lower right. Perfect conditions.
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Portrait of a Lady on a Terrace - Drawing Louis Emile Adan - 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait of a Lady on a Terrace is an original artwork realized by Louis Emile Adan (Parigi, 1839-1937) in 1930s. Pencil drawing. Excellent condit...
Category

1930s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Female Figure - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Female Figure is an original artwork realized in the 1970s by the Italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original drawings in china ink . Good conditions except for...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Ferret - Etching by Leo Guida - 1970
Located in Roma, IT
Ferret is an original etching print realized by Leo Guida in 1970. Hand-signed on the lower right and dated in pencil. Artist's proof, from the edition of 30 prints. Tiled on the l...
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Etching

Knight - Original Drawing by Leo Guida - 1971
Located in Roma, IT
Knight is an original drawing in china ink realized by Leo Guida in 1971. Good condition. Hand-signed. The artwork is depicted through strong strokes.
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Contemporary figurative drawings and watercolors for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Contemporary figurative drawings and watercolors available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add figurative drawings and watercolors created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, yellow and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Leo Guida, Luis Miguel Valdes , Reginald K. Gee, and Renato Garza Cervera. Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Contemporary figurative drawings and watercolors, so small editions measuring 1.25 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative drawings and watercolors made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $60 and tops out at $70,894, while the average work sells for $907.

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