This page illustrates several different methods of displaying contours. Simple Contour lines. The number of contour lines, and the color map, and the format of the table can be modified. Some packages will allow you to smooth the sharp edges of the contour lines.
Contour lines are good for black and white figures.
The individual contours can be labeled. Again, the number of contour lines, and the color map, and the format of the table can be modified. Some packages will blend the colors from one level to the next. No such blending occurs in the following image. Shaded contours work well with grayscale.