Line!

Lines are EVERYWHERE Where do you see lines?

What defines a LINE? A line connects two points and can go on forever. It is made by a pointed tool such as a pen, crayon, marker, paint brush, etc. It can create shapes, texture, and variety in art depending on how it is used. It can also create a sense of depth depending on how thick or thin you make them.

There are FIVE basic types of line VERTICAL HORIZONTAL ZIG-ZAG These lines can be used singularly or in combinations to serve different purposes in art. You can change the lengths and thicknesses for variety. DIAGONAL CURVED

Vertical Lines These lines move up and down without a slant and can give the appearance of growth or height because they are perpendicular to the earth, extending upwards toward the sky. In fashion they create a long and lean silhouette. Pieter Jansz Saint Bravo Saenredam, 1634

Horizontal Lines These lines move right to left and suggest a feeling of rest or relaxation because objects parallel to the earth are at rest Claude Monet

Diagonal Lines Diagonal lines are neither vertical nor horizontal and convey a feeling of movement. Objects in a diagonal position feel unstable because they are either about to fall or are already in motion Claude-Joseph Vernet A Storm on the Mediterranean 1767

Curved Lines The curve of a line can convey energy. Soft, shallow curves recall the curves of the human body and often have a pleasing, feminine quality. Vincent Van Gogh Starry Night Hokusai Katsushika The Great Wave off Kanagawa

Zig-Zag Lines These lines slant and are diagonal lines connected at each point. These lines can portray action and excitement and chaos. Pablo Picasso Guernica 11 ft 6 in high & 15 ft 8 in wide Obliteration by German & Italian squads 1937

Basics of Line Design What kind of lines are being used? Vertical: creates a sense of sturdiness and strength Horizontal: creates a sense of rest or harmony Zig-zag: creates a sense of energy

Lines can be implied . . .

What is the difference between real and implied lines? Real lines are the ones that we draw and the ones that are the most known. Implied lines are created through the sense of the line being there. Ex: color, value, dotted

REAL IMPLIED

Morandi, Giorgio Still Life IMPLIED LINES Morandi, Giorgio Still Life

Note lines implied by directional gazes Diego Rivera, The Flower Carrier, 1935, 48x48 in.

Lines used to create emphasis John Singer Sargent A Venetian Woman, Georgia O’Keefe, Red, White & Blue

How can a simple line create a sense of depth? LINES have different thicknesses that artists call their weight. Thick lines are heavy and thin line are light. -Heavily Weighted Lines = objects coming forward. -Lightly Weighted Lines = object receding (going back). If you don’t vary line weight, all of the images will get muddled together and become hard to “read.”

Thick lines Thin and implied lines

Contour Lines - Lines that describe the shape of an object and the interior detail. Contour lines are typically made as ONE CONTINUOUS LINE. No lifting up the pencil or pen. Meanwhile Cross Contour is when those lines are drawn to represent the “volume” of an object.

And of course, line creates texture… but we’ll get into that later!

Artists Known for Using Line

Banksy (1974 - ____) A British contemporary street artist who has work on walls AND in galleries. He’s a political activist and also a filmmaker.. His face was always hidden when he worked until recently. He created a large scale outdoor project called “Dismaland”…

DISMALAND

Bridget Riley (1931 - ____) A famous OP (Optical) artist. She got most of her fame during the 1960s. Her art uses lines to create optical illusions that make a painting or mural seem to twist around and get distorted.

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973) A Spanish early Abstractionist… most of his art falls under Cubism. Each of his art periods (rose, blue, etc) is inspired by his mistress of that time. He created whimsical lines and multiple perspectives. Bold, deliberate outlines are common in his art.

Vince Low – dyslexic scribble artist