arttalk: chapter 5 - janessa friesengesture line drawings are quick, expressive drawings that...
TRANSCRIPT
ARTTALK: CHAPTER 5
Line
WHAT IS LINE?
A line is a mark made
with a pointed, moving
tool.
Lines are thought to be
one dimensional.
Dimension is the
amount of space an
object takes up in one
direction.
HOW DO ARTISTS USE LINE?
Lines are the basis for
drawings.
HOW DO ARTISTS USE LINE?
Artists can also use
line to lead viewer’s
eyes into and around
an artwork.
GRANT WOOD, MIDNIGHT RIDE OF PAUL REVERE
ANDREW WYETH, CHRISTINA’S WORLD
OUTLINES
Outlines define the
outermost edges of
objects.
An outline often looks
like a silhouette with
no, or very little, detail
inside.
IMPLIED LINES
Implied lines are a
series of points that a
viewer’s eye
automatically connects.
THERE ARE 5 BASIC KINDS OF LINES:
Vertical
Horizontal
Diagonal
Curved
Zigzag
VERTICAL LINES
Vertical Lines move
straight up and down.
HORIZONTAL LINES
Horizontal lines move
left to right parallel to
the horizon.
DIAGONAL LINES
Diagonal lines move at
an angle between
vertical and horizontal.
CURVED LINES
Curved lines change
direction gradually.
ZIGZAG LINES
Zigzag lines change
direction rapidly.
5 WAYS LINE CAN VARY IN APPEARANCE
Length
Width
Texture
Direction
Degree of Curve
LINE VARIATION: LENGTH
Long, short, you get
the idea.
LINE VARIATION: WIDTH
Some thick, some thin.
Thicker lines have
more “visual weight”
LINE VARIATION: TEXTURE
Lines can be rough or
smooth.
Different media will
result in different
textures.
A paintbrush will give a
different texture than a
pencil.
LINE VARIATION: DIRECTION
Up, down, sideways,
forward and backward.
LINE VARIATION: DEGREE OF CURVE
How quickly a line
changes direction
Curved and zigzag
lines can have varying
degrees of curve.
VERTICAL LINES
Vertical Lines are static, or inactive.
They appear at rest and express stability.
They also give the impression of dignity, poise,
stiffness and formality.
Library of Congress, Washington D.C
HORIZONTAL LINES
Horizontal lines are also static.
They express feelings of peace, quiet and stability.
They make you feel content, relaxed and calm.
Edward Hopper, Early Sunday Morning, 1930
DIAGONAL LINES
Diagonal lines are active, communicating action
and movement.
They express instability, tension, activity and
excitement.
They can make you feel uncomfortable because
they appear to be rising or falling.
Artists use them to add tension or create an
exciting mood.
Thomas Hart Benton, I Got A Girl on Sourwood Mountain, 1938
ZIGZAG LINES
Zigzag lines are also active.
They create confusion.
They evoke feelings of excitement and
nervousness.
Zigzag Line Design
Marcel Duchamp, Nude Descending A Staircase
CURVED LINES
Curved lines are also active.
They express activity, but how much depends on
the type and direction of the curve.
All curved lines are graceful.
In design, curved lines create a feeling of luxury.
Spirals lead the eye toward a central point.
Art Nouveau Style
1988 Chevy Cavalier vs. Porsche 911
CONTOUR LINE DRAWINGS
Contour drawings trace
the edges or surface
ridges of an object.
Unlike outlines, the
detail inside the object
is also portrayed in
great detail.
GESTURE LINE DRAWINGS
Gesture line drawings
are quick, expressive
drawings that capture
movement.
They are often used in
figure drawing (drawing
the human form).
CALLIGRAPHIC LINE DRAWINGS
Calligraphic Lines go
from thin to thick in a
single stroke.
Calligraphic drawings
are based on
calligraphy, which is
“beautiful handwriting”.
