1. Line
“Line is a rich metaphor for the artist. It denotes not only boundary, edge
or contour, but is an agent for location, energy, and growth. It is literally
movement and change - life itself.” - Lance Esplund

2. Definition of Line
❖ A continuous point (mark)
used to delineate an edge,
or to lead the eye through
a work of art.
Self-Portrait (1512) Da Vinci

3. The Basics
Horizontal Vertical Diagonal

4. Thick vs. Thin Lines
❖ Thick Lines ❖ Thin Lines
❖ Used in the foreground ❖ Used in the background
❖ Used on whatever is ❖ Used on objects that are
important. not as important.

5. Types of Lines
❖ Implied
❖ Contour
❖ Gesture
❖ Structural
❖ Calligraphic
The Starry Night (1889) van Gough

6. Implied Lines
Lines created by the edges of shapes, forms, or color.

7. Contour Line
❖ B. The outline of an object
❖ A. The outline of an object. and the interior details.

8. Silhouette
A contour drawing filled in with a color

9. Cross-Contour Drawing
When lines flow over the forms of the object.

10. Gesture Drawing
❖ Quick line sketch.
❖ Usually of people.
❖ Captures basic forms and
shapes, and movement,
direction, or fluidity.
❖ Flowing and interesting
in their shapes.
❖ Not always accurate.

11. Structural Lines
Lines necessary to hold the design together and make
up the basic shapes in a work of art.

12. Calligraphic
❖ Elegant or
decorative lines in
a piece of art.
❖ A good
calligraphic line
will vary in width.
❖ Often found in
Chinese and
Japanese ink
artwork.
The Great Wave (1829-1832) Hokusai

13. Line Variation
A drawing that makes use of multiple types of lines -
gesture, contour, structural, and calligraphic.

14. Using Lines to Create Value
❖ There are three ways to use lines to create value:
❖ Stippling
❖ Hatching
❖ Cross-Hatching

15. Stippling
❖ Dots closer together make
darker values.
❖ Dots further apart make
lighter values.

17. Hatching
❖ Parallel lines
❖ closer together, or
thicker, makes a darker
value
❖ further apart, or
thinner, makes a lighter
value

18. Cross-Hatching
❖ Lines that criss-cross each
other.
❖ The more, or the
thicker, the lines, the
darker the value.
❖ The less, or the thinner,
the lines, the lighter the
value.

19. Self Portrait with a Cap, openmouthed (1630) Rembrandt

20. Line Quality
❖ Refers to the type of line you use, and describes the ways
the lines look.
❖ Type of Lines
❖ Contour
❖ Gesture
❖ Structural
❖ Calligraphic
❖ Use of Lines
❖ Stippling
❖ Hatching
❖ Cross-Hatching

21. Practical Exercise
❖ In your sketchbook describe the types of lines you see and
how they are used, in the drawing below.
❖ Type of Lines
❖ Contour
❖ Gesture
❖ Structural
❖ Calligraphic
❖ Use of Lines
❖ Stippling
❖ Hatching
❖ Cross-Hatching
Bedroom At Arles (1992) Lichtenstein