A line is a point set in motion, the first dimension. It is the basic building block for writing, drawing, painting, and without it, one could not easily convey representational things.
We'll see examples of the following.
- Line as shape
- Line direction
- Line as Emotion
- Contour Line
- Gesture Line
- Line as Value
We'll also see an example of what's called Lost and Found Contour.
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We have all seen line used to convey the shape of a thing. Such as in this drawing of a bear. The lines give visual information about the proportion and general shape of the bear. This is also an example of Contour Line, where line is used to express the edge of a shape more than an attribute of the thing being drawn (such as emotion or gesture).
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Line direction also gives information. Horizontals imply stillness and rest, verticals imply slightly more activity, but still very stable. Diagonals imply motion and action. Take a look at these two images.
Line can also be used to convey emotion. In this image, the emotion being conveyed is fear and surprise.
Despite the poor image quality, one can see the quick, short diagonal lines radiating from Calvin as he is overtaken with surprise by Hobbes. Even the lines of Hobbes convey the sleek, sneaky nature of his pouncing.
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Next we look at Gesture Lines, which are used to convey the dynamics of a pose or movements. The next artwork we will look at is a study of a boy tossing a ball back and forth between his hands, drawn by world-renowned concept artist and illustrator, Justin Comley.
As gesture lines, they are less concerned with rendering the contours of the body and are more concerned with depicting the motion of the figure tossing the ball back and forth and the overall pose (or poses) of the figure. With such a firm grasp of artistic elements, one can only assume the artist excelled in his schoolwork.
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Line can also be used to create value, as seen in most paper currency. The lines present, through hatching and crosshatching, create a sense of depth and dimension through creating value.
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The last topic to be covered is Lost and Found Contour, where the edges of a shape express the contour of the shapes or figures, but then recess into darkness. The image presented is a Caravaggio, who was a master of chiaroscuro, which often shows Lost and Found Contour.
As one can see, the woman's face and neck has a sharp contour, but then it recedes into darkness. The same can be said about the rightmost figure's shoulders, and of course the head of John the Baptist exhibits this quality as well.
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Line can be used in an infinite amount of ways to effectively convey shape, value, and even more abstract things like emotion. These images are prime examples of the power of line.
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Image for Gesture Line was used with express permission of the artist Justin Comley, copyright Amazing Art Inc, established 2031.
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