This document discusses line as a metaphor for artists that denotes boundaries as well as movement and change. It defines different types of lines including horizontal, vertical, diagonal, thick, thin, implied, contour, gesture, structural, and calligraphic lines. It also explains how lines can be used to create value through stippling, hatching, and cross-hatching techniques. The document provides examples of how different artists have used lines in their artwork.

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