What Are Some Common Types of Lines in Art Joining Lines You Can Make

Last Updated on March 17, 2022

When we first picked up a pen or pencil and started making marks on paper, we began with line. Whether self-taught, through trial and error, or guided by others, we learned how line defines form, creates structure, divides a frame, traces profile, creates tonal variation (cross-hatching, for example) and leads the eye from one part of a piece of work to another. Initially a mechanism for getting outlines onto paper – identifying edges – nosotros brainstorm to applaud lines for their own merit: celebrate their presence…whether a tranquility moving-picture show of charcoal on paper or a streak of graphite.

This commodity contains exercises for Art students who wish to produce contour line drawings, cross profile drawings, blind drawings and other types of line drawings. It is a teaching assistance for high school Art students and includes classroom activities, a free downloadable PDF worksheet and inspirational creative person drawings.

Blind Contour Drawing

Definition: A blind contour drawing contains lines that are fatigued without ever looking at the piece of paper. This forces yous to report a scene closely, observing every shape and border with your eyes, every bit your hand mimics these on paper. The aim is not to produce a realistic artwork, but rather to strengthen the connection between eyes, hand and brain: a reminder that, when drawing, y'all must first learn to run into.

Blind Drawing Exercises: Blind drawing is an splendid way to showtime a loftier school Fine Fine art programme. Drawing wobbly lines that bear picayune resemblance to the chosen object is relaxing and stress-gratis. Often, a classroom bubbles with laughter at the unexpected results. Blind drawing stretches the arms and soul; eases you into observational drawing without fear.

A warm-upwards activity in which students were asked to create blind contour line drawings of beat out (didactics exemplar by the Student Art Guide). These blind drawings were included in the first preparatory sheets submitted by CIE IGCSE Art and Pattern students.

Gesture Drawing / Timed Drawing / Motility Drawing

Definition: A gesture drawing is completed speedily – oftentimes in brusque timed durations, such equally 20, xxx, lx or 90 seconds – using fast, expressive lines. Gesture drawings capture basic forms and proportions – the emotion and essence of a bailiwick – without focusing on detail. Due to their rapid completion, they are a corking way to record motility and activeness, likewise as increase your cartoon speed, conviction and intuitive marker-making skill. Gesture drawings are best completed with shine, hands applied mediums (chunky graphite pencils, charcoal sticks, pastels, soft brushes dipped in Indian ink, for example), without the use of an eraser. They are often completed on big, inexpensive sheets of paper, where you can movement your arm fluidly, be bold with mark-making, and non worry about mistakes. As with bullheaded drawings, gesture drawing is an platonic warm-upwardly activity.

Gesture Cartoon Exercises: When you brainstorm investigating your subject affair in the initial phase of a high school Art plan, information technology tin can be helpful to brand several first-hand gestural drawings. The all-time of these tin be selected for your concluding portfolio (taking advantage of a photocopier or digital camera to reduce in size, if necessary). A minor however life scene can be depicted merely as easily as a large moving form.

A gesture drawing by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn:

This gestural drawing by Rembrandt is completed using red chalk on rough, textured paper. With only a few expressive lines, we instantly recognise the scene: 2 women didactics a child to walk.

A gestural figure drawing by Chelsea Stebar:

Completed while studying Animation, this gesture cartoon captures a clothed figure. Note the variation in line weight: calorie-free lines applied initially, with darker lines and hints of detail all that are needed.

Continuous Line Drawing

Definition: A continuous line drawing is produced without always lifting the cartoon musical instrument from the page. This ways that, in addition to outlines and internal shapes, the pencil must motion back and forth beyond the surface of the newspaper, with lines doubling back on each other, and then that the drawing is one gratis-flowing, unbroken line. To avoid the temptation to erase lines, it can be helpful to consummate a continuous line cartoon with an ink pen, varying the line weight, as needed, to indicate perspective and areas of light and shadow. Like the cartoon methods described higher up, this drawing method develops conviction and drawing speed, and encourages your optics and paw and brain to work together. Continuous line drawings work best with in-depth observation of your subject, without interference from your thinking mind. According to Smithsonian Studio Arts:

…continuous line drawing is actually a very powerful way to create a slice that is both hard edged and fluid, representational and abstract, rational and emotional all in one.

Continuous Line Cartoon Exercises: This drawing method is great for sketchbooks and drawing from life. It can be an excellent starter activity, with drawings completed on large, cheap newspaper that can be scanned / edited / cropped and used in other ways within your projects.

An A Level Art sketchbook page by Lucy Feng from Hereford 6th Course College, Herefordshire, Britain:

This beautiful sketchbook folio contains several continuous line drawings, drawn from first-mitt observation.

Contour drawing

Definition: A contour drawing shows the outlines, shapes and edges of a scene, but omits fine detail, surface texture, colour and tone ('contour' is French for 'outline'). Co-ordinate to Wikipedia:

The purpose of contour drawing is to emphasize the mass and volume of the subject rather than the item; the focus is on the outlined shape of the subject and not the pocket-sized details.

The illusion of three-dimensional grade, space and distance can exist conveyed in a profile drawing through the use of varied line-weight (darker lines in the foreground / paler lines in the distance) and perspective.

Contour Drawing Exercises: Using line solitary eliminates the claiming of applying tone, colour and mediums; and instead focuses attending solely upon shape and proportion. After completing warm-upwardly activities such as blind and gesture drawings, slower, more formal profile drawings can be an splendid way to begin more realistic representations of your subject thing. Used intermittently throughout projects, contour drawings tin also be helpful for the student who needs to work faster.

A contour drawing by Ultima Thule:

Mod line drawings by Ultima Thule: there is a slick contrast in this cartoon between the sharp black lines and the dripping green. The application of colour to i area creates a dramatic focal point.

Cross profile drawing

Definition: A cross profile cartoon contains parallel lines that meet the surface of an object (or radiate from a central point), such as those that appear on a topographical map or a digital wireframe. The lines tin can run at any advisable bending (sometimes at multiple angles) and may continue across objects and into the groundwork. Cantankerous contour drawings typically follow the rules of perspective, with lines fatigued closer together in the distance and further autonomously in the foreground. In this blazon of drawing, the illusion of iii-dimensional book is created entirely with line.

Cross Contour Drawing Exercises: This is an excellent fashion to gain familiarity with the volumes and iii-dimensional forms in your project, producing analytical cross profile drawings that are suitable for sketchbooks or early preparatory sheets.

Cross contour drawing of a beat by Matt Louscher:

This fragile cross contour drawing helps to communicate the bumpy surface of the trounce. Note how the shell pieces that are furthest abroad from the viewer are sparse and light, whereas those that are closest are darker and thicker. Note also how the direction of the profile lines relates to the shape of object that is fatigued, with lines projecting outwards from the centre of the beat out.

Cross profile hand drawings past (from left) Mathew Immature, Ryan Acks and Lea Dallaglio while studying at the San Jose State University, Department of Art and Art History:

Hands are a bully subject area for a cross contour line cartoon do. Hands can create interesting, circuitous, curving shapes, every bit in the examples above, and are readily available for first-hand ascertainment. Note how the density and weight of the line also helps to communicate areas of calorie-free and shadow.

Cross profile drawings past Daniel Servin (left) and Alfred Manzano, completed while studying AP Studio Art at Mt Eden Loftier School in Hayward, California, Usa:

These cross contour drawings were completed equally part of Breadth assignments for AP Studio Art. These drawings show clever use of line thickness, with the line-weight varying in order to create the illusion of tone and testify 3-dimensional course.

A wireframe profile drawing exercise past Twelvemonth ix student Seonmin Lee from ACG Parnell Higher, Auckland, New Zealand:

Contour lines can as well exist a bang-up mode for students to pattern iii-dimensional forms. These drawings were completed as part of a papier mache sculpture project, with the contour lines representing the supporting cane construction.

Planar analysis drawing

Definition: A planar analysis cartoon simplifies complex curved surfaces into apartment planes, using straight lines. This procedure helps students to recollect about the underlying structure of objects and results in an analytical drawing, that is rather mechanical in advent.

Planar Analysis Drawing Activeness: This can exist a bully introductory drawing exercise, especially if you are moving towards Cubism or abstracting scenes into geometric course.

A planar analysis portrait completed past a educatee of Cat Normoyle:

The symmetry and familiarity of the homo confront makes portraiture a corking subject for planar analysis; the chore of converting circuitous 3-dimensional form into flat surfaces. Note the careful attention given to the olfactory organ and lips in this example.

Wire sculpture drawings

Definition: Wire tin be cut and aptitude into shapes with pliers to create three-dimensional 'drawings', oftentimes resulting in a work filled with flowing, curved lines. These wire sculptures can be attached to a two-dimensional frame or a flat surface, hung in the air, or exist left gratis-continuing, changing in appearance every bit a viewer moves around the room. Due to their flexible nature, wire sculptures oft movement slightly in the wind, adding an actress interactive element to the work.

Wire Sculpture Line Cartoon Practise: This is an excellent activity for middle school students and for high school students, if it relates specifically to your project (and does not interfere with postage requirements, for those who demand to post work away for cess). Small wire experiments, using light-weight wire, can as well exist mounted to sketchbook pages.

Wire sculptures completed by the students of Amy Bonner Oliveri from Allendale Columbia School, Rochester, New York, The states:

This wire cartoon do 'using line to create space' is completed by students within a 3D Art form, working over photographic portraits. Having a base image to piece of work from (this could also be an earlier observational drawing) makes the process of transferring from two-dimensional to three-dimensional much easier.

Hatching, cross hatching, and other line techniques

As well as representing contours, line can also be used to utilise tone (low-cal and shadow) to a drawing. This tin can exist washed past altering the:

• Gap between the lines
• Lightness / darkness of the line
• Thickness of the line

In that location are many line techniques can exist used to create tone, as illustrated in the worksheet below. Common techniques include:

• Pocket-sized dashes
• Hatching (long, parallel lines on an angle)
• Cross-hatching (parallel lines at correct angles)
• Stippling (dots)
• Scribbles
• Small crosses
• Small-scale circles

The angle that these techniques are applied may remain abiding within a drawing, or it may alter in response to the angle and direction of the forms. For instance, cantankerous-hatching may period around the surface of an object in a like direction equally cross contour lines. These techniques are as well a bang-up way to create the illusion of texture (run across our article well-nigh observational drawings).

Line Techniques Worksheet: The worksheet below has been provided by the Educatee Art Guide for classroom employ merely and may be issued freely to students (credited to studentartguide.com), also as shared via the social media buttons at the bottom of this page. Information technology may not exist published online or shared or distributed in any other way, as per our terms and conditions. The full size printable worksheet is bachelor by clicking the PDF link beneath. This worksheet is suitable for middle school students, or senior students who have not had prior feel with line techniques.

This worksheet introduces a range of line drawing techniques and encourages students to invent their own (such as using the commencement letter of their proper noun). It allows students to practise using these techniques and to use tone to a range of simple geometric objects.

Click here to open up the total size worksheet as a printable PDF.

An Indian Ink still life drawing by Kirana Intraroon, completed while in Year 10 at ACG Strathallan College, Auckland, New Zealand:

In this ink drawing, a minor grid experimenting with different line techniques has been included in the acme left of the piece of work. Some of these have been selected to apply tone to the work, advisedly replicating reflection and shadow. This epitome was completed using a sharpened bamboo stick dipped in black ink.

An A* GCSE Art sketchbook page by Samantha Li:

In this sketchbook page Samantha imitates and analyses a line drawing past Vincent van Gogh, discussing the suitability and appropriateness of each technique. Note that when learning from artists, it is rarely necessary to slavishly copy an entire piece of work; replicating modest pieces (as in this case) is often all that is needed.

A final GCSE Art piece by Hannah Armstrong:

This enormous pen drawing of a Baryonyx dinosaur measures one.2 x 2.ane metres, and took over 70 hours to consummate. It was the dramatic determination to a Yr eleven loftier school Fine art project.

Artist line drawings

Here is a collection of line drawings from famous and less well known artists, to inspire loftier school Fine art students and teachers. This section is continually updated. Enjoy!

Pablo Picasso:

Line drawings by Picasso: a serial of drawings showing the progression from realistic grade to a few curving lines. Tone and item have been eliminated: the bull stripped dorsum to its essence.

Andy Warhol:

Popular artist Andy Warhol is famous for his brightly coloured silkscreen artworks; yet he was as well a rampant drawer – often filling sketchbooks. He won many prizes for the drawings he produced in high schoolhouse. The illustrations shown to a higher place – comprising of slightly smudged and blotchy black lines – have Warhol's typical off-shell style. They were completed using a bones printmaking technique: pressing sheets of paper into a moisture ink cartoon, transferring the image to the 2d sheet.

David Hockney:

Famous artist David Hockey has produced many line drawings – oft portraits. He draws in silence, with precision and care, moving a blackness ink pen across the paper rapidly. This portrait – a snapshot into Hockney'south life – is entitled 'Eugene and Henry'.

Vincent van Gogh:

Most famous for his post-impressionist paintings, Vincent van Gogh also produced over a thousand drawings. In this pen and pencil line drawing, 'Cottages With a Woman Working in the Foreground', we encounter the stylistic swirling of line in the copse and clouds that is so feature of his well-known paintings. Capturing the swirling of the trees and the movement of the clouds, van Gogh represents the light falling beyond the textured mural with quick, confident marking-making.

Leonardo da Vinci:

These precise anatomical line drawings past famous creative person Leonardo da Vinci testify the internal construction of a man scalp, skull and eye. Facial proportions are carefully mapped out and documented in the paradigm to the right; the drawings surrounded by annotation and enlarged details.

Aaron Earley:

Cross-contour line drawings by Aaron Earley: graphite lines of various weights trace over the contours of the face, clearly conveying emotion, despite the lack of tone and item.

Peter Root:

Contemporary line drawings by Peter Root: a series of straight graphite lines is used to create a curvaceous, flowing abstract form.

Maurizio Anzeri

Contemporary artwork by Maurizio Anzeri: a portrait overlaid by a mass of stitched radial lines, veiling the image within.

Tornwing:

Cross contour line drawings by Tornwing: blackness lines of dissimilar thicknesses menstruum around three-dimensional forms. The strong contrast in this drawing creates a striking graphic image.

Karolina Cummings:

Gestural line drawings by Karolina Cummings: dramatic and brilliant, capturing form in rapidly scrawled, fluid line.

Daniel Mathers

Scribbled line drawings past Daniel Mathers: an explosion of insanity with a black pen.

Roz McQuillan:

Sensitive line drawings by Roz McQuillan: the contrast between the rendered siamese true cat and the white cat formed (formed from a few light lines) draws you in to this quiet embrace.

Wang Tzu-Ting:

Pencil drawings by Wang Tzu-Ting: an overlapping sequence of drawings, using lines that estimate tonal boundaries, set on a running wash of acrylic. A stunning image.

Nina Smart:

Painterly line drawings past Nina Smart: what appears to be an abstruse artwork of smudged and messy pigment lines is, upon closer inspection, an authentic and well-proportioned horse. This work was created using a large pipette, cling wrap and a pallet knife.

Andy Mercer:

Expressive line drawings by Andy Mercer: this mixed media drawing contains a mass of lines that create the illusion of a busy metropolis scene – a tangle of architectural form.

Vital Photography:

Line drawings by Vital Photography: this image has been pared back to its well-nigh basic – lines representing the edges of grade. Without whatever groundwork to speak of, this collection of marks is plenty to communicate a message with ease.

Doug Bell

Scribbled line drawings by Doug Bong: a portrait beautifully crafted from a tangle of lines.

Matthew Dunn:

Line drawings past Matthew Dunn: graphic in nature, this monkey appears to be hacked from a wooden board or lino cutting. White scrawls on a black ground; open mouth with horror.

Rod McLaren:

Line drawings by Rod McLaren: I almost didn't give this drawing another glance – merely for some reason I was transfixed past this black scribble, especially when I saw it was called 'underground train drawing'. There is wonder in information technology. And nil. Endless swirls of aught.

Andreas Fischer:

Line drawings by Andreas Fischer: the world it turns: thick, colourful, globular painterly lines.

Nicholas Weltyk:

Blind line drawings by Nicholas Weltyk: a wobbly nevertheless controlled continuous line defines course in this emotive drawing.

Swoon:

Street art past Swoon: a tightly woven mesh of paper cut lines.

Liliana Porter:

Experimental line drawings by Liliana Porter: perhaps this person is scrawling across the sky; maybe they are property onto a mammoth scribble in the way i might hold onto a wild airship. Either manner, this cartoon is typical of Liliana Porter'southward artworks. Fun, exciting and cool.

Hong Chun Zhang:

Line drawings by Hong Chun Zhang: this huge pilus drawing hangs down the wall and drapes beyond the floor. Impressive in scale, this drawing is the ultimate depiction of long, tightly braided line.

Bruce Pollock:

Line drawings by Bruce Pollock: finely interlocking mesh of lines creates an intricate and mesmerising pattern.

David Eskenazi

Line drawings by David Eskenazi: the boundaries of infinite and all that is in between.

Matt Niebuhr:

Line drawings past Matt Niebuhr: a shimmer of tightly meshed smudged and erased graphite line.

Albrecht Durer:

Line drawings by Albrecht Durer: a walrus

Il Lee:

Line drawings by Il Lee: whoever knew the scribbling of a blueish biro pen could effect in such magic.

Victoria Haven:

Geometric line drawings by Victoria Haven: careful, ordered lines of blueish water colours (championship: 'all in all is truthful') create the illusion of architectural form; twisting, turning space.

Carne Griffiths:

Line drawings by Carne Griffiths: this work is spun with lines…the fine pencil layer that teases out from beneath the color; the jagged vertical drips that streak downwardly towards the floor; the carefully etched eyebrows and lashes and hair.

William Anastasi:

Line drawings by William Anastasi: while blindfolded, Anastasi drew on a wall with graphite for an hour.

Charles Avery

Line drawings by Charles Avery: the illusory combining of hair with perspective lines vanishing towards a horizon make for a powerful image.

Did you relish this article? You may wish to read 11 Tips for Producing an Excellent Observational Drawing.

Amiria has been an Fine art & Blueprint teacher and a Curriculum Co-ordinator for seven years, responsible for the grade design and assessment of educatee work in ii loftier-achieving Auckland schools. She has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Architecture (Outset Grade Honours) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. Amiria is a CIE Accredited Art & Design Coursework Assessor.

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Source: https://www.studentartguide.com/articles/line-drawings-2

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