Line

THE FORMAL ELEMENTSTHE FORMAL ELEMENTS→line

→light and value

→color

→texture and pattern

→shape and volume

→space

→time and motion

Some works also contain :

→chance

→improvisation

→spontaneity

→engaging senses other than sight

Line

A line is a moving point, having length and no width.

Actual lines physically exist and can be broad, thin, straight, jagged…

Implied lines do not physically exist, but appear to be real.

A line’s direction describes spatial relationships.

Horizontal - imply inactivity.

Vertical - the potential of action.

Diagonal - suggest movement, like falling trees.

Curving - suggest flowing movement.

Lines have direction:

→horizontal

→vertical

→diagonal

→curved

→meandering

Line quality expresses a range of emotions,

fragility, roughness, anger, whimsy, vigor...

Compare - Utagawa Kunisada. Shoki the Demon Queller,

c.1849–1853. Woodblock print, 14" × 9 1/2". Burrell Collection, Glasgow.

With Paul Klee, They’re Biting, 1920. Drawing and oil on paper, 121/4" × 91/4". Tate Gallery, London.

Gesture lines - rapid, sketchy marks mimicking the movement of human eyes when examining a subject.

Outline - follows the edges of a silhouette of a 3-d form with uniform line thickness.

ContourContour lines mark the edges of a 3-d object with varying line thickness and with some internal detail.

Cross-contours - repeated lines around an object and express its 3-dimensionality.

Lines can produce tones, or

values, as in parallel lines of hatching.

Parallel lines in layers is crosshatching.

CrosshatchingMany thin, parallel lines create

the illusion of a gray tone, parallel lines layered on top of each other create darker gray tones

Expressive vs. analytical line

Line and other Art Elements

• Line and shape: contour and cross contour

• Line and value: hatching and cross hatching

• Line and texture

• Line and color

Contour Line

Cross contour

Line as Representation and Expression

• Gesture

• Gestural

• Calligraphic

• Implied line

Gesture

In the Style of Giacometti