Elements of Design - Line
Examples are everywhere
· In nature they may show up as the stems on flowers or stripes on a zebra
· In architecture, the edge of a skyscraper
· In art, lines may be the path made by a pencil or stroke made by a brush. It can be the edge of a stone sculpture, or the line of your bottom lip when you smile.
· Lines can be thick or thin, straight or curved
Line Types – Six most common
· Structural – are lines that hold a design together and can be delicate like a web or sturdy like a phone pole
· Outlines – generally refer to the outer edge of a silhouette, or line made by the edges of an object
· Contour – describes the shape of an object, and include interior detail.
· Gesture – are sometimes called movement lines and emphasize direction and fluidity
· Sketch – provide more detail than outlines, contour lines, and gesture lines and can be drawn very quickly
· Calligraphy – from two Greek words meaning “beautiful writing”. It is precise, elegant hand-writing or lettering done by hand.
Line Personality
· Defined as the general characteristics of a line that conveys a specific mood or feeling.
Vertical Lines – run straight up and down and are used to convey height, stability, and dignity.
Horizontal Lines – run from side to side and suggest calmness, repose, and balance.
Diagonal Lines – run at an angle and can express action, movement, and tension.
Curved Lines – also express a sense of movement but the motion is fluid and not tense.
Line Quality
· Adds to the personality of a line by changing direction, thickness, or value.
· Jagged or broken lines can convey fear or irritation
· Short, quick strokes can heighten the sense of tension or drama
· Fuzzy, blurred lines might give a sense of dreamy or mysterious mood
· Horizontal lines usually give a feeling of calmness or rest
Implied lines – are suggested lines that are not actually drawn into a work of art. Examples are large objects like roads, viewed from a distance, appear winding, like a long curved line.
Another type of implied line is a line of sight, which is an imaginary line from a viewer’s eyes to a viewed object. This helps direct your attention from part of a design to another.
Line as Texture and Pattern
· Texture is the surface quality of an object – is it smooth? rough?
· Pattern is the repetition of a surface element like stripes or polka dots
Line Combinations
· A line combination is a mixture of different line types and personalities
· In art, line combinations can be used to create a sense of depth, texture and pattern
