“A drawing is simply a line going for a walk.” — Paul Klee
Lines. They don’t exist in physical reality but they’re almost always the first thing we see.
The line marks the beginning of things. It forms meaning and translates ideas. Enclosed, it makes a shape. The earliest markings made and interpreted by our caveman ancestors were lines. It’s likely the very first symbol ever created, beginning as image and then later, as written language. The importance of line to an artist is gargantuan and its value and influence over mankind has been equally immeasurable.
Let’s look at what lines do and what they can mean more specifically:
Line as a Demarcation:
A line marks the edge of things. It’s the outline which separates foreground from background. It aids the sillouette. It says this is over here, the other thing is over there. In that sense, it defines a spatial relationship between that which lies on either side of the line.
Line is Movement:
Lines indicate action. The flow of the line is something remarkably active and interesting. Our eyes naturally travel along a line, whether it be a painted stripe on a roadway or the body of a snake, we can’t help but be led along from one end to the other.
Lines give Direction:
The movement of the line can also indicate an aimed direction or thrust. The line of action in the spine of a body or the turn of forces in the torso or limbs — like those seen in a Michelangelo fresco — dictate where our eyes go. Lines indicate the direction(s) of force(s) felt but unseen. The poses made by the very best animators always demonstrate this phenomena.
Line can describe Texture:
The use or absence of line can indicate the qualities of a surface. It can also be used to distinguish spatial distance. A line in open space gives a very different feeling compared to a confluence of organized (or disorganized) collection of lines. Smooth lines magnify the feeling of flow while erractic lines suggest disruption and more tactility. Lines can describe and decorate; used in open or closed form, they design a composition.
Lines can Unify:
When used in conjunction with other lines, the line may unify. Whenever we look at circular forms or any forms that are repeated, they give a sense of unity by tying things together. Like the muscles in body, they work together like a rubber band system simultaneously pushing and pulling. It’s one of the reasons why 2D animation drawings often have so much appeal because unity and repetition brings about harmony, both in movement and form.
Lines have Weight:
Altering the quality of the line can give weight to it. The illusion of gravity and substance begins to form whenever there’s a change in the thickness of the line. Thus a line can feel, or give the feeling of, heaviness or delicateness, power or elegance. The line itself can have character or be its own character and carry its own uniquely defining message.
Lines are Personal:
Yes, lines can possess or present the personal qualities of the artist. Composed in the right way, a single line (or a group of lines) can deliver feelings of strength, grace, sensuality and even spirit. There’s a reason why handwritten signatures have been used for centuries as a means to authenticate works of art or legal commitments. The way we use line can be, and often is, a very personal statement.
Ultimately, making a line is akin to drawing a line in the sand. It says this is how far I will go and this where I say yes and where I say no. For the artist, to express himself in line is to make a decision — that is, it’s proof of his action and evidence of his existence — and there is nothing more important than that. So, it is this reason why the visual artist must draw; it’s simply the most direct and practical way to learn how to see the line and how to use it.
