Line in Art

A LOOK AT

Line as an element of art can be defined as the path that is formed between two points, usually a straight line. 

WHAT IS A LINE IN ART?

Lines can carry multiple qualities pertaining to thickness, color, shape, and size that can be maneuvered to create the visual aesthetic of your choice.

TYPES OF LINE IN ART

Line, along with the other art elements, can be combined to create different effects. Some of the uses of lines in art are to create movement, guide the eye of the viewer to a focal point, and shade an object.

USES OF LINE IN ART

EXPLORE SOME GENERAL EXAMPLES OF LINE IN ART

Two Studies of a Bird of Paradise (1630)  Rembrandt van Rijn

Cornish Slate Ellipse (2009)  Richard Long

EXAMPLES OF VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL LINES IN ART

Composition with Yellow, Blue, and Red (c. 1937 – 1942)   Piet Mondrian

The Forge (c. 1817)  Francisco Goya

Blue Dancers (1897)  Edgar Degas

EXAMPLES OF GESTURAL LINES IN ART

Naruto Whirlpool, Awa Province (c. 1853)  Utagawa Hiroshige

The Last Supper (c. 1495 – 1498)  Leonardo da Vinci

Melencolia I (1514)  Albrecht Dürer

The Father’s Curse – The Ungrateful Son (1777)  Jean-Baptiste Greuze