Line Drawing Techniques / Terminology
Week two- fundamentals of drawing.
Pablo Picasso Line drawings by Picasso: a series of drawings showing the progression from realis8c form to a few curving lines. Tone and detail have been eliminated: the bull stripped back to its essence. David Hockney Vincent van Gogh Andy Warhol Leonardo da Vinci Styles of Line Drawings
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Contour
Blind Contour
Continuous Line Contour
Gesture
Contour drawing
A contour drawing shows the outlines, shapes
and edges of a scene, but omits fine detail,
surface texture, color and tone. Defines
bounds.
Blind Contour
A blind contour drawing contains lines that are
drawn without ever looking at the piece of
paper. This forces you to study a scene closely,
observing every shape and edge with your
eyes, as 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, you must first learn to see.
Continuous Line Contour
A continuous line drawing is produced without
ever lifting the drawing instrument from the
page. This means that, in addition to outlines
and internal shapes, the pencil must move back
and forth across the surface of the paper, with
lines doubling back on each other, so that the
drawing is one free-flowing, unbroken line. Gesture
A gesture drawing is completed quickly – often
in short timed durations, such as 20, 30, 60 or
90 seconds – using fast, expressive lines.
Gesture drawings capture basic forms and
proportions – the emotion and essence of a
subject – without focusing on detail. Line can also be used to show
shape,
contour,
texture
& tone.
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Hatching
We can create value by using linear
hatching.
Hatching
The closer the lines are, the darker the
value.
Hatching
Pressing harder or using a bigger nib or
marker, also gives a darker appearance.
Crosshatching
Crosshatching uses layers of
hatching placed at an angle.
Usually the 1st layer is vertical, the
next horizontal and the next
diagonal.
Contour Hatching
The direction of line helps suggest
contours.
When crosshatched, they suggest
cross-contours.
Hatching which follows a contour
can also help to make objects
appear more 3D.
Scumbling
Scumbling uses layers of small
scribbled marks to build up value
and texture.
Varying the direction adds more
interest than a simple circular
scribble.
Random Hatching
Random hatching uses layers of
short, straight marks.
Various textures result depending
on whether these short hatches
are applied vertically, at right
angles, following a contour or at
random angles.
Stippling
Stippling uses tiny dots to
create value.
Stippling
Stippling uses tiny dots to
create value.
The closer together the dots,
the darker the tone.
Stippling
Stippling uses tiny dots to
create value.
The closer together the dots,
the darker the tone.
Larger dots create a denser
tonal value more quickly but
can look course.
Here are some
other examples:
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Here are some
pencil examples:
HARD PENCIL MARKS
f\'B:Ihave noc given )'OU examples of 01ark m.aiking \'\rith HB or 7H co 9H
pencils.
611, Ve11/calline.<
11orizmllal line.<.
Ve11/cal and borlzorual.
511, Diagonal lines .
sloping left
Diagonal lines wilbleft
and rlgbl emphases
Dfagor1als tuilb borlzontal
and vertical lines.
411,A zigzag line.
11orizmllal line achieved
wilb 1be side f tbepolnr.
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tbe
previous marks.
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311, Dragging 1beside of the
pencilborl.wn1all.y In
rowsof zigzag lines.
Spaced dragged dashes.
211, Rowsof squfgg l)'
teYlured. lines
11orizmllal and uenlca/ f ine.
producing aknilted tex1u.re.
Waryborlzontal lines.
2Bc Horizontal rows of
Scribbled lines fmp lyf nga
kniued texture andshadow.
Vertical scribble, creating
3Bc Heavy berrlnglxme
Smudged lone (wilb /befinger)
Ra11do1n mark
rnakfng
fnzplylng a rottgb
scribbled shading.
/eYlttre.
tocreate a1mospbere.
asoft 1ev,1tcre and
sbadlng.
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te.Yture.
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Apu.<bed zigzag
line using 1be side of
1be pencil
Rows of uerlfcal scribble,
progressingfromdark to light.
Regular dashes of tone.
Woolyl scribble creating
Openzigzag lines create
torze and texture.
5Bc /TTegular dots, creating
an- hnplled te.Yture,
a te.Yttuedsurface.
68, !.ayer of grapbi1e
robbed diagonally to
Ver1fcal lines robbed
borlzoruall.y and 1/xm verilcal
pemaps agravelpatb.
create attnospbere.
lines dratvn over tbe 1op to
create a wovente>.·.ture.
Torie robbed verilcally and
then IXJrlzontaJty to
create
a ruoveri textttre.
Albrecht Durer
VincentVan Gogh
Both Durer & Van Gogh are well
known for their line work.
Durer
Van Gogh
Try to incorporate some of these
techniques into your own work.
Consider shape, contour, texture
and tone.