Descriptive lines is an art term used to describe a very specific element of a piece. Learn about descriptive lines in art with help from a graduate of the Maine College of Art in this free video clip.
What are descriptive lines?
Descriptive lines are the lines that the object's shape form or detail: the main types are… a. Outlines: an outline is a line that surrounds a shape.
How do you describe art in a descriptive way?
Other descriptive terms that can be helpful when trying to describe art are listed below. geometric - refers to the shapes such as circles, triangles, squares, etc. Now that you have a list of descriptive words to critique art, you’re ready to talk about art in a knowledgeable way.
How do you describe lines in art definition?
One may also ask, how do you describe lines in art? A lineis an identifiable path created by a point moving in space. It is one-dimensional and can vary in width, direction, and length. Linesoften definethe edges of a form. Linescan be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, straight or curved, thick or thin.
What is an expressive line in art?
Expressive linesare curved, adding an organic, more dynamic character to a work of art. Expressive linesare often rounded and follow undetermined paths. Outline, or contour lineis the simplest of these. They create a path around the edge of a shape.
What are expressive lines in art?
What are expressive lines? Expressive Line- a kind of line that seems to spring directly from the artist's emotions or feelings -- loose, gestural, and energetic. The nervousness of this subject is portrayed by the artist's use of jagged thick and thin lines with uneven contour.
What are the 4 types of lines in art?
There are 5 main types of lines in art: vertical lines, horizontal lines, diagonal lines, zigzag lines, and curved lines.
What are the descriptive properties of lines?
Characteristic of Line are:Width - thick, thin, tapering, uneven.Length - long, short, continuous, broken.Direction- horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curving, perpendicular, oblique, parallel, radial, zigzag.Focus- sharp, blurry, fuzzy, choppy.Feeling- sharp, jagged, graceful, smooth.
How do you describe lines in a drawing?
In terms of art, line can be described as a moving dot. Line is perhaps the most basic element of drawing. Line Variation - the use of a variety of line including width, length, texture, thickness, etc. to add interest to a drawing or painting. Length - lines can be long or short.
What are the 7 types of lines?
Table of Contents:Line. Point, Lines and Angles.Line Segment.Ray.Types of lines. Horizontal Lines. Vertical Lines. Parallel Lines. Perpendicular Lines. Some other lines.FAQs.
What are the 5 main types of lines in art?
There are 5 main types of lines in art: vertical lines, horizontal lines, diagonal lines, zigzag lines, and curved lines. Other types of lines are simply variations of the five main ones.
What is expressive line?
Expressive Line – A kind of line that seems to spring directly from the artist's emotions or feelings — loose, gestural, and energetic — epitomized by curvi-linear forms; as opposed to analytic or classical line.
What are the types of lines in art?
There are 5 main types of lines in art: vertical lines, horizontal lines, diagonal lines, zigzag lines, and curved lines.
How many types of lines are there?
How many types of lines are there? There are two basic lines in Geometry: straight and curved. Straight lines are further classifies into horizontal and vertical. Other types of lines are parallel lines, intersecting lines and perpendicular lines.
What are the 12 types of lines?
Terms in this set (12)Object lines. shows the contour or outline of objects.Hidden lines. represents features that are hidden in current view.Centerlines. locates the center of circles and arcs.Extension lines. show the extinct of a dimension.Dimension lines. ... Leader lines. ... Cutting-plane lines. ... Viewing-plane lanes.More items...
What is drawing with lines called?
Line drawing, also called contour drawing, primarily uses the line to indicate a change of plane.
What are the types of lines and their uses?
Types & Uses of LinesType of LineUses5Thick chain line- For indicating surfaces which must be of special requirement6Thin ruled line with short zigzags- For long break lines7Thin continuous wavy line- For limits of partial views8Thick line with Arrow heads- Used for dimension lines4 more rows
What are descriptive lines?
Descriptive lines are the lines that the object's shape form or detail: the main types are…. a. Outlines: an outline is a line that surrounds a shape. Contour Lines: contours define the outer edges of a shape and any details inside, like creases or folds. Click to see full answer.
What is an expressive line?
Expressive lines are curved, adding an organic, more dynamic character to a work of art. Expressive lines are often rounded and follow undetermined paths. Outline, or contour line is the simplest of these. They create a path around the edge of a shape. In fact, outlines define shapes.
What is a line in physics?
A line is an identifiable path created by a point moving in space. It is one-dimensional and can vary in width, direction, and length. Lines often define the edges of a form. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, straight or curved, thick or thin.
What does a line mean in drawing?
Line can control an viewer's eye. It can describe edges. It can indicate form as well as movement. It can also indicate value and a light source in drawing. When line is used for value or shading, we most typically see it used in the form of hatching or cross hatching.
What are the different types of lines?
Types of Lines. Vertical lines - lines that move up and down without any slant. Horizontal lines - lines that are parallel to the horizon. Diagonal lines - lines that slant. Zigzag lines - lines made from a combination of diagonal lines. Curved lines - Lines that change direction gradually.
How do you show form in a drawing?
By varying the line quality an artist can show form in a drawing with just the use of line. Line can also indicate shadow and form through the use of cross contour lines . Cross contour lines follow the contours of the object. Much like running your finger around the form of an object. Line - element of art.
What is the most common way to think of a line?
A simple way of thinking of a line is to imagine a point that moves... The most common use of line is showing where an object ends. This type of line is called a contour line . Contour lines are most commonly called outlines. Line can also create the illusion of form in a drawing.
What is the most basic element of art?
Line is one of the seven elements of art . It is considered by most to be the most basic element of art.
What is the difference between texture and direction?
Texture - lines can be rough or smooth. Direction - lines can move in any direction. Degree of curve - lines can curve gradually or not at all. Line quality or line weight - refers to the thickness or thinness of a line. By varying the line quality artists can make objects appear more 3-Deminsional and more interesting.
What is a line in art?
In art, a line can be described in several ways. The words used to describe line in artwork are not fancy terms that require formal education in art. They are ordinary terms often used in everyday conversation.
What is texture in art?
Texture is a very common art element. It is often used when referring to clothing, furniture, or hair. If you have ever painted a wall in your home you are most likely familiar with the many of the descriptive words for texture. rough. fine. smooth.
What is geometric art?
geometric - refers to the shapes such as circles, triangles, squares, etc. organic - free flowing or rounded. symmetry - meaning it is equal on both sides. asymmetrical - unequal proportioned elements. flat tones - no tonal effect in the color. negative space - the space around the actual form of art.
Why is color important in art?
The color, no matter what type of artwork helps define the piece and the artist. The creator of a lot of artwork can be identified just by looking at the colors, because certain artists use specific colours in every piece of their work.
What do descriptive lines tell us?
Descriptive lines. Descriptive lines tell us more about a subject. They help make a shape look more like a three-dimensional object by showing light, shade and texture. In The Rhinoceros (c.1515), Albrecht Durer uses lines to describe how he imagines the animal would look and feel.
What is a line in art?
Line. Lines are used by artists and designers to describe objects, add detail or create expression. Lines define an artwork and reveal the artist’s techniques. Part of. Art and Design. Elements of art.
What does the line mean in the rhinoceros?
In The Rhinoceros (c.1515), Albrecht Durer uses lines to describe how he imagines the animal would look and feel. Thin contour lines show the overall form and the outline of sections of armoured shell. More detailed lines that are close together, combine to show hard ridges, spikey hair and areas of smooth and rough texture.
What is the name of the artist who painted Jeanne Duval?
Portrait of Jeanne Duval, Charles Baudelaire, mid 19th century, pen and ink, Art Media/Print Collector/Getty Images. In Head of a Satyr (c.1500 - 1505), Michelangelo shows form with areas of light and shade and lines that suggest facial features, the curves round the neck, and curling hair.
What is the effect of the shell in the drawing?
The overall effect is that the shell looks heavy, hard and bulky even though it is a drawing on a flat page. This pen and ink drawing, Portrait of Jeanne Duval (Charles Pierre Baudelaire, mid 19th century) uses thick black contour lines to show the shape of the woman and her clothes.
What is light and shade?
Light and shade is described using hatched and cross-hatched lines. Thin lines are used to create the detail of the woman’s features. Her face appears delicate in contrast to the bold lines around it. Portrait of Jeanne Duval, Charles Baudelaire, mid 19th century, pen and ink, Art Media/Print Collector/Getty Images.
What do artists use to describe their work?
Artists also use nouns to describe art, such as ‘light’ and ‘energy. Nouns are words that represent people, places, and things in your painting or artwork. Including the following nouns can help you describe more accurately what is going on within a painting: – The artist’s name. -Where the painting takes place.
Why is it important to describe art online?
It is essential when describing art online to be descriptive so your viewers can find what they are looking for and make a purchase decision based on the information you provide about your work. An accurate description will help drive more traffic to an artist’s website and increase sales from that site.
How do visual artists tell their stories?
Visual artists tell their stories through painting or drawing. Many artists find it challenging to write about their pieces, but it is just as important to describe the work as any other art marketing tool. There are many words and phrases that artists can use to describe their creative process, materials, emotional response, ...
Is selling art online different from selling in person?
Art sales continue to grow every year, and more artists are trying to establish an art career selling artwork online. Selling art online is different than selling in person. When a person views your art in person, you will be there to answer any questions they might have.
What is a line in art?
The line describes a physical direction, directs the viewer’s eyes and establishes the composition. There is more than one type of line, but let’s take two of them: actual and implied lines.
What are implied lines in art?
What are the implied lines in art? In art, implied lines aren’t drawn, but they are created with colors, shadows, shapes, textures, and spaces between objects. Their purpose is to guide the viewer’s eyes within the artwork and emphasize certain elements.
What is the name of the painting that has implied lines?
Las Meninas by Diego Velazquez, 1656. Las Meninas is another well-known painting and a good example of implied lines. First of all, the eyes of the characters are directed towards infant Margarita – a small girl in the center.
What is implied line in Parson Weems Fable?
They are used both for the sake of composition and to point out something that is happening in the center of the painting.
What is the meaning of the bride's hand in the painting?
The Unequal Marriage by Vasily Pukirev, 1862. The main focus of this painting are the bride and her hand. And the bride’s hand is an implied line in itself, it symbolizes reluctance and the unwanted, but inevitable future. The lines in the painting all point towards what’s happening in its center.
How to create implied lines?
One way of creating implied lines is through characters’ postures, hand positions or the direction in which they look. This is done to guide the viewer’s eyes as well, making them look at certain important parts of the work.
What is the line of the horizon?
The line of the horizon, the ones that form the house, the shadows on the lawn, even the ladder. But some of the lines are imaginary and incomplete. The windows of the house seemingly form one line, but it’s not drawn fully. The same goes for the clouds in the sky.

5 Types of Lines in Art: Meaning and Examples
- Vertical linesare straight up and down lines that are moving in space without any slant and are perpendicular to horizontal lines. They suggest height and strength because they extend towards the sky and seem unshakeable. Horizontal linesare straight lines parallel to the horizon that mov…
How to Get Variations of Lines in Art
- The 5 main types of lines are the beginning of all sorts of amazing and unique lines! To get more line variations, refer to tools such as length, width, weight, texture, style, direction, the degree of curve or all of the above combined. Length in lines can be long (tall, strong, far) or short (small, cute, close). Width in lines goes from thin (delicate, slim, lightweight) to thick (strength, weight, p…
Types of Lines in Art Defined by Their Use
- Another way to combine different lines into types is by the way they are being used in an artwork. The types of lines are contour lines, continuous line, parallel or cross-hatching lines, decoration lines, implied lines and gesture lines. Contour linesare a continuous line that defines the outline of a shape. They can exist outside and inside a shape, or a figure and are often referred to as line a…
Functions of Lines in Art and Design
- An artist’s line is a sort of signature for them. A line is where a shape begins, and each artist owns their own gallery of preferred lines, which is the beginning of one’s art style. And while I briefly explained the meaning each of the 5 types of lines conveys, their functions are limitless. Lines are everywhere! The 5 most common functions of lines in art are: identification, three-dimensional s…
Effective Ways to Use Lines
- Before putting down a line, think about what your artwork is all about and choose accordingly! If creating an energeticwork of art, try using curved lines with varying width and texture! When working on a peacefulwork, try the organization function and figure out big shapes, then use curved waves and minimalism. If working on a piece trying to convey anxiety, try cross-hatching…
Lines Types, Varieties and Functions Summary
- To sum up, these are the 5 types of lines: 1. Vertical 2. Horizontal 3. Diagonal 4. Zigzag 5. Curved You can make a variety of lines using these tools: 1. Length 2. Width 3. Weight 4. Texture 5. Style Other types of lines are defined by the technique you are using: 1. Contour lines 2. Continuous line 3. Parallel or cross-hatching 4. Gesture lines 5. Implied lines And their 5 functions are: 1. Identifi…