Lines and Shapes

Types of lines

• Horizontal- are straight side to side and perpendicular to vertical lines.
• Vertical- are straight up and down and perpendicular to horizontal lines.
• Free form- are irregular or uneven and are more found in nature. They have a mixture of straight lines, curved lines and zig zag line.
• Diagonal- are lines that are straight in any direction except vertical or horizontal.
• Zigzag- are a series of diagonal lines end to end. They are two lines with a joint connecting them at any angle.

Contour- A line used to follow the edges of forms and thus describe their outlines.

Gesture- A line that does not stay at the edges but moves freely within forms. These lines record movement of the eye as well as implying motion in the form.

Line quality- Any one of a number of characteristics of line determined by its weight, direction, uniformity, or other features.

Line as value- Hatching and cross-hatching are techniques often employed by these artists to suggest a broad gamut of values.

Outline- the line by which a figure or object is defined or bounded. A drawing or sketch restricted to line without shading or modeling of form.

Explicit line- is obvious in an image such as the acrylic painting

Implied line- created by positioning a series of points so that the eye tends automatically to connect them

Shapes

Geometric Shapes- can be described using mathematical terms and are very regular or precise. They are more often found in man-made things because they are easier to reproduce and make things with.

Free Form Shapes- are irregular or uneven and are more found in nature. They have a mixture of straight lines, curved lines and zig zag line.

Positive Shapes- are usually those which are the subject matter within a work of art.

Negative shapes- or space, are those in the background or around the positive shapes.

Using Only Lines

Geometric Shapes

Free Form Shaped Butterflies

Focusing on Positive

Focusing on Negative