line

In art, the path of a point through space; one of the formal art elements. Lines used in the creation of art include descriptive lines (lines that are drawn), including outlines, contour lines, and hatching lines; and implied lines (suggested lines) including edges and lines of sight (the direction in which figures in a composition are looking). Direction and movement may be shown with lines, including verticals, horizontals, diagonals, zigzags, and curves. Lines are also used expressively as a means to convey emotion, feeling, or ideas. The types of lines and their use in a composition depend heavily on the chosen art medium and method of execution.

Descriptive lines Used to illustrate, descriptive lines come in many varieties, from scribbles to representational pictures. Three types of descriptive lines are outlines, contour lines, single or individual lines, and hatching lines. Outlines (the lines that surround a shape), are the most primary of the descriptive lines; examples can be seen in the work of cartoonists. If outlines are of the same thickness in a composition, the result is often very one-dimensional. Contour lines are similar to outlines in that they are descriptive lines and form the edge of a shape; however, contour lines also describe the lines or edges within forms, and they vary in thickness. Using contour lines enables an artist to draw objects with a greater appearance of depth; for example, if contour lines are used to draw a hand, the outline (the line around the hand) and the wrinkles and folds of the skin are drawn. Hatching lines are thin black parallel lines that, when put on a light background appear grey and, therefore, give the illusion of shading; if they cross, such lines are called cross-hatching. Hatching and cross-hatching describe the depth and volume of objects.

Implied Lines that are hinted at but not actually drawn include edges and lines of sight. Edges, where one shape ends and another begins, are implied lines. Artists use edges as a tool for bringing the eye around the picture plane. The edges of sculpture also suggest the line between the form and space. Lines of sight are the lines along which figures in the composition are looking. They are used not only as implied lines, but also in drawing attention to objects or figures, and to connect parts of the picture.

Direction and movement Generally, verticals, horizontals, and diagonals are directional lines, whereas zigzag and curved lines are movement lines. Vertical lines move straight up and down, horizontal lines are parallel with the ground, and diagonal lines lie between horizontal and vertical lines. Curved lines change direction little by little; they tend to represent a flowing and peaceful movement. Zigzag lines are made using two diagonal lines; they usually express a more excited type of movement.

line

In mathematics, a figure produced by joining two or more points in order. The mid-point of any line may be found by construction of a perpendicular bisector or by measurement.