Artists use line in an almost limitless number of ways to render images and create expressive effects. Line is most commonly used to define objects but it can also be used to create a sense of texture, light, or atmosphere. Some linear techniques are quick and gestural adding vitality and immediacy to a drawing. Slower, more studied methods can record a wealth of detail or may build up layers of lines to produce a strong sense of mass or dramatic ranges in value. As you view the examples, carefully examine how the artists have used line. What kinds of formal and expressive effects have they achieved?
