Line in Visual Arts

Carla Piper, Ed. D.ARTU450

What is line?

line. A point moving in space. Line can vary in width, length, curvature, color, or direction (California Visual Arts Glossary Definition)

http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/vamain.asp

Click on links included on each slide for more information.

Elements of Art

Qualities of line

• Vary in weight, width, and emphasis • May be delicate or bold • May be made with freedom and

spontaneity or with deliberate action • May flow or jerk • Can be think and light or thick and heavy • May be wavy, fish-scale, jagged, or zigzag • May suggest a personality that is bold,

careful, or tentative • Can create outlines, inner edges, paths of

motion, decorative patterns Wachowiak & Clements (2006), p. 11

Examine the Use of Lines in These Famous Works of Art

Click on the links to find out more on each artist.

Line in Architecture

Click on Links

• Works of Architecture • The Element of Line• MIT Society for Architectural Hist

orians• Download Image Exchange Tour• Great Buildings• Wikipedia

Frank Lloyd Wright

The Architect - 1867-1959• The Guggenheim: New York• A Virtual Look at the Works of Fr

ank Lloyd Wright• The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundati

on• Wikipedia• PBS • Timeline of Art History

Alexander Calder

• Drawing, Painting, Sculpture (1898-1972)• Calder Foundation• Wikipedia• National Gallery of Art Tour

Click on Links

Paul Klee

• 1879-1940• Wikipedia• NetMuseum Timeline

Joan Miró

• 1893-1983• Wikipedia • Miro

Joan Miró

Georgia O’Keefe

• 1887-1986• Timeline of Art History • Wikipedia

Marc Chagall

• 1887-1985• Wikipedia• ABC Gallery

Henri Matisse

• 1969-1954• Wikipedia• ABC Gallery

Wassily Kandinsky

• 1866-1944• Wikipedia