Line
A line, mathematically speaking, is a space between two points; it is straight and has no thickness.
In fine art, however, the definition of line gets expanded to include curved lines, continuous lines, broken lines, lines that change from thick to thin, and even objects placed one next to the other to form a line.
So, line in visual arts can create movement and guide the eye through the artwork.
Watch this short video about line:
Now, let's watch Mr. Doodle and see how he creates art using line.
Another famous artist who works exclusively with Sharpies is Shantell Martin. Her process, however, is quite different than Mr. Doodle's. She follows the line at first wherever it wants to go, creating large cells and divided areas; then, she fills in the gaps with whatever the area reminds her of.
What was the difference between these two thought processes? How does Mr. Doodle's process differ from Shantell's?
Line can be super powerful -- you can add distance to a drawing, for instance, just by making the lines that go back in space thinner.
This shift is called line quality!
To improve your line quality, you can use smooth transitions to make your line thicker in some areas and thinner in others. This can be used when drawing with any material -- markers, pencil, charcoal, and even paint!
Here is a nice video on how to accomplish good line quality with pencil: