8. Line Basics - Variety of Line - Stippling, Smudging, etc.

One problem with our new digital age is that we think of everything as simply being "on or off", like flipping a switch. Pencils aren't like that. They're analog, meaning they make more than one kind of line - near infinite actually. Pens and markers are a little more limiting, but even they can create a wide variety of marks, with practice.

It's hard to convey different shapes, textures and surfaces with just one type of line. It can become boring, thoughtless. Adding variety of line adds excitement to your subject, making it pop. It's something deliberate that cameras can't do, and AI can't do well - yet. Let's look at some examples:

Fishing Boats at Sea, by Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

Look at this drawing by Van Gogh. How many different kinds of line can you count? There's the even stippling (little dots) in the sky, then the little brown waves in the background. The little white sails in the back make their own little lines, contrasted by the dogtooth shape sails in the midground. There are some really large, dark wavy lines for waves in the foreground, plus some choppy, repeated lines for cresting waves - mixed with little scribbles and circles for frothy white caps at the bottom. The boats themselves use different lines for the vessel and mast (the pole that holds up the sail). It's not realistic, but who cares? Have you ever seen a seascape like it? Van Gogh has created a totally unique vision of the world, and he did it with variation in line. 

Harvest Landscape, by Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

Van Gogh really is a gold standard for line variety. In fact, I generally enjoy his drawings more than his paintings, for this reason.

Reading the Paper, by Gertrude Kay

Look at the variety of line here, in this illustration - the bold, solid black dress with its thin white slivers to indicate folds, contrasted by the long, solid solitary lines of the newspaper as they fold and crinkle. Then, the endless horizontal lines that together make the texture of the couch, contrasted with the many different books, each having it's own unique marks. See all the variety of line you can achieve with an ink pen.

A sketch by Rich Anderson

Rich Anderson loves mixing different media in his sketches to emphasize different kinds of line. Notice the thin pen strokes, mixed with the thick black marker shadows, and the light ink wash for the man's coat. Then, there are the black smudges on the buildings to indicate their broken textures.

Sketchbook pages by Clio Chiang

Clio mixes media in her sketches as well - count how many kinds of line you can see above.

Louis Cheung, by Paul Lung

With line variety, you can create highly realistic images. But, as we saw with Van Gogh, you don't have to.

Portrait of a youth, by Susan Lyon

This drawing mixes very realistic, soft lines for the face, with rougher, yet gentle, unblended, abstract pastel marks for the clothing.

Portrait of St. Manetti, by Cristofano Allori

See how this portrait uses the softest, pastel-like texture possible to show the softness of this man's hair, contrasting with the bold, firm lines around his eyes and nose.

LEVEL 1 ASSIGNMENT - Line Variety Practice Sheet

THE SET UP:

LEVEL 1 ASSIGNMENT - 40 Different Kinds of Line

THE SET UP:

LEVEL 2 ASSIGNMENT - Still Life with 12 Different Line Varieties

THE SET UP:

LEVEL 2 ASSIGNMENT - Floral Drawing with 12 Different Line Varieties

THE SET UP:

LEVEL 3 ASSIGNMENT - Cityscape with 12 Different Line Varieties

THE SET UP: