Art Activity #6: A Line Study
This week we are going to be exploring lines and contours by doing a line study. This is a very simple form of drawing that uses no colours or shading, but still requires patience to complete. Line studies can be done in all sorts of ways, but today we are going to be focusing on drawing lines with confidence, so we won’t be using any pencils or erasers!
All you need is:
paper
a pen or marker (nothing eraseable)
a small object in your house that won’t move (ie a cup, a hanger, a flower, a fruit or vegetable — not a pet or person)
a hard surface to draw on
For her line study, Miss Marks chose to draw this water bottle in her sketchbook with a fine liner, and her cat wanted to watch! She chose this water bottle because it reminds her of one of her favourite people.
When choosing what to draw (your subject), take your time to search your house and find something you want to draw. Don’t be afraid to chose something that you think will be challenging to draw. This is an exercise in focus and line work, not perfection! Pick something that makes you happy when you look at it.
Follow these steps to complete your line study:
Put the object on a flat surface where it will not move or roll, and sit down in front of it with your art supplies. Take three deep breaths, and draw circles in the air to loosen up your wrists.
Study your object carefully for any lines, and start to draw what you see. It is easiest to start with the lines can see the most clearly, which are usually around the outside of the object. Draw very slowly and try not to lift your pen or marker off the paper unless it is absolutely necessary. Capture the outer shape of the object, including all the corners and bumps. When you’re done with this step, you should have an outline of your subject. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look like what is in front of you, and don’t try to fix it. We are using a permanent medium for a reason!
Now you can start to add in the details of your subject. Try to look at the object more than your paper, and carefully add in any lines you see. You can pick up your pen or marker if you need to, but do it as little as possible. Draw as many continuous lines as you can. This activity is all about observing your subject with artists’ eyes. Draw only the lines you see, don’t colour in any of the shapes or add any shadows. Don’t add in any lines that you think should be there, draw only what you can see.
You have finished your drawing when you have drawn all the lines visible from where you are sitting. Take a photo of your line drawing (using my photo taking guide for reference!) and share it with me and your classroom teacher via email or Microsoft Teams. I will share any submissions in the student gallery below. I cannot wait to see your line studies!
Miss Marks’ finished water bottle line study is nowhere near perfect, but captures the subject well enough. The hardest part was trying not to fix any wonky lines — you can see where she thickened some lines to attempt to make them more straight! It can be hard to accept imperfection, but it is a very valuable lesson to learn.
