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Just as we use our index finger to point towards things that are important, so too can artists use lines to guide the viewer towards key details.
Just as we use our index finger to point towards things that are important, so too can artists use lines to guide the viewer towards key details.
Lines - the use of lines within an image to influence the viewer's gaze and mood.
Introduction
Introduction
We are used to lines guiding us in life. On a map, we follow paths to reach our destination; in a shopping mall, we follow arrows to find what we are looking for; and, when driving, we follow lines to make sure we don't run into anything.
Artists can also use lines to guide the viewer's thoughts and emotions, whether by navigating towards important information, or suggesting action or inaction.
Types of Lines
Types of Lines
Vertical Lines
Vertical Lines
Think of times when you have been told to Stand up straight!
We are culturally trained to believe that verticality represents strength, and artists can use vertical straight lines in their images to project confidence and growth.
In addition, the width of vertical lines can also communicate meaning: thick vertical lines suggest firmness and conviction, while thin or wavering lines indicate fragility or elegance.
Horizontal Lines
Horizontal Lines
Horizontal lines suggest stability: after all, something that is flat cannot fall over.
The width of horizontal lines does not seem to change their meaning (unlike vertical lines). However, if horizontal lines (including the horizon) are not quite flat, this may suggest the subject is "slipping."
Diagonal Lines
Diagonal Lines
Like dutch angles, diagonal lines can suggest either uncertainty and unease, or energy and dynamism.
Leading Lines
Leading Lines
Lines can also be used to draw the viewer's attention to important information, whether they realise it or not.
One way to achieve this is by using horizontal lines to guide the viewer's gaze from left to right, and vertical lines to draw the viewer's gaze upwards, helping them to "find" the subject.
Another way is to direct the viewer's gaze is through converging lines; that is, diagonal lines that slowly close together as they approach the subject.
Yet one more way to guide the viewer's gaze is with implied lines; that is, objects in an image which are perceived as lines by the viewer. These can include things like rows of trees or street lamps.
Leading lines take the viewer on a journey through an image before finally resting on the subject: take a look through the gallery below to see them in action.
Curving Lines
Curving Lines
While straight lines have a sharp, direct impression on the viewer, curved lines have a more gentle touch.
These lines still guide the viewer towards important information, but they can also lend a slower, more meandering atmosphere to a piece.
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