Line

Line is used for so many purposes:

To convey beauty

To divide an area/space

To delineate a thought/symbol

To define form by edge/contour

To catch and direct an eye

To produce a grey or tonal gradation 

To create a design

I explored the use of line and experimented with a variety of materials and techniques to create different line compositions.

Using a variety of different sized brushes and using different amounts of paint creating interesting textures. I experimented with the pressure of the pen slowly decreasing until there is nothing, creating a gradation tone. I also experimented with cross hatching to create a sense of tone. What I find quite interesting is the ink slowly becoming less opaque as it travels across the page, having a translucent feel. I used the back of a paint brush to create more of a scratchy feel which is quite interesting because there are so many tones within the line because of the texture. 

Transferring techniques into subject matters

I focussed on a subject (someone in the room) and tried to transfer my different line qualitys into the portrait.

Combining large brush strokes with little paint on, and smaller brush strokes with more paint on. I used the large brush strokes as a background effect. I think this is so successful as the low opacity large brush strokes make the focal line drawing stand out but creates an interesting background texture. The two line drawings compliment each other very well.

Using a Large paint brush. I simply just used a large paint brush with ink, making the absolute most of all angles of the paint brush. I have created some really interesting lines and I really like the contrast between the darker tones and lighter tones how they overlap to create even darker tones. I feel like this would look good as a screen print using various colours.

Using two pens, blue and black. This mirror image is very effective as the combinations of line drawings create an abstract composition fraying away from the obvious portrait drawing.