L is for Line
Putting things in perspective and appreciating growth
I have a complicated relationship with line. In my final feedback form for my MA graduation project my tutor commented on ‘the use of a nervous line’, later followed by ‘You clearly lack confidence in observational drawing and this is hampering you’. Ouch.
At the time this absolutely shattered me, sending me into a spiral of self pity and doubt. Reading his feedback now, three years later, after much wallowing and some distance from that pressure cooker time that was the MA, I see his comments is a different light. He was right off course, I didn’t like drawing from observation, the sheer amount of shitty drawings I produced made me feel incompetent and uncomfortable. (Rebecca Green makes two excellent observations in her latest Patreon post about observational drawing.)
I stills struggle with line, but I am determined to overcome this nervousness of mine, so let’s dive into what line is, the different types of lines and which quality I would like my line to have.
“Line is a primary element in art and has a central role in nearly every drawing. A remarkable bout of information can be reduced to a single line. This reductive quality of line carries strong communicative properties as well as aesthetic force. Despite the line’s economy, it is highly descriptive and can create spontaneous gesture, emotion, meaning and beauty.”
Stephen C. P. Gardner, Drawing, A Complete Guide
Different types of line
A hand drawn line can have many qualities depending on the hand that makes the mark and the intention (or lack thereof) of the artist. It can be loose or tight, emotional or descriptive, bold or soft. The descriptive lines in an Ikea manual are very different from the joyful mark making in the drawing of a child. A line drawing can feel energetic and quick, tentative or laboured. A line can be as personal as handwriting, we can immediately identify a drawing from illustrators like Quentin Black or Jean-Jacques Sempé.
The line work in my graduation project is, indeed, very nervous. Back then I thought, as long as the story was readable, the quality of the roughs didn’t matter that much. It was the final artwork that counted, right? Looking back at them now, I can see that they’re really not great. I would never send out roughs like this to a publisher now, but back then I guess that was the best I could do. I am thankful for the growth I have gone through the last three years.
Lines I love
One of the ways I have improved my drawing skills is by looking at artists I love and then try to determine what it is that excites me. For my birthday this year I was gifted a book about Mary Fedden and next to her glorious and brilliant still lives, the book also contains a few of her sketches. I love how immediate they are, as if without hesitation. You can tell that she enjoys what she’s doing, her love for nature.
“An economy of line prevails - the mark of a natural and long-experienced draftsman who never knows how to overstate. She delineates landscapes by simple contours.”
Mary Fedden, Enigmas and Variations, Christopher Andreae
Another artist whose work I can’t get enough of is David Hockney. I have just finished reading ‘Spring Cannot be Cancelled’, a book by Martin Gayford in conversation with Hockney. It is an excellent read about finding the beauty in the ordinary, about observing the world. What I love about Hockney’s work is how joyful his drawings are, you can tell that he is obsessed with looking at the world and drawing what he sees.
“To be able to walk into the street and to see in the most ordinary little things, even a shadow, something that gives you this aesthetic thrill is marvellous. It enriches life.” David Hockney
Ever since the early days at art school I have loved and admired the works of Vincent van Gogh, especially his drawings. They are, again, immediate, playful, without hesitation. The variations of the line weight, the eye for detail, skilfully observed. To think that he made this drawing on location with a reed pen and ink is mind blowing to me. Other particular favourites of mine are La Berceuse (Augustine Rouline), that juicy bold outline, and ‘Nachtpauwoog’.
I also adore the vibrant blue outlines in Alice Neel’s portraits, and the bold outlines in the paintings by Suzanne Valadon.
Which quality I would like my line to have
The images in this post have several things in common. The quality of the line is immediate, joyful and energetic, with a foundation in observation. I want to take all these things forward in my practice.
The other day I showed my friend Frances Ives a linocut I made on which she remarked “I think this is how you should do line, there is no hesitation whatsoever.” Printmaking always helps me to looses up. It is a very immediate way of working and I think because it’s so hands-on the analytical part of my brain shuts off. I also sketched the ballerina cat below whilst chatting to her. It seems that to create a more confident line is to try to draw without analysing. That is for later. An immediate line is made with energy and without hesitation. Any conclusions on whether it is good or bad are for afterwards. Another important thing for me is to find the joy in the making. It might take a few attempts and ‘bad’ drawings for me to find my line, I have to remind myself to keep going, that it get’s better with each drawing. This is the long game, I can’t wait to see where I am at in three years from now.
Thanks for being here. See you in the next one.
X Maris
Links:
Fran Meneses practices line for her graphic novel
Jean-Jacques Sempé
Mary Fedden
Mary Fedden, Enigmas and Variations book
Hockney
Spring Cannot be Cancelled
This is a really interesting post that has me thinking about how I like to draw line. I’d never heard of Jean Jacques Sempé, I love how he conveys everything in his mark making without over working it. (One of my personal faults!🫣) Thanks for an inspiring post. x