VAILL 385 Character Design Fall 2012: Line Quality

Monday, October 15, 2012

Line Quality

The rhythm of line is the music of drawing – George Carlson

When it comes to Character design, the most important thing is a good design. Most people would say that as long as the design is really good, it doesnt really matter what your line quality is like. well,... while this is a nice sentiment, its not really true. Whether showing work to an art director or working in a studio, or especially if doing comic books or illustration, line quality counts... alot! You are trying to sell your drawing/design/idea to an audience and whether they are artistic or non artistic, they will respond better to interesting line - even if they don't know they are.

If your line quality is boring, your drawing will lack the power it could have had and will have less impact on your audience.

“I think more of a crude sketch that tells a story than an immaculately rendered drawing that looks like a freeze-dried corpse.” (walter Stanchfield (Drawn to life Vol 1, pg 263)

There are several methods to make your lines powerfull and meaningfull - but they are all based around the same principle:

VARIATION

VARYING THE LINES WHEN DESCRIBING DIFFERENT MATERIALS

this is simple - draw rock like they are hard rocks and soft fur like it is soft fur:)

“The same pencil makes a line for a bird's beak as for it's feathers. If the artist does not feel the difference and try to inject that feeling, into the drawing, then both lines will look alike – these are lazy lines and look like tracing.' - Walter Stanchfield (Drawn to Life Vol 1, pg 208)

so AVOID LAZY LINES

It is not enough to accurately delineate the edges of the objects in a drawing. You must help the viewer make sense of the information by telling what is most important, what is less important and what kind of changes are taking place as the eye moves over the surface of the objects drawn."

 Notice how the uniform lines of the humming bird on the left keep it from looking as dynamic or as dimensional as the drawing on the right with its varied line qualities.

avoid any kind of line that looks like a tracing or a coloring book - the only exception to this is drawing done for 2D animation in which the lines must be easy to redraw accurately again and again

Tony Diterlizzi, Chris Riddel

VARYING THE QUANTITY OF LINES -

Focal points are critical. The worst pictures for me are those in which there is complete visual chaos and the ee is led to no particular point. Figurative pictures should have and area to which the eye is drawn – Ken howard

In taking the eye on a visual journey, it is also important to have open and uncomplicated areas where the eye can relax. Active, cluttered areas which attract the eye need quieter shapes as a counter balance. Detail and simplicity go hand in hand. - Ken Howard

Sam Bosma, Giannis Milonogiamis

VARYING THE THICKNESS OF LINES

Comunicate to the viewer what parts are more important than others,

Dimension by showing which lines (and the materials they convey) come forward and which receed

Weight in some areas and lightness in others - remember, an orchestral piece is boring if it is all the same volume or only played with quarter notes.

DEMO - varying line quality and the impact it has on your audience

- The meat of the video starts at 7:28

Nibbled Pencil, Chris Sanders

VARYING THE LENGTH OF LINES

long lines have their own personality vs. shorter lines. using a variety of line lengths is like a painter varying their brush strokes and makes for a more dynamic and expressive piece.

Sam Bosma, Giannis Milonogiamis

VARYING THE EMOTION OF LINES

Like shapes, different kinds of lines convey different emotions - jagged = dangerous, scary or tougher vs. curly or loopy = playful, cuddly, harmless. Choose the right lines for your subject matter.