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Home>Education - Lessons & Activities - Exploring Lines in Works of Art

# Exploring Lines in Works of Art: Lessons & Activities

What type of line is this?

Now, look closely at these lines. Which group of words best describes them?

(1) Calm, serious, quiet

OR

(2) Energetic, fun, dynamic

**Roy Lichtenstein**American, 1923–1997**Leo Castelli Gallery**(publisher)**Chiron Press**(printer)*Brushstroke*, 1965color screenprint on heavy, white wove paper, 58.4 x 73.6 cm (23 x 29 in.)Corlett/Fine 1994, Vol. II, no. 5National Gallery of Art, Gift of Roy and Dorothy Lichtenstein

What types of lines do you see?

Where do you see the following:

Long

Continuous

Straight

Diagonal

Vertical

Horizontal

Now, look closely at these lines. Which group of words best describes them?

(1) Solid, serious, organized, planned

OR

(2) Silly, energetic, dynamic, in motion, chaotic

**Charles Sheeler**American, 1883–1965*Classic Landscape*, 1931oil on canvas, 63.5 x 81.9 cm (25 x 32 1/4 in.)National Gallery of Art, Collection of Barney A. Ebsworth

What types of lines do you see?

Where do you see the following:

****Straight

Short

Long

Zigzag

Curved

Look closely at these lines. Which group of words best describes them?

(1) Busy, topsy turvy, active

OR

(2) Serious, calm, quiet

**Joan Miró**Spanish, 1893–1983*The Farm*, 1921–1922oil on canvas, 123.8 x 141.3 x 3.3 cm (48 3/4 x 55 5/8 x 1 5/16 in.)National Gallery of Art, Gift of Mary Hemingway

What types of lines do you see?

How is this painting different than the previous ones?

Look closely at these lines. Which group of words best describes them?

(1) In motion, festive, fun

OR

(2) Calm, sleepy, still

**Morris Louis**American, 1912–1962*Beta Kappa*, 1961acrylic on canvas, 262.3 x 439.4 cm (103 1/4 x 173 in.)National Gallery of Art, Gift of Marcella Louis Brenner

What types of lines do you see?

Where do you see the following:

****Zigzag

Curved

Straight

Short

Broken

Look closely at these lines. Which group of words best describes them?

(1) Motion, festive, fun

OR

(2) Calm, sleepy, still

**Henri Matisse**French, 1869–1954*Woman Seated in an Armchair*, 1940oil on canvas, 54 x 65.1 cm (21 1/4 x 25 5/8 in.)National Gallery of Art, Given in loving memory of her husband, Taft Schreiber, by Rita Schreiber

Can you find the hidden lines in this painting? This painting of a fast-moving sailboat is full of diagonal lines. Why? Artists use diagonals to show energy and movement. Diagonals also lead the viewer into the painting. Try to imagine the boat without the diagonals, sitting flat on the water—horizontally—with the mast going straight up—vertically—into the sky. Would the boat be moving, or sitting still, without the diagonals?

Now, compare this boating scene to the next slide image...

**Winslow Homer** American, 1836–1910*Breezing Up (A Fair Wind)*, 1873-1876 oil on canvas, 61.5 x 97 cm (24 3/16 x 38 3/16 in.)  National Gallery of Art, Gift of the W. L. and May T. Mellon Foundation

Is this boat moving fast or slow? It looks like it is standing still. Does the water seem calm or churning? How hard is the wind blowing? *(No sails up = very little wind!)* Are there any diagonal lines in this painting?*(Very few—mostly straight lines here, vertical and horizontal. Without diagonal lines, the artist created a quiet, calm scene with a slow moving boat.)*

**Fitz Henry Lane**American, 1804–1865*Lumber Schooners at Evening on Penobscot Bay*, 1863oil on canvas, 62.5 x 96.8 cm (24 5/8 x 38 1/8 in.)National Gallery of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Francis W. Hatch, Sr.

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