What Is a Line?

A mark, stroke or line made by drawing or by other means. (Turkish Language Association)

A line emerges by connecting points whose relationships create visual tension. Joining individual points at intervals produces a new visual form. It is not yet a surface: graphically, it arises from a point moving in a particular direction (Işıngör, 1986).

In the language of art, line results from simplification or abstraction. In nature, we encounter forms and surfaces. Where surfaces end or meet, they create the impression of a line. A form’s contour is not a separate physical object, yet we perceive it through contrasts of colour and light between shapes and surfaces, and represent it by drawing (Südor, 2000:31). In this sense, a drawn line is an interpretation of nature rather than an object within it.

Art educators discuss the many psychological associations of line. A line may suggest joy, sadness, fatigue, strength, certainty, indecision, energy, vitality or agitation. These meanings naturally depend on interpretation and abstraction.

Turan Vardar
Rekor Sanat – Art Teacher