improving line work (all serious illustrators enter)

[jcTEK]

What's good ppl

What is it that makes lines in a given drawing to appear to be bad or good?

Quick, and fast lines tend to have a distinct better appeal over lines drawn with a slow, unsure execution.

What other factors do you think go into helping produce good line work?

[arenhaus]

Composition.

Understanding of form in three dimensions.

Understanding of anatomy, mass, balance, structure, muscle tone, emotion and expression.

Understanding of perspective.

Understanding of light and shadow.

Economy and sureness of technique.

The balance between realism and expressiveness.

[Serpian]

Ingres
http://chawedrosin.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/ingltier.jpg

Leighton
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Eiwce13X738/R_nvXNSQ6MI/AAAAAAAACKw/1MROtB9UuP0/s400/Leighton_Study_of_a_Lemon_Tree.det2.jpg

Rembrandt
http://www.szepseg.com/uploaded_images/rembrandt-drawing-lion-744921.jpg

Frazetta
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/mars24.jpg

Djurdjevic
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/Heman-low1.jpg

Look at these, and try to figure out why you like them. Or don't like them.

[bhanu]

When you know why you are drawing a line, where the line starts from, where it ends, what path it takes, and why all this happens, you are probably drawing a good line.

Most of the time its also the reason why we like so many expressionist lines, even though they are representaionally off.
Why is a very important question, when there is an intent behind the line being drawn, it shows, and it doubly resonates in us too.
Just Like the splendid examples shown above.

[George Abraham]

Loomis had a weird theory.

I allways crack up when I see this picture. He either had some weird following or he humoured the pastors that kept telling him that.

[Clochette]

Quick, and fast lines tend to have a distinct better appeal over lines drawn with a slow, unsure execution.
Indeed more confident lines capture energy, move and shapes better than unsure lines showing an effort from the one who draw.

If you want to be more confident with lines you should train your hand to draw precise and fearless lines. The shorter it takes in time and in "shots", the more dynamic your line work will be.

This and also the pressure, the variation of heaviness, to give sensitivity, and volumes.

that might be useful :
Draw circles in one shot
Join 2 points you decided together with one single line,
if you fail, just do another, don't try to fix
Try to visualize from where you want a line to start, and where you want it to end and what happens in between before you actually draw it.
With practice you won't even think about this consciously, but your brain and your hand will know how to do :P
Control your position and breath, in order not to shake, try to find a good posture.
Try to draw with all your arm to make stronger and bolder lines, instead of just using your fingers.
Draw big
Pay attention to what happens where 2 lines meet, for example on a body, where a volume plugs in another. There is some loose lines which are important to notice.
Don't try to "close" every line
Just like there is different edges when you paint, there is different kind of lines. Some might be curvy and bold, some others tense and harder. You need both, for example bold and generous lines for a fleshy area of the body like butts and hips; some harder, with angles for joints like ankles and such...

[jcTEK]

Great posts guys


Clochette that's a very insightful post btw. Sitting posture, getting relaxed, etc are all good points. Its things like this that help me gain greater control. That's one of the reason why I always do warm up exercises before starting a piece, to help with loosening up, and accuracy, making fewer strokes.

I agree it's also very valuable to be able to distinguish when and where less would actually be more in regards to lines drawn and line weights. Ex: not drawing a a line separating each individual tooth on a smile. A lot of times it looks better when there are none.