December 07, 2011

Line Design Explained : Deluxe Edition



I was asked if I could go into a bit more detail concerning the Line Design "process".  I think the easiest way is with a few more pictures than my previous post on "how to".  I hope this helps...and as always...if you ever have questions about anything on my blog...e-mail me at artwithmre@yahoo.com 

The materials you need for this project are good drawing paper(9x12...but could be done any size), Sharpie Marker, and your choice of media(see the bottom of this post for some ideas).
Start with a gentle curve line across the paper.  Don't go too crazy hilly with the line...it will make it difficult in the steps that are to come!
Place eight dots on the line spaced at different distances.
Go dot - to - dot across the entire line. Do not continue to do this however...or it will create a kind of boring column like work(going straight up & down).  
As you are going dot -to- dot, you need to "camp out" on some of the segments.  This will help them to balloon out & look oh so cool!  This will also cause others to be "pinched off"...and that is fine.  The lines need to continue off of the paper...and should not just stop cause they are close to the edge. As it gets bigger and bigger, the lines will have to be shared going back to the dot...and yes..they should really go back to the dot.  Going back to the dot each time creates the darker shadow"ish" areas that help create depth.
The two pictures above are the WRONG way to do this.  The lines should NEVER criss-cross each other.  I tell my students that the lines can share a path...but never cross over another line.  The second picture is the "RAINBOW CONNECTION".  It is a lot easier to do it that way..but it is not correct.  
So here you see the results of the ballooning out, pinching off, and going off the edge of your paper.
I thought I'd show you how different media works in this project
1. Watercolor Pencil - A little labor intensive, after you color it..you have to go over with with a brush.
2.  Watercolor - I like this a lot, but you would need to make sure the students understood to not put color beside color because of bleeding.
3. Crayons - This works much like colored pencils, but they are a bit chunkier so it's hard to get into the small spaces.
4. Colored Pencil - This is how I usually do the project with my students...I love colored pencils! 
5. Marker- This kind of takes the shading element out of the project, but if you were going more for color families and such...could work!  


65 comments:

  1. Thanks for taking the time to do this. I absolutely LOVE this project and have done it with some of my students. It was fun seeing how it looks with various media.

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    1. i didnt like this because the instructions where not clear on how to go from one step to another

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  2. Love it! May I ask what size paper you use so it doesn't take the students forever? Also, what color schemes do you recommend kids try for this? Warm or cool? Complements? Thanks! - Mike

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  3. Wow! I love this. So simple yet so effective. I loved how you used the different mediums. Thank you

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  4. Mike...it was on a 9x12 piece of paper, but I've done it on smaller & larger before.

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  5. Did thsi with 6th grade on a 12/18 paper. It was a bit too big. But I might have them crop it to what they got done just to make them more interesting.

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  6. Thanks for the explanation plus examples of mistakes. I saw this project last spring on the Teach Kids Art blog and tried it with my 5th graders. We used colored pencil. It was labor intensive, but beautiful. I would like to find a dimension of paper that would allow the project to be completed in 2 40-minute classes...any ideas?

    Rina my new blog k6art.com

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  7. Rina, you could take it down to six by six..but then you would need to reduce the number of dots you are using on the line. Because if you still put 8...you'll still have a ton of lines to make. Maybe take it down to six dots and see??

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  8. I'm hoping to do this lesson soon! Looking good!! A great lesson for my Op Art Unit.

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  9. Just started this lesson with my students today. Your instructions, combined with your visuals made it really easy for me to do with minimal prep, and no materials for art. I'm a regular ed. teacher in a 4th grade classroom. I don't have an art background and I'm no artist, so thank you for making it clear. The students loved it! I'll post results on my blog at https://theclassroomblog.wordpress.com

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  10. Thanks for the tips! I tried this lesson after seeing it on a couple of blogs and it turned out great! I like the way you've used just a few colours for the picture - that would have helped my class as trying to pick suitable combinations for every 'tower' proved a challenge! We used A5 paper (6 inches?) with 6 dots as I thought they'd never finish otherwise!

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  11. When connecting the dots, do i need to go all the way back to the dot on the original line? Can I just connect it to the line ahead of it which is connected to the line ahead, etc, back to the dot. I like the wrong examples they are helpful!

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  12. Do you have the students go right to sharpie? I am wondering if there would me more success with a pencil first.

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  13. Right to Sharpie...only a few are actually not successful. And honestly...pencil probably wouldn't help them anyways. Plus..the process takes a good long while. Usually day one is just demo, drawing it out, and intro the coloring aspect. Add another day or two to do the coloring.

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  14. Wow! Fascinating! I'm a speech-language pathologist. I saw this on Pinterest and am fascinated by it. Thank you for the step by step explanation. I think this is a form of art I may actually be able to accomplish! Very cool!

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  15. I saw this on Pinterest, and I look forward to playing around with it during my lunch breaks! I look in a microscope for ten hours a day. A welcome diversion! Thanks!

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  16. Mr. E
    What does the term "camping out" mean?
    I have had a wonderful time with this project!

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  17. Camping Out means to stay for a period of time.

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  18. Really a great project! You have inspired me! Thank you very much! Good job Mr.E, keep the creative ideas flowing!!!

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  19. Thank you for updating the explanation and for letting me know via Pinterest that the instructions were here! I had fun creating my boring straight up and down versions but wanted something more interesting, which is exactly what your deluxe instructions explain how to do. Thank you for giving me one more motivation to turn off my TV and turn to creating something beautiful.

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  20. What do you mean by "make sure the students understood to not put color beside color because of bleeding"? I'm an accountant and don't know much about art. This looks therapeutic and something I want to try. I love watercolor artwork but have never tried it.

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  21. If you put watercolor side by side..the colors mix

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  22. Mr. E thanks for explaining the term "camping out" I made one of these for my 28 year old son for Christmas. He loved it. Thanks for sharing your talent.

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  23. What a wonderful project. I love to dabble at art (even though I really have no talent for it), and this is something that I think I could do. It's my favorite "therapy"--thanks so much for sharing!!

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  24. Is this what you would call a Zentangle?

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  25. I am 56 and have been doodling this doodle since I was in elementary school. Funny, I had no idea anyone did it besides my sister and me. But I have never colored on in, so I'm going to go try that.

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  26. Is there any artists that this project could relate to?

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    1. Frantisek Kupka and maybe some of the futurist. I related it to the drawing Style of Michaelangelo as he would deliniate muscle mass.

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    2. My daughter is doing this project for school and it's really been frustrating her. Thank you very much for this article .

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  27. Dear Mr E, thank you so much. I can't remember any of my art time at school. But now I'm making up for it in a big way! I have just made a drawing and have not coloured it in as yet. When I do will post you a picture. Thanks for sharing and caring.

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  28. Fun! I've taken this plan and converted it to a technology project. Originally I presented it as a challenge project for a group of kids who knew Tech4Learning Twist. Then I taught it to another group who didn't know Twist, now I'm in the process of working it up for kids to do with Adobe Illustrator. Thank you for your post.

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  29. I did this with my grandkids. We used card stock cut into greeting card size, 5 x 6 and with 5 dots. We use colored pencils and just built up the color so the lead wouldn't break from pushing too hard. Went quick and looked great. The kids then had a greeting card that could be a framed piece. Thanks for the great idea!

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  30. Just did this with the girls in my art class and they LOVED it. Thanks so much for sharing this great project!!

    ---Tif

    http://tmatthewsfineart.blogspot.com/2013/04/first-friday-art-class-april-2013-color.html

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  31. me encanta entos garabatos... quisiera hacerlo en le grado quinto...seria tan amable de ayudarme con el proyecto.... muchas gracias....
    mi correo es<. ampi158@hotmail.com
    muchas gracias.... amparo

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  32. Love this. Very relaxing. I'm adding it to my zen doodle collection. Thanks for sharing.

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  33. Can you do more or less dots. Because I have one more then necessary.
    Fortune

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  34. Thank you for sharing. I would like to try this with my art classes as well.

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  35. This is a fantastic project that is bound to excite kids. This would be a great summer art project for kids to work on.

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  36. You are my hero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  37. Love this project Mr. E!!! Any chance of a video clip for this? My example isn't coming out so great.

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  38. This is still one of my favorite projects of all times. I think it was the reason I first found your blog. I haven't done this with my students in a few years; I think it might be time.

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  39. do you take away the line

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  40. Thanks for sharing this. My 10 yr old daughter spent most of yesterday working on her design. I will blog about it soon and will be sure to link back to you.

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  41. I did this in art class and another really cool way to do this is to start of with out a line but a almost flower shape in the middle of the paper

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  42. Not sure if this has been asked already but do you use a regular fine point Sharpie or the super fine that's on the double ended Sharpies? Thanks!

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    1. Regular Sharpie.....are they considered fine?

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    2. Yep, the regular ones say fine. Thanks for the reply, I can't wait to make one of these. :)

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  43. How many 45 min. class periods do you think it would take for 5th graders to complete - working on 9x12" paper with 8 dots. (I'm working on my long term sub lesson plans) Thanks!

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    1. Depends on your sub...if they can "push" the students to do the best work possible. I'd say 3 classes for majority.

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  44. Thanks for sharing...I am a mature student studying abstract art and an I'm really excited as to how I can incorporate this using canvas and acrylics...I have also got grandies and will love showing them how to do this :)

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  45. What prompt did you give them for colouring? They can pick what they want? Or one colour as to be same.. Like I notice a lot of blue but different colours with the blue

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  46. What kind of prompt did you give to colour in the art? Same colours over and over as a pattern? Can the new column but different colours

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  47. cooooooooooooooooooooL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Line art looks really fun

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  48. I'm a student so thanks for this amazing piece!!! by the way, can I show my parents how to do this trick?

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  49. I love this! I've done it quite a few times with classes over the last few years and it's a hit every time. The first group I did this activity with back in 2014 renamed it 'unicorn poo' :)

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