I love line drawings that are simple and still express authenticity. And that can be a challenge to let the line flow and not be labored.
To get some inspiration for the beauty of simple line drawings check out the one liners by Picasso.
I also love the Plant drawings by Elsworth Kelly.
If you are inspired by the simplicity of the one line drawing, then give your self a challenge.
You could:
- Pick a line drawings by Picasso or another master and do studies
- As a learning to see tool – you could copy it and trace it
- Then draw it while staring at it
- Notice if you are loose or tense
- Remember to breathe
After doing a bunch of studies you could pick one flower or animal and do your own drawing in just one line.
It may take several steps to simplify the image to one line and still express the essence. As Picasso did with he bull studies.
Here is a quote that is attributed to Picasso that support the beauty of the one liner:
“Art is the elimination of the unnecessary .”
My drawing is more than one line, but I do feel the essence of those tangled wires.
I like to use this simplified line drawing approach when I am preparing images to make trace monoprints.
The line drawing becomes the matrix for the fuzzy lined trace monoprint. And that fuzzy line quality gives the image a whole new feel.
I made a copy of this figure drawing and then used that to make the trace monoprint below.
If you are intrigued by simplified drawings and want to explore the trace monoprint process, then check out the details on the Draw into Print Workshop page and join us, class starts soon.