Creative Jumpstart | Power of Line

Take out a good quality drawing tool, something like a 4B or darker pencil, a graphite stick, something that is holds on to the paper but does allow some modification. Start somewhere on the paper and begin to draw a line, try not to lift your drawing implement vary the pressure and angle really try to get a wonderful expressive line move all the way across the paper continuously varying the pressure and angle of the pencil, then turn and come back again keeping in mind that you are trying to create shapes and forms in an organic and natural way. Don’t get to involved with the “what am I drawing” mind set. Smudge out and erase some of the lines, darken and shade areas, add some simple color accent to create focus and contrast. Keep doing this exercise until you own line and begin to understand the power of line in the exploratory creative process. One of the key results beyond getting comfortable drawing and using expressive line you will also begin to understand the types of shapes, directions, and relationships that excite you.
Variations to the exercise:
Use a brush for the line
Use Higgins eternal ink,
Use spots of color
Use a little white paint