““A line represents depths and textures, a mergence into the background, a place in air.””
I’m using a great deal of implied lines in the composition, most of them leading to a vanishing point. Henri talks about the gestures of human figures; “All line is a matter of relation. The eye doesn’t follow the muscle and bone making the arm. It follows the spirit of it.” I want to use this in the landscape as well.
In order to build a sense of depth and atmosphere, I’m also using the idea that lines follow a fourth dimension, which creates the concept of the significance of the whole. As I’m working around the ‘canvas’, I try to not get too bogged down in details, keeping the whole composition in mind. Even though it doesn’t feel very cohesive right now, I have faith in the process.
Some lovely quotes by Henri about line-
“You must think more of what created this line in nature; of the movement and the form that created it. The line is nothing in itself.”
“The artist regulates the speed at which you travel over a canvas with line.”
“A line is good because of its power related to other lines, which are powers.”
“ The line around the edge of a figure on a white piece of paper represents the figure’s mergence into the background- its place in air- and represents depths and textures.”