DESCRIPTION: Students learn by drawing lines on paper or simply in the air, how lines can be expressive.

OBJECTIVES: Students demonstrate how line can convey ideas and emotions.

PROCEDURE: Pick an invisible starting point in front of you and reach out and touch it. Now, use your finger as a crayon and draw a straight line. Now erase what you have drawn and we'll draw more lines. Before you draw each line remember to return to your starting point.

Draw an angry line.
Draw a quiet line.
Draw a noisy line.
Draw a happy line.
Draw a sad line.
Draw a very active line.
Draw a line that reminds you of a friend.
Draw a line that reminds you of an enemy.
Draw a line that reminds you of...(some popular figure, political figure, object, etc.)
Draw a line that reminds you of an idea (such as peace, justice, etc.).

How are your lines different? Which was the biggest or smallest? Why? Why is this one straight and that one jagged? Now you can see that lines can sometimes express something about the subject matter. Let's see if we can find some of those lines in artworks. (As you look for angry, quiet, happy, etc. lines in artworks, discuss how other elements contribute to the overall message.)

MINNESOTA GRADUATION STANDARDS:
(1) Read, View, Listen
(2) Write and Speak
(3) Literature and the Arts

Age level: Appropriate for grades 2-6.
Artworks used: Use works that contain various kinds of lines.
Props needed: No props needed.
Related to Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: No
Notes: For older students, have them actually draw with paper and pencil and label each line.


© 1998 WALKER ART CENTER