This document provides tips and examples for giving energy and movement to drawings through line and shape. It discusses using irregular shapes that anchor to the corners, exploring what a stick can do, and how even a tranquil subject like sunflowers can have an energetic treatment. Examples are given of works that use variances in thick and thin lines, sketchy and deliberate lines, large and small shapes, and angular and rounder shapes to enliven drawings.

1. GIVING ENERGY TO
LINE AND SHAPE

2. Matisse

3. Brice Marden

4. You can see the movement of the artists’ hand throughout

5. Student Tola Rissman

6. Student Drawing

7. Student Aaron Brady

8. Aaron Brady

9. Explore what the stick can do (Eric Baden)

10. Even a subject as tranquil as sunflowers can be given an energetic treatment
(Kathy Delgado)

11. Think about composition: Irregular shapes “anchor” image to corners of the
picture plane

12. Xray of one of Van Gogh’s sunflower paintings
Note the radiating composition – full in the middle and thinning out along edges
to bring attention to the spiky petals.

13. Variances in
thick & thin line,
sketchy & deliberate line,
large & small shape,
angular & rounder shape
(Stick drawing by Liz
Campbell)

14. Notice how the curling edges of the shapes into empty space energize the picture
(Alex Hamilton)

15. For Homework: Try drawing on ink-toned paper.
Space broken up by irregularly placed line; angular white negative shapes
(Braedon Cox)

16. Student drawing – stick and ink with wash on top

17. Motion conveyed by the
rhythms of parallel lines
and shapes of color
(artist unknown)

18. Circular pattern enlivens the straight lines in the picture (Farrell Beam)