Friday 22 April 2011

Visual Language - What Is A Line? - Definition

After researching the definition of a line (here), I noted down the key points from each I looked at:

  • long thin mark on a surface.
  • continuous mark
  • made by pen, pencil or brush.
  • mark positioned in relation to fixed points.
  • outline.
  • mark.
  • define a shape/representation.
  • marks that make up formal design of a picture.
  • long, narrow mark or band.
  • move along fixed direction.
  • border/boundary.

I used these to put together my own short definition to begin to answer the question 'What is a line?'
  • A line is a long continuous mark defining a shape.
  • A line is a long, narrow mark that moves along a fixed direction defining a shape.
  • A line is a long, narrow mark determined by the holder.
  • A line is a continuous narrow mark made on a surface to represent a shape.
  • A line is a continuous narrow mark made by a pen upon a surface moving in a fixed direction determined by the holder to define a shape.
  • A line is a continuous mark made on a surface. 
  • A line is what makes up the formal design of a picture.
  • A line is a mark made on a surface, with no specification as to how long or where it goes. That is determined by the line maker.
  • A line is a continuous mark made on a surface, and determined by the holder as to how long and where it goes.
  • A line is a mark made on a surface. What it does is completely up to the producer. 
  • A line is a continuous mark made on a surface. What it does is up to the maker.

After I came up with a decent amount to choose from, I experimented with different typefaces to use for the title of what I do, and for the description. I originally though about hand drawing it, but my writing when all joined together is really messy and harder to read than normal so I opted against this. Also, I do think by using a proper typeface will make the whole thing that little more finished off than it would with one that is my handwriting.

The description that I have wrote that I think will work best with what I am doing is the last one:
"A line is a continuous mark made on a surface. What it does is up to the maker."

It is simple and straight to the point, and also got me thinking about my outcome for this brief. I am doing a concertina book, and using the illustrations using one line, and after seeing that the style of drawing does work well with various subjects, I think it will be interesting to produce a 'set' of these books, kept at a small ish decent size. So I think this description will tie them all together with it saying 'what is does is up to the maker' because you can basically draw anything using a line, and that is what I have done. I will experiment with other subjects and see what I come up with and how many of the books to produce.

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