Monday Musings with a Mavenista- More about lines...

So in today's post I had originally wanted to speak about the second art element of shape.

However in my research, I came across some really cool stuff

 I wanted to share with you all about

line.

Yes, I know, I already wrote about line. 

But seriously, this is cool stuff, I promise.

Line actually has psychology to it.

Not surprising really, since it is the basis upon which so many of the elements and

principles of design (more on those later) are based.

Line is essentially the "Id" of art.

The "Id" is what Sigmund Freud referred 

to as the part of our brain now known as the Pons.

The Pons is the most basic part of our brain, responsible for the basics of life 

that we no longer have to consciously think about.

Breathing, heartbeat, sweating, and a whole host 

of other functions we do not consciously control.

It is also known as the "reptilian" brain.

A ancestor to the more evolved midbrain and frontal cortex.

The thing is though, without the pons, the midbrain and cortex 

would be so busy managing all the stuff 

that we aren''t supposed to think about,

that we couldn't think about anything else.

Literally.

So it is that just as the pons is not as fancy as the other parts of the brain,

it's functions are so vital and complex that the higher functions could not exist without it 

and are thereby greatly influenced by it as well.

The pons is where the "fight to flight" response is located.

It can be the only thing that keeps us alive.

So what does this have to do with line, psychology and why I'm not talking about shape yet?

Well, the perception of different types of lines is hard wired into our brains.

By knowing we react a certain way to a type of line,

 it allows you as an artist to create a certain perception, 

or tell a certain story.

Not by chance, 

but by design.

I think that's a pretty cool reason to study it before we move on to shape.

Vertical lines represent strength, masculinity, power, aggression, 

courage, brutality, domination and menace.

Horizontal lines represent tranquility, femininity, calm, weakness,

peace, composure, silence, stillness, and safety.

Soft curves show rhythm, movement, happiness, pleasure, generosity, 

and again, femininity.

Angles and bent lines show energy, liveliness, youth, explosiveness, violence, 

anger, speed, and dynamic movement.

Let's see what kind of stories you can tell with lines this week! 

By the way, next week we really will begin exploring shapes.

I promise.