In this article, I will explain in detail the overview and role of “line drawings” used in illustrations. It also explains how to draw line drawings, so it is a must-see
In manga and illustrations, there is a drawing method using “line drawing”, and it is a drawing method that is always necessary when drawing illustrations. Manga artists and illustrators use line drawing techniques, so keep this in mind if you want to get a job related to illustration.
In this article, I will explain in detail the overview and role of “line drawings” used in illustrations. It also explains how to draw line drawings, so it is a must-see for those who want to become manga artists and illustrators.
What is line drawing?
As I mentioned earlier, line drawing is a method of drawing only lines when drawing manga or illustrations. Also, remember that using black to paint or add shadows is not considered line art.
For example, if you want to create a line drawing in an illustration, use a pencil or ballpoint pen to trace the lines. In addition, you can create illustrations using line drawings on your PC, so it is recommended for those who create digital illustrations.
In addition, there is also a drawing method called “rough drawing” that is similar to line drawing, where you draw a draft by hand. A rough drawing is a rough way of drawing an illustration. Also, many people probably don’t know the difference between a line drawing and a rough drawing.
Line drawing is to draw only the lines after drawing a rough illustration with a pen. On the other hand, when drawing an illustration, a rough drawing shows how to draw a draft or sketch, so let’s think of it as a role to create a blueprint for the picture. In the next chapter, I will explain the role of line drawings.
What is the role of line drawing?
So far, I have explained the outline and characteristics of line drawings. By the way, there are probably many people reading this article who understand the basics of line art, but don’t know what it does.
Therefore, from here on, I will explain in detail the role of line drawings. In conclusion, we have the following roles:
- Plays a role as part of the shading
- Separate colors
- The role of making the illustration look beautiful
Let’s look at each in turn.
act as part of the shadow
First, the lineart serves as part of the shading. Shading is the use of black lines to represent shadows. The reason for shading is that you can change the expression by adding black or shading to the line art.
In other words, by adding shadows, you can change the impression of the illustration, so it has a role as a shadow.
coloring
Next, there is a feature that the color can be painted separately as a role of the line drawing. It is necessary when coloring is mainly used when coloring separately. Also, if you want to draw an illustration using coloring, the line art is very important, so be conscious of it.
The role of making illustrations look beautiful
Finally, the line art has the role of making the illustration look beautiful. Basically, when drawing manga or illustrations, line drawings are used, so they have the advantage of being able to look beautiful. Also, in order to make the illustration look beautiful, it is necessary to draw fine lines and touch, so be conscious of it when drawing.
Read Also: What Are RGB And CMYK?
How do you draw line art?
So far, I have explained in detail the role of line drawings. From here, I will explain the procedure for drawing a line drawing. In conclusion, the steps are as follows:
- Draw from outlin
- Next draw inline
- Add solid
I will explain each in turn.
draw from outline
First of all, when drawing a line drawing, it is necessary to draw from the outline. The outline refers to the edge of the illustration, the line that separates the background from the background. Basically, when drawing an outline, it is necessary to draw with a thick line, so it is important to add sharpness. When drawing fine details such as the ends of the hair, it is best to use thin lines.
This is because if you draw with thin lines, you can express lightness and sharpness.
then draw inline
Next, after drawing the outline, let’s draw the inline. Inline refers to a line drawn inside the outline. Inline drawing is a drawing method that expresses a three-dimensional effect by inserting lines that are thinner than the outline. Also, by drawing inlines where the light hits, you will be able to express clearly.
put solid
Finally, let’s add a solid after drawing the inline. Solid refers to filling the inside of a specific drawn line. By adding a solid color, you can change the impression of the illustration, so you can add strength and weakness. Basically, you can create a shadow by adding a solid color, so you can express a three-dimensional effect.
In addition, combining line drawing and solid colors enhances the expression of the illustration, so let’s use the roles of both separately. In the next chapter, I will explain in detail the reasons why line drawings become dirty.
3 causes of dirty line drawings
Here, I will explain the reasons why line drawings become dirty when drawing. In conclusion, there are three reasons, and they are as follows.
・ Lines are dirty
・ It looks dirty when the screen size is small
・ Overall color is black
Let’s look at each in turn.
line is dirty
The first reason for the dirty line drawing is simply that the lines are dirty. If the line is blurred or you cannot draw along the line, the entire line drawing will be messy, so it is important to be careful not to blur when drawing beautifully.
Also, when drawing a line, it is necessary to divide it into several times, so it has the feature that the expression becomes beautiful. In other words, instead of drawing a line at once, try to divide it into several steps. If it still blurs, try using the camera shake correction function.
Basically, when you draw a line drawing by hand, it will be blurred, but digital line drawing has a correction function, so let’s take advantage of it.
Small screen size looks dirty
The second reason why it looks dirty is that it looks dirty when the screen size is small. Basically, if the screen size is small, there is a feature that the lines become dirty. Also, when drawing line drawings digitally, the lines may look rough, so try to display them at the optimum size.
Also, we recommend a specific image size of 4,000px or more, so draw at an appropriate size.
overall black color
The last thing that makes it dirty is that the overall color is black. If the color becomes black when drawing manga or illustrations, it will look dirty. This is because if you draw with thick lines or add a lot of shadows, the illustration will look black and look dirty.
Therefore, when drawing a line drawing, you can draw a well-balanced illustration by adding sharpness and strength. Also, if the color becomes black overall, it will look dark and you may not be able to see the part you want to emphasize, so check the parts to be shaded in advance.
summary
In this article, I explained the outline of line art and how to draw it. When drawing manga or illustrations, how to draw line drawings and rough drawings is important, so if you want to draw beautiful illustrations, remember it.
Also, when drawing line drawings, it is important to draw with thick lines and draw with shadows in mind. Use this article as a reference to master how to draw illustrations.
