Understanding the types of lines in design to be a better designer, let start from the history. From ancient times we have been using lines for communicating and for conveying messages to others.
Earlier also lines were essential in conveying messages.
For instance, years before symbols and letters were made with the help of lines.
However, now where everything is online and digital, a designer needs to understand the importance of line and the degree of responsiveness it carries.
A purpose that should be served
Everything in this universe has a purpose of serving. Similarly, talking about lines, lines also has some purpose to serve in design. Dealing with lines sometimes can be a tricky job.
Lines are not as simple as it seems.
If a designer does not use a line correctly, he may lack to show the purpose of the line.
Moreover, its the duty of the designer to use his skill and do justice to the purpose of the lines.
Now let us talk about the importance of lines.
Importance of lines types in the design
As a web designer, it is essential to communicate with the audience visually.
When it comes to designing a website, web designers communicate visually. It is crucial to attracting viewer attention to the crucial part of the content as lines play a vital role in attracting one’s attention in a specific direction.
The line is one of the building blocks of visual grammar apart from shapes, color, space, and more. For example, different lines are used to communicate differently to the /viewer/audience.
Web designers use lines to divide, join, separate different sections of the page. Furthermore, they use different lines to join separate different content on the page.
The purpose of lines is to convey mood, emotion, motion, and intensity.
Consequently, variation in lines adds interest and mood. When Using various shapes, patterns, texture, and color lines can portray emotion.
We can show lines into various forms, widths, lengths, directions. The hardness of a line determines the intensity of the line which a graphic designer is trying to show.
There is a lot that a line can do, i.e., add style, enhance content /paragraph, create forms. In addition, the different textured line gives a different feel to the audience.
Most importantly, with the help of lines, the graphic designer wants the audience to visualize the mood and message of the design.
What more a line can do in design?
Moreover, when it comes to designing a logo; the line can play the most significant role of the tool.
Lines are used in different forms, in different styles, in a different pattern while designing a logo.
Every line has its personality, its specifications, telling its own story.
While designing something, a designer has a vision. He knows the meaning of lines and the impression it will convey to the audience when he uses it.
Therefore, he uses his skills while designing and makes sure the correct line is used as it leaves a big impression on the audience.
Moreover, lines can also be used as highlighters, for highlighting paragraphs, sentence words, or an alphabet. An example is highlighting something with a thin line in neon color.
From a designer’s point of view
Above all, being a web designer is not an easy job as one has to know colors, shades, tone, layers, intensity, etc.
Usage of the right combination of lines is essential for the designer, as any other marketer audience only sees what we are trying to show.
In addition, as colors attract one’s eyes, different colors convey different emotions.
As a result, it is vital to pick the right color and right shade of color for the line in design.
Designers use different lines to make borders for the page or content to make the page more attractive and beautiful.
Let us talk about the different types of lines used in the design.
Thin line– These lines seem fragile and can be broken easily. Thin lines are fragile and mostly used in highlighting or underlining sentences or words. These fragile lines can be used with other sharp lines for making borders or layout for the page.
Thick lines– Thick lines represent the strongness and bold nature of the line. These lines are bold and can attract one’s attention to a specific direction if used with proper intensity and color.
Horizontal lines-Horizontal lines seem relaxing and reflects the calmness of the line. These lines bring the notion of depth, calm, and rest.
Vertical lines– Vertical lines are more powerful than the horizontal lines. These lines stand upside down perpendicular to horizontal lines. These lines depict rigidity and strength. Besides, it suggests stability.
Diagonal lines– Diagonal lines are the slant lines in any direction except vertical and horizontal lines. These lines lack stability and are uncontrollable energy type, and are restless. Diagonal lines convey action and motion.
Curved lines– These lines bring excitement and motion to the audience. These lines can be simple, wavy, or spiral. These lines convey a feeling of comfort and ease. Thus, it can be used in making logos.
Zigzag lines– These lines seem highly energetic and convey free motion. These lines can convey action and excitement as well as restlessness and anxiety.
More line types in design-
- Simple straight-line– These lines are straight and straightforward. When combined with other typed lines, these lines can play a very vital role in designing a website. A simple straight line is the only type of line which goes quickly with any other type of line.
- Long dashed lines-These lines seem broken after the same interval.
These lines attract eyes and are mostly used to make borders. - Dotted line-Dotted lines are the line of dots arranged one after the other.
These lines can create enthusiasm among the audience.
These lines are mostly used with other lines, as using only dotted lines can leave less impact
on the audience. - Dashed line– These lines are short forms of long dashed lines.
These lines are also mainly used with other types of lines. - Dash dotted lines– This line is the combination of dash and dots.
Dots working together can form an endless variety of arrangements. - Rough lines-these lines are not smooth and complex in nature.
We can say that these lines are a mixture of all types of other lines.
these lines may attract viewer’s attention but don’t impress one’s eyes.
these lines can create excitement and anxiety which goes side by side
Conclusion
As a designer, it is crucial to keep the audience/viewer’s eye engaged.
Sometimes the audience faces much disturbance while reading, to fix this the designer must know the art of engaging the viewer’s attention to its content.
Types of lines can play a significant role in the design. But, we can use the lines as a tool to control the audience/viewer’s attention.
You can read this great wiki of Visual design elements and principles. I hope you guys loved the article and this has helped you to understand the importance of line. Feel free to contact us.