Line art, also known as line drawing, has been trending in both the art and graphic design worlds for quite a while now. It involves using clean lines, or a single line, to create minimalistic artworks or designs. This style also helps you to practice drawing, form and composition! If you’d like to try line art for yourself, below are some ideas to get you started.

Image: Shauni Illustrated Design

Picture this. You’re sitting in the park with your sketchbook, taking in the nature around you and drawing what you see. Sounds pretty relaxing right? You can even do this at home in your own garden or using your houseplants as a source of inspiration. And don’t be shy. If you love something you’ve drawn, frame it and hang it up as a botanical décor piece.

Image:  Noel Vogt Design

Simple outlines of animals will help you to explore their form and also make beautiful artworks. If you’re just starting out in drawing, you could trace over a photograph and try out different shapes and lines to suggest the animal without adding details. Once you’ve practiced a few times, you might find that your lines start to feel a little more natural and flow more easily. Creativity is a process, so don’t expect it to come out exactly how you want it to be on the first go!

Image: Steph Touhey

Want to create a portrait of a friend, favourite celebrity or family member? Minimalist drawings offer a little more creative freedom than a traditional portrait and help you to give your artwork a modern edge. In the example above, Steph Touhey has used paint markers on canvas to create a bold, minimalistic face. Stylised line art like this can take a bit of practice to master shape and composition, but as you draw more and more, you’ll find yourself really getting into the groove of it. Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just put pen, paint brush or marker to paper and see what happens.

Image:  Studio Lobita 

Want to mix it up a bit? You can use line art to decorate pottery and sculptures like trinket dishes, decorative bowls and plenty of other projects. If you want to give this idea a go, a paint marker or liner brush and acrylic paint will do the trick.

Image: Carli Paintings

Line drawing doesn’t have to be black on white. You can lay down some colours and shapes first, then paint or draw over the top to create stunning contrasts. In this example from Carli Paintings, she’s used acrylic paints on wood panels to create multi-layered line art. Using gold or metallic paints for the linework is a great way to really make it stand out against the background.

Image: Noel Vogt Design

Take a look at a photo of a landscape. Can you see all the lines and different shapes? Whether it’s a mountain scape, beach scene or a countryside, landscapes make a great subject for minimalist drawings. It can take a little while to get the hang of creating a stylized landscape like the example above, but play around and give yourself time to practice and explore. As we always say – try to relax and enjoy the process.

Another way you can use metallic paints in your line art is to add a subtle hint in selected areas. For example, M. Theta Art adds a touch of gold to her paintings in areas where the line loops around to make a closed shape. And we have to say, we’re big fans of the effect it creates!

Go big and bold with a large-scale line painting. This gets your whole body involved in the process and is a lot of fun to try. You can either use butcher’s paper or a big canvas depending on whether you’re just playing around or you want your artwork to last. Go on, give it a go. What’s stopping you?

There are endless possibilities when it comes to line art. We love this style because you can really make it your own by playing around with different ideas, subjects and shapes. So, grab your art supplies and try it out for yourself!

We’d love to see what you’re creating, so don’t forget to tag us on Instagram or Facebook by adding #montmarteart to your posts.