drawing Drawing Tutorial

Straight lines make a curve

Discover a curve formed from a series of straight lines. String Art can create designs with geometric shapes, points, and colored string. The illusion is that the eye focuses on the curves. Line designs can be created by using a ruler, pencil, and paper, or computers can imitate these designs creating curves with only straight lines.

Tutorial category: drawing  
Tutorial type: Step-by-step   
Submitted by: ISarCasTic
Tools used: This technique can be done on the computer or on paper, but is very popular with 'String around nails on wood'.

This tutorial is based on:
Sailing thru Tangled Waters by ISarCasTic

 

Step 1

The Basics:
Equal points must be established on two adjacent sides. Begin at the top and drag a straight line to the first bottom point. (The red line)

 

Step 2

Next, use the next point down from the original and drag a straight line to the bottom going to the right of the red line. (This creates the purple line)

 

 

Step 3

Continue adding the straight lines by going down a point on the side and then to the right at the bottom. There is a curve formed, but none of the lines bend. The order of these lines are: red, purple, blue, light blue, jade, green, yellow, orange, and then the brown.

 

Step 4

The look of varigated yarn/string can be achieved by taking a color and raising, or lowering it. A color change occurs with each new line formed. This example is dark purple decreased to a very light shade of purple.

 

Step 5

String Art is not limited to just one shape. Any shape can use the technique. This is a circle made of points. You draw a line to connect two of the points. The red line is a random pick the dots do not need to be counted, the next step will show why the first line can be anywhere. If a loose curve is desired then lines are far apart. If a tighter curve is desired then the starting points with be closer together.

 

 

Step 6

The purple line. When you create the second line the most important thing to understand is that the lines need to intersect and form an "X" like shape. At the top start at the point on the right of the first line. Then, end at the left of the first line.

 

Step 7

The blue line. Continue to follow the pattern of going to the right of the last point the previous line started on and ending to the left of the point of where the previous line ended.

 

Step 8

Only straight lines are used, but once again a curve is formed.

 

Step 9

The starting points may be used more than once depending on the complexity of the design. Experiment with colors, shapes, and sizes. The most important part is to be creative and to have fun!!!

 

Step 10

This is a dream catcher that uses the circle and varying line lengths for the pink and orange.
[ LINK ]

 

Step 11

This shows color variation, each line is a new color. It also demonstrates how altering the original shape (this was a rectangle) can affect the outcome.

[ LINK ]