1. Line as Shape

Andy Warhol, Self-Portrait (1947)

Lines can describe shape and define an object even without showing the actual dimensions, mass, color or size of the object being drawn. Still, the shape of the object lets us recognize what it is.
Andy Warhol's self-portrait here shows lines that he felt are most characteristic in defining himself from the chest and above.

2. Line Direction

                                                              Banksy, Flower Thrower


The direction of lines help the viewer feel the movement or lack of movement in an image. Horizontal lines show rest, vertical lines show activity, and diagonal lines shows motion.
This graffiti image shows a man throwing a bouquet of flowers using quite a bit of force. The arch of his body as well as the diagonal lines of his right leg and left arm show the motion of his body about to throw the flowers.

3. Line as Emotion (list how characteristic conveys emotion)

                                                Peter Rubens, Battle of Lapiths and Centaurs


Lines can be full of variety due to the adjectives that describe them such as think, thin, rough, smooth, etc.  Light, thin lines seem to convey and innocence while dark, thick lines tend to convey a bold, awkward or stressful image.
This drawing is full of different lines- dark and light. The light lines are putting the left side of the image sort of in the background- it is not the first thing the viewer looks at. On the right however, the dark lines are portraying a brutal battle that is occurring, where the woman is trying to save herself and escape. The dark lines make the viewer realize there is trouble in this stressful situation.

4. Contour Line

Contour drawings are simply a type of outline of an image with lines to convey the image exactly and simply. There is no exaggeration with contour as it just follows the outlines of the picture or scene.
This drawing is created by the outlining of a shell, a sailboat, a palm tree and birds. Not on of the objects is exaggerated by extra lines. It is simply a sketch of what the artist was viewing and an outline of the objects. What you see is what you get.

5. Gesture Line

                                                    H. Daumier, Five Terror-Stricken Men


Instead of outlining an image in simple lines, gesture drawings are full of active lines going in any direction that the artists chooses to use to convey the emotion they feel in the image. Describing the shapes is less important in gesture drawing than showing the action and dynamics.
In this drawing, we can see the crazy use of curvy and zig-zagging lines going all over the place shows the stress and anxiety of the five men being portrayed. The men are scared and the jittery lines they are covered in make the viewer feel their terror.

6. Line as Value

                                                                  Rembrandt drawing

Artists have the ability to place many lines close together to create an area of grey to shade or put emphasis on an area in the image. These lines come together to create value and sometimes a 3-dimensional look.
In this drawing by Rembrandt, his strokes are single-directional. This gives the drawing a rhythm that we can see immediately and it adds more life to the drawing than a contour drawing would. The lines that are placed close together become a darker area, or, shading.

Another Example:

Jean-Antoine Watteau, Study of a Seated Woman