Title - Looking at & responding to paintings
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If the lines in a painting are mostly horizontal and the layout of the painting is also horizontal, then the feelings that we get are quiet, calm and peaceful.

In the first example below we get a calm and peaceful effect. The horizon line is horizontal as are the lines on the water reflected from the moon. You may remember from the Section on Colour that the cool colours help to make this effect greater.

Horizontal Lines
 
 
Horizontal lines and Landscape layout

 

Vertical Lines
 
Vertical lines and Portrait layout - this pineforest above gives a sense of movement. This is due to all the vertical lines and the portrait layout of the picture


See how Vincent Van Gogh used line for his painting Starry Night

Then look at his painting of Starry Night at the Museum of Modern Art

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