Drawing

The depiction of shapes and forms on a surface by the use of lines. A major fine art technique in itself, drawing is the basis of all pictorial representation, and an early step in most art activities. Drawing is differentiated from painting by the dominance of line over mass. The artist's choices of drawing media determine whether a drawing will be more or less linear, or painterly in quality. There are many drawing techniques, varying according to the effect the artist wants, and depending on whether the drawing will be an independent work of art, or a preliminary to some other medium. Drawings can include various exercises such as contour drawing, gesture drawing, figure drawing, sketches and studies, cartoons and underdrawings.