Art and painting · lesson 10 of 24 · free

Types of lines — Art and painting for kids

Lines come in many kinds: straight, zigzag (like lightning), wavy (like waves), spiral (like a snail shell) and dotted or broken (like a cut-here line). They can lie flat (horizontal), stand up (vertical) or slant (diagonal) — and each kind gives a picture a feeling.

▶ Watch how it works

Got it? Practise ↓

Artist's tip

Trace it in the air — “trace the outline with your finger and name the line”

  1. Zigzag = sharp points, wavy = smooth bumps, spiral = winds round, dotted = gaps, straight = no bends.
  2. Horizontal = lying flat, vertical = standing up, diagonal = slanting.
  3. Feelings: horizontal calm, vertical strong, diagonal moving, zigzag excited, curved gentle.

Use it for: Drawing patterns, borders, hair, water and grass, and making a picture feel calm or busy.

Worked example: 📏 What kind of line does a lightning bolt look like? → zigzag line

  1. A lightning bolt changes direction with sharp points.
  2. Sharp points going back and forth make a zigzag line.

Check: Saw teeth are zigzag too ✓

▶ Watch it animated

✏️ Practice

Work it out in your head or on paper, type the answer and press Check. Stuck? Press “Show me how”.

Right: 0 · Tried: 0

🏁 Lesson 10 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

🏅 Sign in with Google to earn the 〰️ Line Detective badge when you pass — and a certificate when you finish all 8 lessons of Part 2 · Drawing and painting basics. You can still take the test without signing in.

🖨️ Types of Lines Worksheet

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