## [@salventius](https://www.instagram.com/salventius/?hl=en)

> (“One Line Momentalism Portraits”) / [www.salventius.com](https://www.salventius.com/)

What struck me first about Salventius was the expressiveness of the figures he creates - they remind me in some ways of ancient masks.

![paintings by salventius](/salventius-homepage.png)
source: [salventius.com](https://www.salventius.com/)

He was the first single-line artist I came across. When I saw videos of Salventius’ process I found it far more engaging than still images I’d seen of line art before. Having found the challenge of single line art appealing myself, I found the videos of his process technically impressive.

Over time, I started to realize that while the finished products he creates are beautiful, the videos of Salventius painting his portraits in the moment are themselves artwork.

They take you inside his creative process, and just watching them made me feel the experimentation and play that I imagine drove some of his work. I love his focus on physical materials, and his experiments with color and process are so fun to watch that they’ve inspired me to combine color with my single-lines in various ways.

## [@differantly](https://www.instagram.com/differantly/)

> (French art duo) / [www.differantly.com](https://www.differantly.com/)

Their process involves meticulous preparation, sketching, contour tracing, deconstruction of 3D objects… all to find a perfect line striking a balance between physical realism and graphical minimalism (sometimes combining in some wonderful surreal effects. _(more on DFT’s process at [boredpanda](https://www.boredpanda.com/minimalist-one-line-animals-by-french-artist-dft/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic))_

![differantly single-line dripping hand process video](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55ffe109e4b07406ad1d5bc4/1562700506552-GDYOO8ZL5WRLO6U00SDN/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kLP6pHRpW4BEXk8Cc00-RwQUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYxCRW4BPu10St3TBAUQYVKcF7VugTic3Jk_pwrB8LdNTFd8Lk3cLVV45EHafKAzRglRCqrYY-Kw1NB_e1A09wf7/hand2.gif?format=2500w)
source: [“line artifacts exhibition” at differantly.com](https://www.differantly.com/lineartifacts-exhibition)

I like how they use overlapping ellipses for 3D spherical effect, tight loops to create shadow effects.

![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55ffe109e4b07406ad1d5bc4/1562701025798-PBMKE7PLWK7310I1Y9Y1/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kAFEDS6le-FglYbBx9WAu4wUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYxCRW4BPu10St3TBAUQYVKcugFaPvPBQnXV4BOFPT9STHgZikt7n0VWsFspeQnMuQX2eV1KxEM349JlxyrfrFKF/dftxyou-2.jpg?format=2500w)![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55ffe109e4b07406ad1d5bc4/1562700801588-QXC4CEQOXSOD8JKE5GXH/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kM0DoQC7ZqHjm41GohrTbFQUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYxCRW4BPu10St3TBAUQYVKc_mV4O-1hq5S5n8CWJZeUnWEtDMfTK6orTlDQBzxoEYV0jWjVNaHEh_BZmrgqpbOq/pic-006c.jpg?format=2500w)
source: [“line artifacts exhibition” at differantly.com](https://www.differantly.com/lineartifacts-exhibition)

## [@quibe](https://www.instagram.com/quibe)

> (French Illustrator, minimal artist) / [https://society6.com/quibe/prints](https://society6.com/quibe/prints)

My favorite of Quibe’s work are the kisses. It’s hard enough to find a way to use a single line to represent the contour of one face, let alone two. Sometimes verging on an MC Escher puzzler, I’m amazed at the economy of line - how much physicality and emotional resonance these pieces achieve through the smallest image file size.

kissing
![by @quibe on instagram](https://instagram.com/p/CALU133nzZN/media/?size=t)
source: [@quibe via instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/CALU133nzZN/)

![by @quibe on instagram](https://instagram.com/p/CAD1GSXnXLl/media/?size=t)
source: [@quibe via instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/CAD1GSXnXLl/)

with color
![by @quibe on instagram](https://instagram.com/p/B6-XVZ_C6cU/media/?size=t)
source: [@quibe via instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/B6-XVZ_C6cU/)

![by @quibe on instagram](https://instagram.com/p/B097-5wHV2M/media/?size=t)
source: [@quibe via instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/B097-5wHV2M/)

## [@elissabarber](https://www.instagram.com/elissabarber/?hl=en)

> (“Using a single line”) / [elissabarber.com](https://elissabarber.com/)

Elissa barber’s work seems to bring a more emotional element to single-line art, and I like that she works in large scale.

It’s hard to represent full bodies or multiple figures in single-line art because spatial references are hard to keep track of. I’m impressed at how her characters’ faces and hands are so expressive while the looser gestural legs and torsos blends together, creating this overall harmony.

Compared to seeing something more premeditated via a digital drawing, seeing one continuous line physically drawn out makes me think about how much the artist’s body movements contributed to the final work. I’ve come to believe that this kind of art ends up capturing a lot more of the artist’s mood in the moment of creation, which is part of why I found it to have a powerful impact.

> trust the process
> austin kleon, drawing comes from the body



![by @elissabarber on instagram](https://instagram.com/p/CBf5T4Rnvso/media/?size=t)
source: [@elissabarber via instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/CBf5T4Rnvso/)

I also love how she explores different mediums and textures - her ceramic work is amazing.
![by @elissabarber via instagram](https://instagram.com/p/CBRUXvinRTR/media/?size=t)
source: [@elissabarber via instagram]([https://www.instagram.com/p/CBRUXvinRTR/])

celebrating minimalism in line art

my single-line art influences

I’m a coder who makes art.
_day job: startup founder (currently CTO @ aesthetic.com)_

## An Art Hobby Develops

Painting started as a hobby, way to unwind.
_during previous startup, URX: IC-\>manager transition_

![oil painting of Whistler statue at sunset](https://blog.andrewlook.com/painting-early--whistler-sunset.jpeg)
![oil painting of Paris riverbanks](https://blog.andrewlook.com/painting-early--paris-ile-de-france.jpeg)
[1](https://www.instagram.com/p/svbUHoE60i/?igshid=1u2g2hcc2dvur),[2](https://www.instagram.com/p/tHb5D6E62F/)

### experimenting with my “modes” of work

_formerly fun code projects now had deadlines_
_paintings were a safe place for “scope creep”_

![](https://blog.andrewlook.com/painting-people--bodybuilder-family.jpeg)
![](https://blog.andrewlook.com/painting-people--new-years-late-night.jpeg)
![](https://blog.andrewlook.com/painting-people--basic-brunch.jpeg)
[1](https://www.instagram.com/p/yS9tqWk69p/?igshid=10s6ak151gubz),[2](https://www.instagram.com/p/1OIsqNk68f/?igshid=1dc2f0fzhw200),[3](https://www.instagram.com/p/7GvJ0ak61s/?igshid=1tphj7es2w9tm)

### Painting people was tough, but friends’ reactions were worth it.

_self teaching, starting to practice drawing people_ 
_(friends’ reactions sometimes get remixed into new art!)_

![](https://blog.andrewlook.com/painting-friends--cash-blaster.jpeg)
![](https://blog.andrewlook.com/drawing-friends--remix-cash-blaster.jpeg)
[1](https://www.instagram.com/p/BM274BsADZN/?igshid=70x5a0u42fo9),[2](https://www.instagram.com/p/BQRx24aAbfe/?igshid=165aklmbsdwyr)

### Found a new means of expression for stuff I hadn’t known to share.

_ Reflecting on my own experience_
_sharing ideas/emotions that had never had an outlet: sarcasm, wonder, irony_

![](https://blog.andrewlook.com/painting-friends--LA-postcollege-lifestyle.jpeg)
![](https://blog.andrewlook.com/painting-friends--osaka-nights.jpeg)
[1](https://www.instagram.com/p/7GvJ0ak61s/?igshid=1tphj7es2w9tm),[2](https://www.instagram.com/p/4ivUYuk64U/?igshid=4hc7hejnrul0),[3](https://www.instagram.com/p/BHFRHzNAB_y/?igshid=l5sejgykniyv)

---

## unexpected burden

### big ambitious ML paintings

Painting sessions had become high-pressure, focusing on the end result

![finished oil painting based on Deepdream algorithm output](/painting-deepdream--desert-dreams--finished.jpeg)
![oil painting based on Deepdream algorithm output](/painting-deepdream--naptime--studio.jpeg)
[1](https://www.instagram.com/p/BTCIo5HhuJ5/?igshid=1e5r4vhxj7bts), [2](https://www.instagram.com/p/BvdIQK3gUyM/?igshid=yi861watlwor)

> _”premeditated art” - trust the process_

### surprising source of joy: making stuff for friends

My big complicated paintings weren’t as fulfilling for me as I thought they were.

Truly fulfilling: Making spontaneous creations and hearing reactions from friends and family.

![ipad painting of jackson](/ipad--jackson.jpeg)
![sharpie drawing of a dog on discarded amazon package](/sharpie--amazon-dog.jpeg)

[1](https://www.instagram.com/p/BoHlJlPAZ9I/), [2](https://www.instagram.com/p/B6ep_2ZgA_I/)


---

## Making Art Fun Again



### Progress over Perfection

Around this point in my artist story, I started carrying a sketchbook everywhere I went. My intention was to focus on practice and enjoyment rather than impressive end results. I found that this was much more fun when I focused solely on filling sketchbooks rather than making them perfect.

![process-oneline-journal-face](https://blog.andrewlook.com/process-oneline-journal-face.jpeg)
![process-oneline-journal-scene](https://blog.andrewlook.com/process-oneline-journal-scene.jpeg

## Focus on Process, Not Product

In my engineering work, judging a day as good or bad based on amount of focused input directed to what I care about most - not whether a specific milestone is complete (because bugs happen and learning takes time).

![oneline-process-diagram](https://blog.andrewlook.com/oneline-process-diagram.jpeg)
![oneline-process-reflection](https://blog.andrewlook.com/oneline-process-reflection.jpeg)

### Daily Sketchbook: Quantity over Quality

Extending this idea to my sketchbooks was liberating. In my experience, intentionally drawing with a focus on [quantity over quality of drawings]() has lead to some interesting discoveries, if only out of haste and randomness.

> The more sketches you draw, the more chances there are that you'll produce good drawings.
>
> An easy rule of thumb for beginners is that one out of each ten ideas you generate will be good. (And this applies to sketches, stories, videos, or anything you make as well.)
> 
> For instance, my skill as a writer or sketcher influences my ratio of good-to-bad stories or drawings.
>
> Of course, this ratio might be lower or higher depending on the field you are in and your level of expertise.
>
> Experts manage to bring that ratio down when they reach proficiency at whatever it is they do. Still, they know there will always be bad ideas among the ones they generate.
>
> The good thing is that, apart from lowering the good-to-bad ratio, skill and expertise let you judge your own ideas to better identify the good ones and discard the bad ones.



### Work on What's Hardest



I always had trouble with lines in my paintings.

Drawing in pen was especially hard for me, cause I couldn’t easily shade areas the way I did with pencil. I realized that as a painter, I had inadvertently trained my mind to look for shapes and intensity of color. I decided to jump into the deep end - stopped carrying around a pencil, started carrying a pen everywhere with my sketchbook(s).

### Remembering my Past Drawing Exercises

Contour drawing exercises came back into my life when I found some scratch drawings I had saved from a Life Drawing class I had taken.

I was fascinated by how they work to train your muscle memory and build confidence by trying to short-cut the part of the mind that overthinks what we're trying to draw. For example:

> **don’t look at the paper** (trains direct eye->hand movement, skip left-brain processing)
> **look at the paper and don’t lift your pen off the paper** (trains intentional economy of line, working with constraint)


### Don't Lift Your Pen

When I stumbled upon continuous line drawings, they were exactly what I was looking for:

- fast
- challenging
- repetitive
- simple
- subtle
- nuanced



### Just One Line

Extracting a single expressive contour in an attempt capture the essence and personality of a subject seemed like an appealing area to practice.

Both because it was intrinsically interesting, and I figured it would eventually yield dividends in my painting abilities if I was able to approach them with a newfound boldness and speed in my movements.

Eventually it became a habit, and it continues to be a source of joy for me.



Online original
[https://www.instagram.com/p/BpKxLh4lAtg/?igshid=11ni132w65gom](https://www.instagram.com/p/BpKxLh4lAtg/?igshid=11ni132w65gom)

Oneline taking the leap
[https://www.instagram.com/p/BpPXWjoFWkS/?igshid=1n04rvk4vfsh0](https://www.instagram.com/p/BpPXWjoFWkS/?igshid=1n04rvk4vfsh0)

The speed and repetition of single-line drawing got me past some creative blocks.

Eventually it got easier to try a lot of new things and not be upset if any one output doesn’t come out well.

My daily practice has taught me to trust that a steady flow of new drawings is on its way.

---

## Single-lines make great gifts now

The speed makes it fast to try out new creations.

while the immediacy and expressiveness seems to delight friends.

Zoom dance
[https://www.instagram.com/p/B_aglRdAszt/?igshid=yr9pa3szajwd](https://www.instagram.com/p/B_aglRdAszt/?igshid=yr9pa3szajwd "Zoom dancing")

Dog and flowers
[https://www.instagram.com/p/BswVtjon26S/?igshid=p9jk03ilve0e](https://www.instagram.com/p/BswVtjon26S/?igshid=p9jk03ilve0e)

---

This has been the most fulfilling part of my art practice.

![polaroid-AR](https://blog.andrewlook.com/polaroid-AR.jpeg)
(Augmented reality Polaroid single line)
[https://www.instagram.com/p/B7wpJXDg7N3/?igshid=1imbb0or9k3z5](#)(<https://www.instagram.com/p/B7wpJXDg7N3/?igshid=1imbb0or9k3z5)>

![maskface-bandana](https://blog.andrewlook.com/maskface-bandana.jpeg)
(Single line face bandana)
[https://www.instagram.com/p/B_8_ne9g1D1/?igshid=1wszwi88t0awa](#)(<https://www.instagram.com/p/B_8_ne9g1D1/?igshid=1wszwi88t0awa)>

## learnings: 2 years of my single lines

---

### single line experiments and tips

Welcome to my blog!