Some lines in a picture act like arrows. A road, a river, a fence, the edge of a table or a row of trees carries the eye along it. These are leading lines. Used well, they lead the viewer to the focal point.
Key idea
Leading lines such as roads, rivers, fences, edges and the direction a person looks carry the eye through the picture, best of all toward the focal point.
Why it works
The eye follows edges and directions. A line that starts near the bottom edge of the picture and travels inward pulls the eye in with it. Lines do not need to be drawn as lines: a row of fence posts, a gaze from one person to another, or a pointing hand makes an implied line the eye follows just the same.
Worked example: Where does it lead?
A path starts at the bottom corner of your drawing and curves toward a cottage near the right third line. What does the path do for the picture?
- The eye enters where the path meets the edge.
- It follows the curve.
- It arrives at the cottage, the focal point.
Answer: It leads the viewer into the picture and to the cottage.
Common mistake
A strong line that runs straight out of the picture, like a road shooting off the side edge, takes the viewer's eye out with it. Bend it back toward the subject, end it at the focal point, or stop it with a tree or a turn.
The road in Roads, Rooms and Rails is a leading line too: it goes straight to the vanishing point.