When new apprentices join the ÀNI Art Academies, their journey begins not with complex subjects, but with something profoundly simple: dots and lines.
These first marks are far more than exercises; they form the foundation of a visual vocabulary that will shape every artwork they create.
Many beginning artists start with what’s often called a searching line: a hesitant, scratchy mark that reveals uncertainty. As they try to “fix” the line by layering more pressure and passes, they inadvertently commit too heavily to the surface, limiting their ability to adjust or develop the drawing later.
At ÀNI, we encourage a different approach: a light, confident, and deliberate line, one that carries intention from start to finish. Such marks preserve flexibility, encourage refinement, and train the eye and hand to move as one. The Origin Destination Line Exercise is where apprentices begin this process.
The path to artistic confidence begins here, with a single, deliberate line.
