Nulla Dies Sine Linea

"No Day Without a Line," is traditionally attributed to the Hellenistic Greek painter Apelles (4th century B.C.E.) by the historian Pliny the Elder, who recorded that Apelles would not let a day pass without at least drawing a line to practice his art. Practising every day, Appelles is said to have attached great value to the drawing of outlines, and the simplicity of design. Moreover, and in the context of ideation, making a start with a line can help develop the idea. In this sense, line drawing becomes a vital part of the creative process, and sketching an ideation tool. As Plato once wrote, "The beginning is the most important part of the work." Or, in the beginning was the line.