(Revised with more straightforward art from an old tumblr post)
Sometimes artists will warn you against having a tangent in your work. What is a tangent? Originally, it meant having one line barely touching another in a way that was compositionally awkward, and got its name from that kind of arc on a mathematical graph. These days, though, we use it more broadly:
A tangent is when two or more lines in a drawing interact in a way that the artist didn't intend.
To make these easier to discuss critically, I've given them names, and drawn up some examples:
1. LONG-LINE TANGENT
When a line from one part of the drawing leads directly into the line of another.
When a line from one part of the drawing leads directly into the line of another.
2. BUMP-UP TANGENT.
When a line in the drawing bumps up against the line from another element in the drawing, OR a line bumps up against a formal element like a panel border, a sound effect, or a word balloon.
When a line in the drawing bumps up against the line from another element in the drawing, OR a line bumps up against a formal element like a panel border, a sound effect, or a word balloon.
3. CORNER TANGENT
When two lines in a drawing converge intentionally in one element of the drawing, but another line from another element meets them at that convergence. This can happy with either exterior corners (like the outside of the elbow) or interior corners (like the inside of the elbow).
When two lines in a drawing converge intentionally in one element of the drawing, but another line from another element meets them at that convergence. This can happy with either exterior corners (like the outside of the elbow) or interior corners (like the inside of the elbow).
4. PARALLEL TANGENT
When the lines of one element run parallel to the lines of another, creating an unintentional border.
When the lines of one element run parallel to the lines of another, creating an unintentional border.
5. DIRECTIONAL TANGENT
Whereas the pair of panels on the left is a long-line tangent, the panel on the right creates a Directional Tangent: a long-line tangent that is partially separated by either a formal element (like the panel borders and gutter here) or space within the drawing itself. This can sometimes be intentional to aid with directional reading, but when it's unintentional it can lead to incorrect panel-to-panel reading order or generally flat compositions.
Whereas the pair of panels on the left is a long-line tangent, the panel on the right creates a Directional Tangent: a long-line tangent that is partially separated by either a formal element (like the panel borders and gutter here) or space within the drawing itself. This can sometimes be intentional to aid with directional reading, but when it's unintentional it can lead to incorrect panel-to-panel reading order or generally flat compositions.