One Line at a Time
A team of 4-10 draws an image on a whiteboard one line at a time. Each person adds a single line that supports previous lines. Lines cannot be erased.
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Related Exercises
Limericks
Limericks is an applied improv exercise in which participants compose and perform spontaneous limericks -- five-line poems with an AABBA rhyme scheme -- individually or collaboratively in real time. The exercise trains verbal rhythm, rhyme under pressure, and the ability to build a structured comedic form spontaneously from a prompt. It is used in applied improv to develop creative confidence, verbal fluency, and the willingness to commit to a comedic form under time and social pressure.
Paired Drawing
Teams of two silently take turns drawing parts of a face, one feature at a time, then name their creation one letter at a time.
Name the Monster
Name the Monster is a reflective exercise in which participants identify and name the internal critic, fear, or resistance that arises for them in improvisation or creative work. By giving the inner critic a distinct name and persona, the exercise creates psychological distance from self-limiting thought patterns, making them easier to recognize and set aside during performance or rehearsal.
Line Mirror
Line Mirror is a physical awareness and synchronization exercise in which participants stand in a line facing a partner line and mirror each other's movements simultaneously, without a designated leader. Unlike circle or pair mirror exercises, the line format creates additional complexity by requiring each participant to maintain synchronization with an immediate partner while also being observable by and influencing the rest of the line.
Family Portraits
Family Portraits is a physical tableau exercise in which players freeze into group images depicting families in various situations, relationships, or emotional states. The facilitator calls a scenario and players instantly arrange themselves into a frozen portrait without discussion. The exercise develops spatial awareness, physical storytelling, and the ability to read and contribute to a group image in real time.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). One Line at a Time. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/one-line-at-a-time
The Improv Archive. "One Line at a Time." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/one-line-at-a-time.
The Improv Archive. "One Line at a Time." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/one-line-at-a-time. Accessed March 17, 2026.
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