Also called: Line assessment axes · Quality of a line

Where on the hand: Applies to every line anywhere on the palm — major, minor and fragmentary alike; assessed before any meaning is assigned to the line's position.

What it looks like: Six visual axes: how deeply incised the line is, how narrow, whether it runs unbroken, whether it is smooth or wavy, what colour it carries, and whether marks sit on it.

A line's position tells you the subject; its quality tells you the strength and condition of that subject. A well-placed line of poor quality reads far weaker than a modestly placed line that is deep, clear and clean. Assess all six axes on every line before interpreting.