Cross Hatching

For my final post, I am going to discus a certain technique, known as crosshatching. In my previous blog, I talked about the importance of line, and this technique ties in with the topic of line. Crosshatching is created by using lines going in different directions, and is another form of shading.

Cross hatching is a linear drawing technique that can be used to create texture, value, and the illusion of form and light. When cross hatching is used, the artist may begin adding value as hatching, but then "allow the lines to cross over each other" (Harding 109). What this means is if, for say, you make a horizontal line, then you would make a vertical line to cross over it. The more that the lines cross over each other, the darker the value becomes.

Many artists approach the addition of crossing lines as a science. following a specific order of "vertical lines, followed by horizontal lines, followed by diagonal lines..." (Harding 110). These are the steps that I followed when I cross hatched the fish above. As you can see, there is a pattern that it forms and gives the drawing depth and shadow and produces a more distinct look than normal shading. You can also draw several layers of cross hatch marks, which creates fine cross hatching. This is the richest type of cross hatching, and you can see it in certain areas of the fish.

This method produces very deliberate and controlled marks that are very exact and precise. Others simply cross the lines at random leading to "looser" drawings. Neither way is better, it depends on the composition. Some looser approaches work better for some subjects, while more rigid approaches are suitable for other subjects. To end this blog, I will provide you with a important time on cross hatching. Cross hatching should be drawn "lightly and closely together" (Harding 110). You don't want to make the gap between each line too wide or make it too dark, or else it will throw off the look. I am not the best at cross hatching, and this is all the information I have gathered on it, but I will keep practicing and getting better at it until I master it.

Question: Do you prefer the look that cross hatching creates or regular shading?

Harding, James Duffield. Harding's Lessons on Drawing: A Classic Approach. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2007. Print.