com L02 - Graduations With Crosshatching

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WITH CROSSHATCHING

Brenda Hoddinott

L-01 INTERMEDIATE: CROSSHATCHING

Whether you are trying crosshatching graduations for the very first time, or simply

wishing to improve your current skills, this lesson has something for you. The process

of drawing a smooth crosshatching graduation is discussed and illustrated.

This lesson is divided into four sections:

EXPLORING SHADING TECHNIQUES: I show three different graduated

shading techniques and demonstrate how all three can be used in a single drawing.

EXAMINING DRAWINGS SHADED WITH CROSSHATCHING

GRADUATIONS: Classical crosshatching graduations are highly effective for

achieving the illusion of multidimensional forms and diverse textures in various

styles of drawing including high realism. Six drawings demonstrate a few practical

applications for crosshatching graduations.

GRADUATING WITH DIFFERENT PENCILS: You use various grades of

pencils to practice drawing crosshatching graduations. Each grade of pencil

produces a graduation with a different range of values.

CROSSHATCHING A GRADUATION: You render a crosshatching graduation inwhich the different values flow smoothly into one another. In addition to using

different pencils, you also vary the density of lines, and vary the pressure used in

holding the pencils.

Suggested supplies include 4H, 2H, HB, 2B, 3B, 4B, 6B, and 8B pencils and drawing

paper. A full set of pencils from 8H to 8B would be even better.

8 PAGES 17 ILLUSTRATIONS

This lesson is recommended for artists and aspiring artists, of all levels and abilities, with an interest inlearning the classical shading technique of graduated crosshatching. Curriculum is recommended for

home schooling, academic and recreational fine art educators.

Published by Hoddinott Fine Art Publishers, Halifax, NS, Canada 2004 (Revised 2007)


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Copyright to all articles, images, text, projects, lessons and exercises within this drawing class belong to Brenda Hoddinott and may not be reproduced or used for anycommercial purposes whatsoever without the written permission of Brenda Hoddinott.

E-mail [email protected] Web site http://www.finearteducation.com orhttp://www.drawspace.com

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EXPLORIN G SHADIN G TECHNIQUES

Before you can draw realistic subjects, you need to learn how

to render shading with graduations of values. Figures 201 to203 show three different techniques for creating graduated

shading: squirkling, hatching, and crosshatching.

Figures 201, 202,and 203: Threeshadingtechniques; fromleft to right:squirkling,hatching, andcrosshatching

Each graduated shading technique can be implemented into adrawing by itself or combined with others. For example, in

Figure 204, the clothing is rendered with squirkling, the hair

with hatching, and her face with crosshatching.

Figure 204:Threedifferenttypes of

graduationsare used toaccuratelydepict thevarious formsand texturesin a portraitof a younglady namedManisha.

AR T SPEAK

Shading (noun)refers to the variousvalues that helpmake drawings look

three-dimensional;(verb) refers to theprocess of addingshading to adrawing.

Values are thedifferent shades ofgray created whenyou draw by varyingboth the density ofthe shading lines,

and the pressureused in holdingvarious pencils.

Graduation (alsocalled graduatedshading orgraduated values)is a continuousprogression ofvalues, from dark tolight or light to dark.

Squirk l ing isamethod of shadingthat incorporatesrandomly drawncurved lines tocreate values.

Hatching is a seriesof lines (called aset) drawn closelytogether to give theillusion of values.

Crosshatching , a

classical shadingtechnique, iscomprised of sets oflines drawn closelytogether, in whichone set of linescrosses over(overlaps) anotherset.
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EXAMINI NG DRAWI NGS SHADED

WI TH CROSSHATCHING

GRADUATIONS

Classical crosshatching graduations are highly effective for

achieving the illusion of multidimensional forms and diversetextures in various styles of drawing, including realism.

Leonardo Da Vinci excelled at using this shading techniquefor anatomical studies, portraits, and figurative drawings.

When you can render individual values (Figure 205) with

precision, you are well on your way to learning how to

graduate different values into one another (Figure 206). Thegoal of graduated shading is to keep the transitions between

the different values flowing smoothly into one another.

Figures 205 and 206: Acrosshatching graduation iscreated by graduatingdifferent values into one

another.

Examine the

crosshatching

graduations in thedrawings in Figures

207 to 212.

Figure 207:Crosshatching

graduationscreate the

complex formsof facial

anatomy, andthe smooth

textures of skinand an eye.

AR T SPEAK

Texture is thesurface detail of anobject, as defined

in a drawing withvarious shadingtechniques. Thesenses of touchand sight helpidentify the surfacetexture of drawingsubject.

Form, as appliedto drawing, is theillusion of the

three-dimensionalstructure of ashape, created in adrawing withshading and/orperspective.

TTII PP

Lesson L01:CrosshatchingValues showsyou how torender a valuescale as inFigure 205.


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Figure 211: A grape looks shiny andrealistic after blending an under-drawing ofcrosshatching graduations.

Figure 208: This zany cartoon of an apple uses crosshatchinggraduations to define its spherical form and the fun patterns of itsleaves. By shading the shadow with parallel hatching lines, theapple appears to be sitting firmly on a flat surface.

Figure 209: The softpetals of a mature roseare completely rendered

with crosshatchinggraduations.

Figure 210:Crosshatchinggraduations create apowerful depiction ofmetal and wood inthis drawing of a

medieval dagger.

If youre a fan of blending,

you simply cant beat

crosshatching graduationsfor the under-drawing.

Figure 212: The same grape before blending.


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Figure 215: Eight crosshatching graduations createdwith eight different pencils.

GRADUATING W ITH DIFFERENT PENCILS

In this section, you use various pencils to practice drawing crosshatching graduations.

Ideally, you should try out a full set of pencils from 8H to 8B (however, use whateverpencils you have). Each grade of pencil produces a graduation with a different range of

values; hence, with a full set, you can create an infinite range of values.

Use each of your grades of pencils to

render a crosshatching graduation.

I used a 4H, 2H, HB, 2B, 3B, 4B, 6B, and8B (Figure 213).

Use any drawing process that works for

you. I prefer to begin by drawing a

graduation of parallel hatching lines fromlight to dark.

I make this set of lines a little lighter

overall than I think it should be; when Ibegin adding the second set of lines thevalues become darker very quickly. I want

to end up with a graduation, not a big

blob of one value!

Then I turn my paper upside-down anddraw a second set of hatching lines that

overlaps the first set at an angle. Voila!

Crosshatching!

Use the following two techniques:

Vary the density of the lines. Drawthe sets of lines far apart for light

values. To make darker values drawthe lines progressively closer

together.

Vary the pressure used in holding thepencil. Press very gently to makelight values. Apply more pressure to

make the values darker.

Begin on the left if you are right handed.

If you are left handed, you may prefer towork from right to left.

Make your shading progressively darker

as you work toward the right (or left for

lefties).


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Figure 215: Light and middle values

CROSSHATCHING A

GRADUATION

Graduations are the primary ingredient in realistic

shading. In this section, you render a crosshatching

graduation in which the different values flowsmoothly into one another.

1. Draw a long rectangular drawing format.You can turn your drawing format

vertical (Figure 213), or horizontal

(Figure 214), as you work.

Figure 213: Vertical drawing format

Figure 214:Horizontal drawing

format

2. Crosshatch light values from the topdownward in a vertical format, or from the

left toward the right in a horizontal format

(right to left for lefties).

Use whichever pencils work best for you. I useda 4H, 2H, HB, 2B, 3B, 4B, 6B, and 8B. In

addition to using different pencils to createdifferent values, you also need to vary thedensity of lines, and vary the pressure used in

holding the pencils.

a) Begin with a graduation of hatching. Presslightly with light pencils to draw the lightestsections.

b) Add a second set of lines overlapping thefirst. Dont forget, you can turn your drawing

paper around for drawing the second set; I

usually turn my paper upside down. Takeyour time; the values get darker very quickly

when you add the second set of lines.

c) Make your shading progressively darker asyou move downward (or toward the right or

left). As you get closer to the end, make your

lines closer together, press a little harderwith the pencils, and change to darker

pencils. Use your darkest pencil at the end.


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Figure 217: Dark valuesFigure 216: Middle values

3. Continuemaking your

shading darker

and darker,

until you get

almost to the

end of your

drawing space(Figure 216).

4. With yourdarkest pencils

draw the

darkest values

(Figure 217).

Continue until

the end of your

graduation is as

dark as possible.

Touch up any

sections you

arent happy

with by adding afew more short

lines in between

others.

TTII PP

If you findcrosshatchinggraduations to bebeyond your currentskill level, try thefollowing lessonsfirst:

F03: Playing WithPenci ls discussesand demonstratesvarious grades ofpencils.

F04: GraduatedValues shows youhow to draw a

simple hatchinggraduation.


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BRENDA HODDINOTT - BI OGRAPHY

As a self-educated teacher, visual artist, portraitist, forensic artist, and illustrator,

Brenda Hoddinott utilizes diverse art media including graphite, technical pen, colored

pencil, chalk pastel, charcoal, cont crayon, and oil paints.

My philosophy on teaching art is to focus primarily on theenjoyment aspects while gently introducing the technical and

academic. Hence, in creating a passion for the subjectmatter, the quest for knowledge also becomes enjoyable.

>Brenda Hoddinott

com L02 - Graduations With Crosshatching

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