Erika Lancaster- Artist + Online Art Teacher
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Guide to Shading Techniques: Hatching, Cross-Hatching, Scribbling and Others

9/20/2017

66 Comments

 
Alternative Shading Techniques for Beginners
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*​This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)



Unsure of how to create lights, midtones and darks in pen and ink drawings? How do you recreate value/tonal relationships present in a reference photo via pen and ink techniques? What are the best exercises for beginners?


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In today's post I will be explaining a few techniques that are very useful to know when you are ready to start giving drawings a sense of realistic volume and depth. Once you can create basic outline drawings, the next step is to start practicing further observational skills which will allow you to pinpoint light and shadow areas as well as other details in subjects.

​This is an essential skill to develop as you work your way towards creating more realistic artwork.

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I will be including seven different shading techniques commonly used by pen and ink artists. However, I use many of these myself when drawing with pencil and they can be used when drawing with charcoal, chalk, and many other kinds of drawing media. 

I will not be going into the graphite blending technique that is commonly used to create hyperrealistic drawings because what I want to get across with this lesson is the importance of value placement, more than creating realistic texture. ​
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Value or tone is an incredibly important Art Fundamental to understand if we're looking to start developing any sense of realistic three-dimensionality and depth in our drawings.

It is a wide range of values, starting from lightest lights, to a wide range of midtones, to darkest darks, that give a subject a sense of three-dimensional form. 


Many artists argue that value is even more important than color.

It's common for artists to create sketches prior to starting paintings and, in these sketches one of the most important things to decipher (besides proportion and placement of elements within the composition) is where the darkest and lightest areas will be. 
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Let's begin with the topic!

​Hatching, crosshatching, stippling, etc. are traditional drawing techniques that have been used by artists for centuries. All of these are nothing but patterns and groups of lines (or dots) placed in well thought-out ways in order to transmit a sense of volume, three dimensionality, depth and texture. 

​Some artists style is more controlled and precise, which lead to cleaner and more organized lines, while others have a more free and expressive style.
I greatly recommend looking for drawings by Van Gogh, 
Durer and Da Vinci to be able to see different results.

First off, I want you to take a moment to observe the following etchings created by Giorgio Morandi.
Etching by Giorgio Morandi
Giorgio Morandi etching. Still Life with Pears and Grapes, 1927.


Etching by Giorgio Morandi
Giorgio Morandi etching. Still Life with Five Objects, 1954.

These etchings were created by using a combination of hatching and crosshatching. I want you to notice the lightest areas in the artworks, as well as the darkest. Notice how the lightest areas have nearly no lines in them, so they look almost entirely (or entirely) white. Now notice how the darkest areas are full of lines to the point at which they look close to (or entirely) black.

​Try pinpointing the different values in between the lightest and darkest throughout the drawings. 
How many can you count? How many variations in value do you think you can create using only one pen or pencil? Practice creating value strips showing gradual tonal changes using the downloadable PDF at the end of the post (VALUE_STRIPS.PDF). This will help A LOT! 


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Value strip exercise
Value strip exercise

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Drawing by Jean-Baptiste Greuze Jean-Baptiste Greuze red chalk sketch. Head of Caracalla, 1768.

​Now take a moment to observe this piece by Jean-Baptiste Greuze created with only red chalk. Notice how this drawing is more complex due to the nature of the subject. Notice the whitest areas and the darkest areas and the values in between.
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In this drawing, the artist used a mixture of shading techniques. I can find both straight lines, contour lines and even some scribbles which create the texture of curly hair.

Understand that different shading techniques can be used together in one same piece. 

Ok! Moving on!



​Follow along with the tutorial below to practice hatching, crosshatching, weaving, contour lines, scribbling and stippling: 
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*

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Different Shading Techniques

Here are seven different shading techniques that you can use in your drawings and sketches. When using all of these techniques, it's important to keep in mind that, even though lines do not have to be super perfect, you do have to take your time and think about what your doing.

It's essential to keep a sense of consistency in terms of the marks you create throughout your piece and to stay mindful of how your mark-making is going to affect its outcome. Keep line thickness, direction, and overall size in mind throughout your drawing process!

What's even MORE important, 
is that the lines you create accentuate the form of the object you are drawing. Increase the density of your lines by placing them closer together or creating a second (or even third) layer overlapping the first in areas that you want to appear darker.

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If you need practice drawing sets of parallel lines, I recommend practicing until your hand becomes steady enough. Practice each of the following techniques using the downloadable PDF at the end of the post titled SHADING_TECHNIQUES.
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1. Hatching/Parallel Hatching
This can be considered the most basic of all of the shading techniques included here. It involves creating groups or patterns of parallel lines. These lines don't have to be completely vertical or horizontal. They can also be slanted or follow any angle you'd like, as long as this direction is uniform throughout the area you are shading.
Hatching
Hatching


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Learn watercolor and drawing online



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2. Cross Hatching
Cross Hatching is like taking parallel hatching to the next level. You create a first layer of parallel lines (in any direction) and a second layer of lines is drawn on top in a perpendicular or nearly perpendicular manner. This technique is probably the quickest of all due to the fact that you are able to create darker values faster than with the other techniques. I tend to go for this method most of the time myself. 
Cross-hatching
Cross-hatching

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3. Contour Hatching
This technique involves using lines that follow the curves or lines of the initial contour/outline drawing. When used correctly, contour hatching enhances volume and three-dimensionality in a very striking manner. With this method, it is important to be able to visualize the three-dimensionality and planes of whatever it is your drawing. 
Contour Hatching
Contour Hatching


4. Stippling
When stippling, tone and texture is built up by applying dots in different densities. This technique takes time and you have to make sure that you don't start creating lines instead of dots.
Stippling
Stippling

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5. Tick Hatching
This method is similar to stippling but instead of making dots, you make short lines. In darker areas, lines are placed in an overlapped manner. I personally don't use this method very much because I find the texture it creates looks like hair! However, it is very useful when using oil pastels or similar media to create Impressionist-style art. 
Tick Hatching
Tick Hatching


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6. Woven Hatching
Woven Hatching leads to a very interesting outcome when done correctly. This technique involves creating sets of short(er) parallel lines in one direction and then placing another group of parallel lines next to it in perpendicular or near-perpendicular directions. Crosshatching can be later added to add density in areas that require darker values.
Woven Hatching
Woven Hatching


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​7. Scribbling
​Scribbling is an excellent technique to use when drawing specific subjects like trees or hair because it not only creates values, but also transmits a sense of texture. In the drawing below I used scribbling to create the leaves of the tree and the effect of grass below it. ​​​​​​I love scribbling!
Scribbling
Scribbling


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Tree pen and ink drawing by Erika Lancaster
Tree pen sketch by Erika Lancaster. Micron pens on Canson Mixed-Media sketchbook.
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Staedtler Pigment Liners 6 Pack

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Prismacolor Premier Turquoise Drawing Pencil Set

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Picture
Canson 11x14" Drawing Sketchbook


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Milan Soft Graphite Erasers
For a complete list of my current favorite art supplies, go here. 


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​Practice the different shading techniques described using the PDF titled SHADING_TECHNIQUES attached at the end of the post. Then, before starting with more complex figures, practice shading simple geometric shapes (use PDF titled GEOMETRIC_SHAPES). 
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Drawing 3D Geometric shapes
Various shading techniques used to shade simple, geometric shapes.

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Essential Steps to Achieving Successful Shading


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​1. Make sure you select a good photographic reference

What makes an effective photograph? Firstly, make sure it is large enough to allow you to view details. Do not select blurry photos. Secondly, make sure the photo is not over or underexposed and has a good balance of light and dark areas. I recommend selecting a photo that has only one visible light source hitting the subject so that you can easily distinguish where the lightest parts and darkest parts will be.

​Try going for a simple object first. Perhaps a simple still life photograph with only one or two objects in it?
Start out with something like this. You can download this image for free use here or find other great pictures to practice from at www.pexels.com. 
Picture
Photograph by Lisa Fotios. Find her photos at www.pexels.com or visit her website here. 



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​2. Create a light pencil sketch including only outlines of shapes


Practice your observational/drawing skills to create a simple, outline drawing of your subject. Focus only on the general shapes, proportions and locations of the subject(s) in relation with one another and within the composition. 
Picture
Outline drawing of cherries created using the previously mentioned reference picture.
I strongly encourage you to keep practicing your drawing skills and not resort to tracing, but I have included my outline drawing in PDF form for you to download if you wish to only focus on shading techniques today (CHERRY_OUTLINES.PDF).


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3. Take a moment to observe the reference picture and answer the following questions:

-Where is the light source located in relation to my object(s)? Is the light in front, behind, below, above or to the side of the subject?
-Where are lightest/whitest parts of the subject?
-Where are the darkest/blackest parts of the subject?
-If there are different colors included in the photograph (in this case we have red and green), how do they relate to one another in terms of their value? Is the red included here LIGHTER or DARKER than the green?


This is very important! It may be easy to notice different values within one same color, but once more colors are added in, it is important to notice how they compare to one another in terms of lightness or darkness. For example, in this picture, the values of reds in the cherries are darker (for the most part) than the green in the stems. The green in the stems is pretty light when compared to the reds of the cherries and this is something that has to be translated within a one-color drawing. 
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*If you still feel unsure, I recommend you take your time when preparing your initial sketch. Create a map for yourself using LIGHT pencil strokes within your outline drawing. I do something similar when painting with watercolors in order to remind myself what areas will be left completely white and which areas are darkest. 


Picture
In this "map" I have created shapes that should be left nearly white and also where my cast shadows will be below the cherries.

​4. Start developing those values!

I recommend starting your drawings with pencil if you haven't practiced these techniques much and move on to pen and ink once you feel more confident. Pen and ink drawings are wonderful and super fun but each and every line you create is permanent and it is easy to get discouraged if your drawing doesn't turn out the way you want it to. Experiment with different techniques and go for the one you feel comes most natural to you.

You can move on to exploring combinations of techniques and more complex subjects as time goes by. The way I usually start this type of drawing is by placing my hatching in darkest areas and go back and forth adjusting values as I see fit. 




5. Consistency is key
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It is essential to keep in mind that the lines you are creating are meant to ENHANCE and not DISTRACT the viewer when the piece is finished. So, again, remember that line length, thickness, and direction should show some kind of consistency. Take your time! These kinds of drawings are very much a mental exercise as much as they are a drawing exercise. 
Pen and ink sketch by Erika Lancaster
Pen/Ink drawing of two cherries showing the crosshatching shading technique by Erika Lancaster.


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Pen and ink drawing of a country church by Erika Lancaster
Old country church pen sketch showing a variety of shading techniques by Erika Lancaster.


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value_strips.pdf
File Size: 396 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

shading_techniques.pdf
File Size: 310 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

cherry_outlines.pdf
File Size: 203 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

geometric_shapes.pdf
File Size: 352 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


What kind of shading technique do you like most and why? Do you switch shading techniques depending on the artistic medium you're using? I'd love to hear from you! Comment below.
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66 Comments
Chris Lintner
5/1/2018 06:24:53 am

I found this very informative and the best instructional on this topic. It's a n important first step in some cases and it helps to develop a sense of value. My friend who is an art professor stresses value above all when trying to achieve depth in a painting.

Reply
Erika Lancaster
5/1/2018 08:43:56 am

Hi Chris!
I'm happy to hear that you found my post helpful! Though I've been focusing a lot more on painting lately, I REALLY enjoy creating pen/ink sketches using hatching and crosshatching.
What's your favorite subject to draw?
Value is one of the most important things when it comes to creating a sense of realistic form. I'd even go as far as saying that it's more important than color. I feel that a lot of beginners want to jump right into color and it would be much more worthwhile to start by being able to achieve realism using only graphite or grayscale. Using only one color and creating monochromatic work is also super useful!
Thanks so much for your comment and have a great day! :)

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Sahib link
12/27/2023 09:26:44 am

Very good explanation

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Gillian
6/17/2018 06:27:01 am

This was great background reading for me as I am covering a primary school class teaching these shading techniques. The downloadable PDFs and the worked example of the cherries will be particularly helpful. The class of 7 - 9 year olds will be experimenting with the techniques tomorrow! Thank you

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Erika Lancaster
6/17/2018 10:20:09 am

Hi Gillian,
I'm happy to hear that you found this post helpful! I'd love to know how your class goes! :)
I have several other posts that also include downloadable PDFs in them, and I also have a freebie section in my site that I created especially for teachers that are looking for quick, downloadable (letter-sized) printouts: http://www.erikalancaster.com/freebies.html
Hope it's helpful! Have fun in class!

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Patrick
11/4/2018 12:03:37 pm

Hi Erika,
I've been painting for about 8 years and feel I'm just not getting anywhere with it. Going to try charcoal for a change. I like your very explanitory descriptions of how to hatch and cross hatch along with the other marks. Just curious, when you do a portrait, do you do it by observation, or do you use a grid etc first?

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Erika Lancaster
11/5/2018 09:13:31 am

Hi Patrick,

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and taking time to comment! It means the world. :)

I'd love to know what painting mediums you've tried, as they're all so different. There is a possibility that you may not like acrylics but will find success with oils, or maybe you don't like watercolors but would love acrylics, or something like that.

But you're totally right in wanting to explore different artistic mediums if you've tried a specific one for so long and things don't seem to be working. I'd encourage you to keep exploring, as we need to find specific mediums and techniques that we are most comfortable with AND that also enhance our specific way of doing things. It definitely varies from artist to artist.

I'm so happy to hear that you liked my mark-making explanations! Have you tried sketching with ink?

To answer your question about drawing portraits, I personally do as much freehand drawing as I can, with any kind of subject I'm drawing. I avoid the use of grids and would recommend them only for beginners, as using that method doesn't really help train your artistic eye as fast as doing it from observation does.

If you're into drawing portraits or the human figure, I highly recommend learning about basic proportions and placement of facial features, perhaps learning the Loomis Method. In my opinion learning all this is the basis for all portrait drawing and should be well understood before actually trying to draw a portrait with likeness to a specific person.

I have a couple of blog posts on drawing portraits, as well as YouTube videos if you're interested!

Basic Facial Proportions for Beginners:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CAIDdGDpjU&t=429s

How to Start Drawing Faces at Angles
http://www.erikalancaster.com/art-blog/how-to-effectively-draw-faces-at-a-34s-angle-my-4-step-process-and-practice-freebies

Tips for Shading and Achieving Realism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq0Q_rloLjI

Thanks again Patrick and I'm looking forward to hearing about your progress!

Erika

Reply
bob bilson
2/28/2022 09:28:39 pm

hello

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Dan Scott
5/19/2019 03:19:07 pm

I'm curious as to your recommendation for the actual application of hatch/cross hatch marks. I've been told that it's best to make the marks all in the same direction, from left to right. But I've seen some artists who seem to make the marks going both directions (more of a scribble motion). What do you suggest?

Thank you

Reply
Erika Lancaster
5/23/2019 11:49:19 am

Hi Dan,

Thanks so much for checking out this blog post and for taking time to comment. It really means the world. :)

I don't really concern myself with keeping all of my marks in the same direction. I do try to keep consistency within each "group", so to speak, when I'm using crosshatching. But all throughout the piece? Not so much.
This said, I do like a much more "sketchy"/less clean and organized kind of look myself, and I do understand that there are others who enjoy a cleaner look.

I think it really varies from artist to artist! I love cross-contouring and scribbling techniques, too. I have another video showing my cross-contouring technique here, in case you'd like to check it out: https://www.erikalancaster.com/art-blog/shading-a-hand-using-pen-and-ink

Thanks again and have a great rest-of-the-week!

Erika

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Elizabeth
12/14/2019 06:33:51 pm

This was an AWESOME post. I would go so far as to say PERFECT. You are an inspiration not only for art and learning the subject, but how to run a blog. So many blogs are spamming pop ups, auto playing ads and all sorts of other obnoxious money grab tactics. I get it, people need to be compensated for their expenses and time and I am happy to make sure that happens...but the way you do it is how. I trust you with my email, cookies, et al and I will bookmark your affiliate links because you're the real deal. Thank you Ericka. I look forward to exploring the rest of your site in the future. bookmarked por vida, cheers!

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Erika Lancaster link
12/15/2019 06:36:27 pm

Dear Elizabeth,
Your comment truly made my day. :)
Thank you SO much for checking out this post and even more, for taking time to leave such an honest, in-depth comment.
I really appreciate it, and it warms my heart every time a reader or YouTube viewer reaches out to let me know they found helpful nuggets or inspiration to keep going with their art, in the content I share. It's why I do what I do, and it makes me want to keep going.
I totally get what you mean, and have avoided placing ads in my site because I want my visitors' experience to be a positive one, in all ways (at least the ones I have control over). Thank you for acknowledging this, because it let's me know that I made the right choice.
Wish you tons of progress and enjoyment in your artistic journey, and I look forward to seeing you around. :)
Have a lovely holiday season,
Erika


Reply
pura
1/19/2020 02:35:10 am

Buenos dias
Soy una persona que a estas alturas de la vida quiere aprender a dibujar y a pintar porque. me parece todo un arte, el descubrir lo que tiene uno dentro de él.
Me ha parecido interantisimo todo lo que estoy leyendo
y siguiendo sus instrucciones, así que estoy muy agradecida porque haya querido compartir sus conocimientos y hacerlos publicos.
Un saludo.

Juliet Philip
1/23/2020 11:14:10 am

Hi Ericka,

I’m so excited to stumble upon your brilliant blog. I’m writing to simply say hello and thank you. It’s nice for people like me to be able to say hello and connect with an art teacher, thanks to the Internet. I hope to be able to ask you more questions in the future as I’m a very ambitious art student with a low level of proficiency. It’s a frustrating place to be at but I’m learning to fall in love with the process than be too consumed with the results. I think with the help of your tutorials, I will make good progress and I’m looking forward to it. Again, thank you SO MUCH. I love your blog and teaching style! Thank you.

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Erika Lancaster link
1/26/2020 01:57:24 pm

Hi Juliet! :)

Thanks so much for checking out the content I'm putting out there, and even more, for taking time to comment. It really does mean the world to me.

It makes me so happy to hear that you're set on moving forward in your artistic journey and also that you're finding useful/inspiring nuggets in what I'm sharing.

I also love that you've embraced the journey and are giving equal importance to the learning that takes place along the way, as to the end product. The journey is really what it's all about, and perfection does not exist!

Make sure to become an art email insider if you haven't already, as I share inspiring messages and helpful content that I don't share anywhere else. :) You can do so, here: https://lancaster-e85-gmail-com.ck.page/d32ef80353
Wish you tons of progress and enjoyment in your art journey.

Stay connected!

Much love and appreciation,
Erika

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Andres Eloy link
3/2/2020 12:58:13 pm

Hola es muy importante lo que he leído sobre tus clases de Dibujo yo también soy Profe. de artes plásticas en una Escuela de Artes Plásticas ubicada en Guanare Venezuela y me ha parecido muy interesante he tomado algunas lecciones para practicarlas personalmente y luego llevárselas a mis estudiantes en la Universidad de las Artes plásticas

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
3/10/2020 08:06:16 am

Hola Andres,

Espero estés pasando bonito inicio de semana. :)
Muchísimas gracias por visitar mi sitio y tomarte el tiempo de dejar tu comentario.
Me da mucho gusto que te pareció interesante y que tomaste de él algunas cosas útiles para tu propio arte y tus clases.

¡Que tengas excelente día!

Erika

Reply
Manuel Jaén
4/23/2020 10:37:09 pm

Soy un jubilado que después de tener gusto por el dibujo durante la infancia , abandone los estudios por el trabajo y ahora retomo dedicándome a la reproducción de retratos en grafito y he encontrado muy claros todos sus comentarios sobre el sombreado. Espero seguir informándome si Ud. me lo permite utilizando su pagina.
Muchas gracias por su aporte.- M.Jaén.-




Reply
Erika Lancaster link
4/27/2020 02:14:08 pm

¡Hola Manuel!
Espero esté pasando excelente inicio de semana.
Muchísimas gracias por visitar mi página y leer mi contenido.
Me da gusto saber que le pareció claro y útil.
También me hace feliz saber que ha retomado el dibujo.
Le deseo mucho éxito y que continúe disfrutando su trayectoria artística.
Erika

Reply
Brian
5/22/2020 03:52:48 pm

Muchas gracias por compartir estos conocimientos básicos, en verdad creo que son de muchísima ayuda!
Un saludo desde México!

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
5/24/2020 04:44:48 pm

¡Hola!
Muchísimas gracias por leer y dejar tu comentario. :)
Me da gusto que te haya parecido útil mi contenido.
¡Bonita semana!
Erika

Reply
pencil sketch link
6/25/2020 06:55:13 am

Much thanks for telling us about this 3 fabulous applications. They looks great despite the fact that I haven't utilized any of them. Prone to utilize them to alter a portion of my photographs.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
9/16/2020 06:25:29 pm

Hey, there!
Thanks so much for reading and taking time to comment. :)
Glad you enjoyed this one.
Wish you tons of enjoyment in your art journey and take care!

Reply
Haramain
8/11/2020 07:51:44 am

IT HELPED ME SO MUCH!

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
9/29/2020 03:20:35 pm

Hi, there!
Glad you found some helpful nuggets in this one. :)
Thanks so much for checking this blog post out and wish you tons of progress and enjoyment in your art journey.
Stay safe!

Reply
Hans
9/16/2020 05:04:36 am

Thank You for the simple instructions. Very much agree, CONSISTENCY is really the key with added art skills. Your art teaching is inspiring and probably I will post some of my sketches for elementary appreciation (beginner's thumb-up so to speak if, there's any).

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
9/16/2020 06:26:34 pm

Hi, Hans!
Thanks so much for checking this one out and taking time to leave a comment. :)
Means the world!
Wish you a great day and tons of enjoyment in your artistic journey.

Reply
Eric's Moving and Delivery Service link
9/29/2020 12:46:31 am

Awsome Post

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
9/29/2020 03:21:21 pm

Hey, there!
Thanks so much for reading. :)
Glad you enjoyed it.
Have a lovely day.

Reply
shanda link
11/11/2020 10:37:51 pm

Thank you !

This was a great outline for my children whom I am homeschooling !!!

Shanda

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
11/16/2020 09:16:23 am

Hi, Shanda!
Glad this post was helpful. :)
Thanks so much for reading and have fun with your homeschooling!
Stay safe,
Erika

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Kiran Campbell link
12/2/2020 04:48:56 pm

I really like how you specifically point out how to do these techniques especially since that I don't know how to properly to do these!

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Erika Lancaster link
12/7/2020 08:22:34 pm

Hi, Kiran!
Thanks so much for checking out this post and leaving a comment. :)
Glad to hear you found some helpful nuggets.
Stay safe!

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Suzanne
12/23/2020 07:56:59 pm

This was so informative! I like using hatching with watercolor and ink work, and I think this will help me have a more refined technique. I fear I’ve been a little haphazard. I’m going to practice more with using it in drawing, and I believe I’ll improve. Thank you.

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Erika Lancaster link
12/28/2020 10:38:35 am

Hi, Suzanne!
I'm glad you found some helpful nuggets in this one. :)
Pen and ink can be intimidating because it's permanent. I think because of this, it's so important to go in with at least some sort of strategy (what specific alternative shading/mark-making techniques you'll be using where and at what point? how many layers of marks are you going to be developing? etc.).
It's also so important to remain patient along the way. A lot of us tend to start with focus and patience and then we stop looking at our reference or stop paying enough attention. We get anxious to finish and start laying down marks to fast and not in a very mindful way. This is when we start making mistakes that we can't take back or aren't very easily integrated or "camouflaged".
I love using these techniques with regular drawing pencils, too! It's great practice and can really help you elevate that self confidence to go into pen and ink pieces with greater ease and enjoyment.
Here's an example of alternative shading using regular graphite pencils in a video that's full of more helpful tips: https://youtu.be/SgRBIpHoyZ8
Hope this helps! Have a great day and stay safe.

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David Darvin Duobah
5/6/2021 11:41:40 am

Thanks so much for the lessons. They helped me a lot.

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Erika Lancaster link
5/10/2021 11:13:59 am

Hi, David!
Thanks so much for checking out this blog post.
I'm glad you found it helpful.
Have a great day and take good care!

Reply
Yuri De Coti
5/26/2021 11:58:49 am

Your explanation of this process was so well put together. It is informative, concise, and easy to understand. Your post taught me what my teacher couldn't. I wish I ran into this information years ago. Thank you for the time you put into your blog.

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Erika Lancaster link
5/30/2021 09:44:06 am

Hi, Yuri!
Glad you found this post helpful. It's what I aim for. :)
Thanks so much for reading and taking time to leave a comment!
Wish you a great day and tons of enjoyment as you move forward in your art journey.

Reply
Sabrina
6/18/2021 01:20:14 am

Hi! Hope you’re doing well

I really liked this post! I really enjoy drawing and I’ve been reading some drawing books to improve my technique but still have some complications while doing shading (I might be overthinking it) how do I know which way my hatching goes? Is it up to me? Are there some figures that go better with some hatchings than others? Will I decide better directions for my hatchings depending on how many exercises I do?
Thank you for this btw it helped my clear some other doubts I had

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Erika Lancaster link
11/23/2021 12:09:53 pm

Hi, Sabrina!
Hatching and cross-hatching can be done in any direction you choose, as long as there is consistency (in that angle that you decide to go for and in distance from line to line) within each group of hatch marks. If you're doing cross-hatching, as long as your underneath group and your top group are intersecting at any angle, it's also perfectly fine.
But do keep it consistent once you choose that angle, otherwise things can start looking very messy.
When it comes to choosing an alternative shading technique for different subjects, any one of them can work. It mostly depends on what you're more comfortable with and what will lead to the style and effects that you're going for.
Personally, I tend to lean more towards contour and cross-contour lines when it comes to anatomical elements (faces, hands, etc.), as contour lines help me enhance those complex structures and curves more.
I like hatching and cross-hatching for objects with flat planes, as they help describe that flatness.
This isn't to say that you can go for hatching when drawing a portrait. Again, you'll find amazing portraits and drawings of complex/curved objects created with hatching and crosshatching, but it's a matter of what you like to use and the style you're going for.
You'll definitely be able to decide on what techniques to use more easily the more you explore and practice!
Here's a new video tutorial I shared over on YouTube on alternative shading techniques, which I hope you'll find helpful: https://youtu.be/gA0RCVNw1EE
Cheers! :)

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Brian
8/16/2021 06:49:55 pm

Very good, concise and informative presentation of sketching techniques - thank you!

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Erika Lancaster link
11/23/2021 12:10:26 pm

Hey, Brian!
Thanks so much for checking this one out.
Glad it was helpful.
Wish you a great day and tons of enjoyment with your sketching!

Reply
ROSE
11/22/2021 01:33:09 am

Hi Erica, thank you so much for the information. It has been very helpful in the detailed reading of comics and appreciating the level of engagement the artist has put in the work.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
11/23/2021 12:11:10 pm

Hey, Rose!
Thanks so much for reading.
Glad you found this one helpful!
Wish you a great day and take good care.

Reply
BookNerd
11/22/2021 05:25:39 pm

Hi Erica,
This is SOOO helpful!!!
I’m not very talented, but I feel like I am getting better at shading just reading this. This helped me understand shading so much more. I am getting to be a better artist!!!!
:)

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
11/23/2021 12:11:53 pm

Hey, there!
Thanks so much for reading and taking time to comment.
Means the world. :)
Glad this one was helpful and wish you tons of progress and enjoyment moving forward in your art journey.
Cheers!

Reply
Leitha
1/3/2022 10:52:32 pm

This is indeed a very helpful and well written post. I have been reading/watching mountains of material online and in print about creating value with pen and ink but had become very frustrated about not finding any discussions about what to do with value differences created by colour (rather than just highlights and shadows). This is an area of my own drawing/learning journey I have really been struggling with so I am so glad to have found this post. I would love it if you were to deal with the topic of value and color in more depth in future.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
1/4/2022 09:45:14 am

Hey, Leitha!
Thanks so much for reading and for taking time to comment!
I'll keep that topic in mind for future blog posts and videos.
For me, it was really helpful to start with graphite drawing and understanding light behaviour/value/3D form before jumping into pen and ink.
Wish you a great day, and tons of progress and enjoyment in your journey!

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Erika Lancaster link
5/3/2022 09:55:45 am

Hey, there!
Thanks so much for reading.
Glad you're enjoying the content I share.
Have a lovely day and take good care. :)

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Erika Lancaster link
5/3/2022 09:56:26 am

Hi, there!
Thanks so much for reading.
Glad you're enjoying the content I share. :)
Have a great day!

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Swapnil
9/18/2022 04:41:47 am

Hi erika,
This post is very helpful. I also love ❤shading. I am doing scribbling. Love from India.

Reply
Erika Lancacster link
9/19/2022 07:01:47 pm

Hi, there!
Thanks so much for checking out this post. :)
Glad it was helpful!
Wish you tons of progress and enjoyment moving forward in your art journey.

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Swapnil
10/10/2022 12:48:06 pm

Thanks ❤🇮🇳

Maeia Clarke link
10/15/2022 12:20:12 am

Great pieces. Keep posting such kind of info on your blog. Im really impressed by it.

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Erika Lancaster link
10/18/2022 07:36:59 am

Hi, Maeia!
Thanks so much for checking out this post.
Glad you're enjoying my blog.
Wish you a lovely day!

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ennyabosede
10/18/2022 10:23:12 am

Really appreciate it 💕

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Erika Lancaster link
10/23/2022 11:22:37 am

Thanks for checking this one out!
Wish you a lovely day :)

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Erika Lancaster link
1/31/2023 01:03:04 pm

Hey, there!
I'm so glad the article was helpful.
Thanks so much for checking it out and leaving a comment.
Wish you a great day!

Reply
Jerry Ranch
1/23/2023 04:04:07 pm

Many methods of shading. Is it considered good art or technique to use different approaches in the same drawing (hatching, scribbling and stippling, for example). I see you had an example of hatching and scribbling in the same piece. I expect the shading methods need to be "artistically compatible"....

Thanks
Jerry

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
1/31/2023 01:09:02 pm

Hi, Jerry!
Thanks for reading and for your great question.
You can 100% combine different alternative shading techniques in one same piece.
What's most important, is to plan for them before starting with your drawing and using them mindfully. This is because, by not having a strategy and going in haphazardly as your drawing with different techniques, will likely lead to a messy result.
Especially because, with these kinds of techniques, we develop values and textures simultaneously. It's easy to arrive at textures that we weren't going for, and to arrive at an overworked look.
There has to be some level of consistency and care for the piece to look good, at least in my opinion.
When I combine techniques in one same piece, I try to stick to 2-3 max, and determine where I will be using which first.
Hope this helps!
Have a good one.

Reply
Jane link
12/4/2023 08:48:17 am

Thanks soo much for the Shading techniques
Very thankful.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
12/5/2023 08:21:39 pm

Hi, Jane!
Glad it was helpful.
Thanks so much for checking this one out and taking time to leave a comment.
Enjoy your art practice!

Reply



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