{"id":1571938,"date":"2026-01-15T17:20:55","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T17:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/?p=1571938"},"modified":"2026-03-31T16:15:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T15:15:02","slug":"hatching-techniques-for-drawing-painting-and-printmaking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/15\/hatching-techniques-for-drawing-painting-and-printmaking\/","title":{"rendered":"Hatching Techniques for Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Hatching and crosshatching appear in a wide breadth of works &#8211; from quickly rendering tone in brief sketches to masterpieces in virtually all mediums. I began my exploration by looking at the earliest known drawing in human history, then moved to the draftsmanship of master prints, Mary Cassatt\u2019s gentle pastel works, and Van Gogh\u2019s unmistakably expressive hand. Articles in the <em>Techniques Series<\/em> define the meaning and context of art-making processes and provide practical tutorials on how to work with them.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1571982\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-4.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-4-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-4-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-4-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-4-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-size: 22px;\">Hatching Techniques for Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Definition:<\/strong> Hatching refers to media that has been applied in parallel lines to build up tone, texture, and form. Crosshatching describes lines that are hatched on top of each other to create a \u2018weave\u2019 effect, which increases tone, light, or intensity of colour, depending on the materials used.  <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1571988\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-10.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-10-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-10-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-10-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-10-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>What is the Effect of Hatching?<\/h2>\n<p>In the form of a sketch, artists may use hatching as a default for rendering tone quickly, but it appears as an intentional stylistic choice when used in more developed works. Tone built up in hatched and cross-hatched lines gives the illusion of volume, from the contours of fabric to the crevices of the face. The deliberate direction and curvature of the lines also work to describe the form depicted. The weight or width of hatched lines contributes to their tonal value, depending on the pressure of the hand applying them or the drawing implement used. With factors like layering, length, direction, curvature, width and weight to consider, hatching can become as laborious as the artist intends. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-20.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1571998\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-20.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-20-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-20-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-20-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-20-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Hatching can also create the illusion of movement by the gesture of the hatched strokes. Lines that are hatched freely in long lines shift more than tightly spaced short ones. Artworks with varied mark-making that contain hatching paired with open spaces appear visually engaging because of their visual variety. On the other hand, artworks built up entirely in hatching are impressive feats for their intensity. When hatching is done with a variety of colours, the artist utilises optical mixing by allowing the preceding or ground colours to show through between the gaps. Overall, hatching shouldn\u2019t be considered as a standard rendering default, but an engaging and versatile mark-making choice.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-47.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-47.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-47-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-47-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-47-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-47-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-47-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-47-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>The History of Hatching<\/h2>\n<p>Incredibly, the first example of hatching in art history may also be the first drawing in human history. Early humans manufactured paint from ochre in the Blombos Caves of South Africa over 100,000 years ago, where evidence of processing tools has been discovered, including hammerstones, grindstones, and abalone shells used for storing pigment. The first drawing ever recorded was found here too &#8211; crosshatching made with a crayon of ochre. It\u2019s argued that these hatched lines are an early kind of abstraction, imbued with symbolic meaning, or possibly as a counting system, since they weren\u2019t made by a consequence of processing the ochre into paint. Hatching is therefore amongst the world&#8217;s oldest art techniques, first conjured by our ancient ancestors.<\/p>\n<p>Jumping forward tens of thousands of years, people in early civilisations around the world made pottery with hatched and crosshatched designs. <em>Jar with Spiral Decoration and Cross Hatching<\/em> is a Machang piece of earthenware, which refers to objects made by China\u2019s Neolithic Majiayao culture. They created incredible pottery painted with geometric and decorative designs, and the crosshatching here gives the piece varied tone and texture. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1571963\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1571963\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LC-1994_605_131_005-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Jar with Spiral Decoration and Cross Hatching, Machang type, China\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1571963\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LC-1994_605_131_005-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LC-1994_605_131_005-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LC-1994_605_131_005-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LC-1994_605_131_005-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LC-1994_605_131_005-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LC-1994_605_131_005-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LC-1994_605_131_005-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LC-1994_605_131_005-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LC-1994_605_131_005-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1571963\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Jar with Spiral Decoration and Cross Hatching<\/em>, ca. 2350-2050 BCE<br \/>Machang type, China<br \/>Earthenware with pigment, 14 cm | 5.5 in height<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/44427\" target=\"_blank\">The Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Vessel in the Form of a Boar<\/em> is a charming ceramic from Southwestern Iran\u2019s Proto-Elamite period. The liquid would be added through the top and poured out through a hole in the boar&#8217;s snout. The hatching perfectly captures the texture of the boar\u2019s coarse fur, and paired with its arched back, suggests the animal&#8217;s unpredictable movement.  <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1571966\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1571966\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT4907-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vessel in the Form of a Boar, Proto-Elamite, Iran\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2048\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1571966\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT4907-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT4907-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT4907-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT4907-768x614.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT4907-1536x1229.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT4907-2048x1639.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT4907-620x496.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT4907-940x752.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1571966\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Vessel in the Form of a Boar<\/em>, ca. 3100-2900 BCE<br \/>Proto-Elamite, Iran<br \/>Ceramic with paint, 15.2 x 16 x 6.9 cm | 6 x 6.3 x 2.7 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/326617\" target=\"_blank\">The Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Beyond ceramics, hatching has also been extensively used in carving and sculpture. On <em>Plaque in the Form of a Sphinx<\/em>, we see zones of hatching and crosshatching to distinguish the texture of the wings from the hair. Here, the incised hatching is lighter than the black surface, making highlights on the form. The piece represents an interesting convergence of cultures, with the face of an Egyptian sphinx combined with the wings of an Assyrian winged lion. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP-30278-001-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Plaque in the form of a sphinx\nca. 8th century BCE\" width=\"1852\" height=\"2560\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572042\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP-30278-001-scaled.jpg 1852w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP-30278-001-217x300.jpg 217w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP-30278-001-741x1024.jpg 741w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP-30278-001-768x1062.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP-30278-001-1111x1536.jpg 1111w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP-30278-001-1481x2048.jpg 1481w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP-30278-001-620x857.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP-30278-001-940x1300.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1852px) 100vw, 1852px\" \/><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1572040\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1572040\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Plaque-in-the-form-of-a-sphinx.jpg\" alt=\"Plaque in the form of a sphinx\nca. 8th century BCE\" width=\"1280\" height=\"914\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1572040\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Plaque-in-the-form-of-a-sphinx.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Plaque-in-the-form-of-a-sphinx-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Plaque-in-the-form-of-a-sphinx-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Plaque-in-the-form-of-a-sphinx-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Plaque-in-the-form-of-a-sphinx-620x443.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Plaque-in-the-form-of-a-sphinx-100x70.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Plaque-in-the-form-of-a-sphinx-940x671.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1572040\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Plaque in the form of a Sphinx<\/em>, 8th Century BCE<br \/>Iron Age II, Syria<br \/>Bronze, 13.3 x 13 x 4.2 cm | 5.2 x 5.1 x 1.7 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/324262\" target=\"_blank\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/324262\" target=\"_blank\">The Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a><\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Perhaps one of Rembrandt\u2019s most memorable self-portraits is his miniature etching, <em>Self-portrait in a Cap, Wide-eyed and Open-mouthed<\/em>. It\u2019s amongst the earliest attempts by the artist to capture his own likeness, completed as a set of four portraits drawn in the mirror in his hometown of Leiden in his early twenties. Self-portraiture is essential to his oeuvre, marking the key stages of his life. Here he recorded various facial expressions, as practice for the figurative artworks he would go on to complete. His gaze is captivating, and framed beautifully by the network of hatching and crosshatching that defines his features. It\u2019s satisfying to see the subtle hatching on his cheeks develop into the frenzied overlapping hatching in his hair and hat. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RP-P-OB-697.jpg\" alt=\"Self-portrait in a Cap, Wide-eyed and Open-mouthed, Rembrandt van Rijn\" width=\"2066\" height=\"2415\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572046\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RP-P-OB-697.jpg 2066w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RP-P-OB-697-257x300.jpg 257w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RP-P-OB-697-876x1024.jpg 876w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RP-P-OB-697-768x898.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RP-P-OB-697-1314x1536.jpg 1314w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RP-P-OB-697-1752x2048.jpg 1752w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RP-P-OB-697-620x725.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RP-P-OB-697-940x1099.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2066px) 100vw, 2066px\" \/><br \/>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1572041\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1572041\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Self-portrait-in-a-Cap-Wide-eyed-and-Open-mouthed.jpg\" alt=\"Self Portrait in a Cap, Rembrandt van Rijn\" width=\"1280\" height=\"914\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1572041\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Self-portrait-in-a-Cap-Wide-eyed-and-Open-mouthed.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Self-portrait-in-a-Cap-Wide-eyed-and-Open-mouthed-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Self-portrait-in-a-Cap-Wide-eyed-and-Open-mouthed-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Self-portrait-in-a-Cap-Wide-eyed-and-Open-mouthed-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Self-portrait-in-a-Cap-Wide-eyed-and-Open-mouthed-620x443.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Self-portrait-in-a-Cap-Wide-eyed-and-Open-mouthed-100x70.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Self-portrait-in-a-Cap-Wide-eyed-and-Open-mouthed-940x671.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1572041\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Self Portrait in a Cap<\/em>, 1630<br \/>Rembrandt van Rijn<br \/>Etching, 5 x 4.5 cm | 2 x 1.8 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rijksmuseum.nl\/en\/collection\/object\/Self-portrait-in-a-Cap-Wide-eyed-and-Open-mouthed--0af3f07dffd6b10a884dad8c43fff5ce?tab=data\" target=\"_blank\">Rijksmuseum<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As his work progressed, so too did the intensity of the hatching in Rembrandt\u2019s prints. He made countless plates rendered in complex hatched lines, and <em>Reclining Female Nude<\/em> is just one of many incredible examples. Here, the hatching envelops us in the dim light of the room, becoming almost pitch black in the background. The subtle variation of tone in her skin built through crosshatching, paired with the simple hatching on the sheet below her, is a marvel to look at. By masterfully changing the direction of the hatched lines around the contours of her body, the form is described. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1571970\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1571970\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP815606-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Reclining Female Nude, Rembrandt van Rijn\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1329\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1571970\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP815606-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP815606-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP815606-1024x531.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP815606-768x399.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP815606-1536x797.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP815606-2048x1063.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP815606-620x322.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP815606-940x488.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1571970\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Reclining Female Nude<\/em>, 1658<br \/>Rembrandt van Rijn<br \/>Etching, drypoint, and engraving on Japanese paper, 8.1 x 15.9 cm | 3.2 x 6.3 in <br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/337063\" target=\"_blank\">The Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hatching, paired with areas of flat tone and paired back drawing, has a great visual impact. This is clear to see in both Goya\u2019s <em>The Agility and Audacity of Juanito Apinani in the Ring at Madrid<\/em> and <em>Christ Walking on the Water<\/em> by Henry Ossawa Tanner. Each etching allows the image to breathe by intentionally reserving zones of space that contrast with the hatched lines. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1571973\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1571973\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/christ_walking_on_the_water_2015.19.3016-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Christ Walking on the Water, Henry Ossawa Tanner\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1962\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1571973\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/christ_walking_on_the_water_2015.19.3016-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/christ_walking_on_the_water_2015.19.3016-300x230.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/christ_walking_on_the_water_2015.19.3016-1024x785.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/christ_walking_on_the_water_2015.19.3016-768x588.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/christ_walking_on_the_water_2015.19.3016-1536x1177.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/christ_walking_on_the_water_2015.19.3016-2048x1569.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/christ_walking_on_the_water_2015.19.3016-620x475.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/christ_walking_on_the_water_2015.19.3016-940x720.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1571973\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Christ Walking on the Water<\/em>, 1910<br \/>Henry Ossawa Tanner<br \/>Etching, 18.4 x 24.1 cm | 7.2 x 9.5 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nga.gov\/artworks\/197480-christ-walking-water\" target=\"_blank\">National Gallery of Art<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1571975\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1571975\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ligereza_y_atrevimiento_de_juanito_apinani_en_la_de_madrid_the_agility_and_audacityof_juanito_apinani_in_the_ring_at_madrid_1943.3.1639-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"The Agility and Audacity of Juanito Apinani in the Ring at Madrid, Francisco Goya\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1801\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1571975\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ligereza_y_atrevimiento_de_juanito_apinani_en_la_de_madrid_the_agility_and_audacityof_juanito_apinani_in_the_ring_at_madrid_1943.3.1639-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ligereza_y_atrevimiento_de_juanito_apinani_en_la_de_madrid_the_agility_and_audacityof_juanito_apinani_in_the_ring_at_madrid_1943.3.1639-300x211.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ligereza_y_atrevimiento_de_juanito_apinani_en_la_de_madrid_the_agility_and_audacityof_juanito_apinani_in_the_ring_at_madrid_1943.3.1639-1024x721.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ligereza_y_atrevimiento_de_juanito_apinani_en_la_de_madrid_the_agility_and_audacityof_juanito_apinani_in_the_ring_at_madrid_1943.3.1639-768x540.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ligereza_y_atrevimiento_de_juanito_apinani_en_la_de_madrid_the_agility_and_audacityof_juanito_apinani_in_the_ring_at_madrid_1943.3.1639-1536x1081.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ligereza_y_atrevimiento_de_juanito_apinani_en_la_de_madrid_the_agility_and_audacityof_juanito_apinani_in_the_ring_at_madrid_1943.3.1639-2048x1441.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ligereza_y_atrevimiento_de_juanito_apinani_en_la_de_madrid_the_agility_and_audacityof_juanito_apinani_in_the_ring_at_madrid_1943.3.1639-620x436.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ligereza_y_atrevimiento_de_juanito_apinani_en_la_de_madrid_the_agility_and_audacityof_juanito_apinani_in_the_ring_at_madrid_1943.3.1639-100x70.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ligereza_y_atrevimiento_de_juanito_apinani_en_la_de_madrid_the_agility_and_audacityof_juanito_apinani_in_the_ring_at_madrid_1943.3.1639-940x661.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1571975\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The Agility and Audacity of Juanito Apinani in the Ring at Madrid<\/em>, 1816<br \/>Francisco Goya<br \/>Etching and aquatint, 24.6 x 35.5 cm | 9.7 x 14 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nga.gov\/artworks\/4787-ligereza-y-atrevimiento-de-juanito-apinani-en-la-de-madrid-agility-and-audacityof-juanito-apinani\" target=\"_blank\">National Gallery of Art<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Relief prints often include areas of hatching to suggest tone when they\u2019re printed in a single layer. Woodcut originated in antiquity in China, before knowledge of the technique made its way to Europe in the 13th Century. Western woodcut printmakers developed stylistic techniques for gouging parallel lines in varying lengths and thicknesses to suggest tone and form. Crude prints from this era flooded the market, but some Masters of the technique emerged in the German Renaissance. <\/p>\n<p>Albrecht D\u00fcrer developed woodcuts to new levels of intricacy and proficiency, and his prints are filled with precise hatching. In his print <em>The Four Horsemen<\/em> from his series &#8220;The Apocalypse&#8221;, we see tight horizontal hatched lines in the sky, careful curved hatching around the contours of the clothing, and dense crosshatching in the pockets of dark shadow. His best student was Hans Baldung, whose work reflects D\u00fcrer\u2019s influence &#8211; for a time he even oversaw the production of D\u00fcrer\u2019s woodcuts, engravings, and stained glass works. In Baldung\u2019s woodcut <em>St. Barbara<\/em>, we see their characteristic selection of horizontal and curved hatching, combined with crosshatching and outline. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1571978\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1571978\" style=\"width: 1884px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP816773-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"The Four Horsemen, from \u201cThe Apocalypse\u201d, Albrecht D\u00fcrer\" width=\"1884\" height=\"2560\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1571978\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP816773-scaled.jpg 1884w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP816773-221x300.jpg 221w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP816773-754x1024.jpg 754w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP816773-768x1043.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP816773-1131x1536.jpg 1131w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP816773-1508x2048.jpg 1508w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP816773-620x842.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP816773-940x1277.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1884px) 100vw, 1884px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1571978\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The Four Horsemen<\/em>, from \u201cThe Apocalypse\u201d, 1498<br \/>Albrecht D\u00fcrer<br \/>Woodcut print, 38.7 x 27.9 cm | 15.2 x 11 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/336215\" target=\"_blank\">The Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1572030\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1572030\" style=\"width: 1761px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP826610-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"St. Barbara, Hans Baldung\" width=\"1761\" height=\"2560\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1572030\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP826610-scaled.jpg 1761w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP826610-206x300.jpg 206w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP826610-704x1024.jpg 704w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP826610-768x1116.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP826610-1057x1536.jpg 1057w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP826610-1409x2048.jpg 1409w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP826610-620x901.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DP826610-940x1367.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1761px) 100vw, 1761px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1572030\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>St. Barbara<\/em>, ca. 1505<br \/>Hans Baldung<br \/>Woodcut print, 25.7 x 16 cm | 10.1 x 6.3 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/416645\" target=\"_blank\">The Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hatching is also an essential tool for sketching, allowing artists to build tone and form rapidly, without the need for careful blending and time-consuming shading. <em>The Drawing Lesson<\/em> by Berthe Morisot is a lovely drypoint self-portrait that she captured whilst teaching her daughter how to draw &#8211; rendering their faces in quick hatched lines paired with simple outlines.  <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1572033\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1572033\" style=\"width: 1819px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/the_drawing_lesson_berthe_morisot_and_her_daughter_1953.6.98-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"The Drawing Lesson, Berthe Morisot\" width=\"1819\" height=\"2560\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1572033\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/the_drawing_lesson_berthe_morisot_and_her_daughter_1953.6.98-scaled.jpg 1819w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/the_drawing_lesson_berthe_morisot_and_her_daughter_1953.6.98-213x300.jpg 213w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/the_drawing_lesson_berthe_morisot_and_her_daughter_1953.6.98-728x1024.jpg 728w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/the_drawing_lesson_berthe_morisot_and_her_daughter_1953.6.98-768x1081.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/the_drawing_lesson_berthe_morisot_and_her_daughter_1953.6.98-1092x1536.jpg 1092w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/the_drawing_lesson_berthe_morisot_and_her_daughter_1953.6.98-1456x2048.jpg 1456w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/the_drawing_lesson_berthe_morisot_and_her_daughter_1953.6.98-620x872.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/the_drawing_lesson_berthe_morisot_and_her_daughter_1953.6.98-940x1323.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1819px) 100vw, 1819px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1572033\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The Drawing Lesson (Berthe Morisot and her Daughter)<\/em>, 1889, printed 1921<br \/>Berthe Morisot<br \/>Drypoint, 19 x 13.8 cm | 7.5 x 5.4 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nga.gov\/artworks\/42649-drawing-lesson-berthe-morisot-and-her-daughter\" target=\"_blank\">National Gallery of Art<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In more developed drawings, hatching and crosshatching move beyond a necessary action for speed, and become a stylistic choice. In <em>Melancholy<\/em> by Odilon Redon, the hatching in the burst of cool light behind the figure allows the yellow ground to show through between the pale blue lines, creating contrast in colour and line, and completing the illusion of illumination. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1572034\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1572034\" style=\"width: 2181px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1982.87-Melancholy.jpg\" alt=\"Melancholy, Odilon Redon\" width=\"2181\" height=\"2250\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1572034\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1982.87-Melancholy.jpg 2181w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1982.87-Melancholy-291x300.jpg 291w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1982.87-Melancholy-993x1024.jpg 993w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1982.87-Melancholy-768x792.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1982.87-Melancholy-1489x1536.jpg 1489w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1982.87-Melancholy-1985x2048.jpg 1985w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1982.87-Melancholy-620x640.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1982.87-Melancholy-940x970.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2181px) 100vw, 2181px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1572034\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Melancholy<\/em>, 1876<br \/>Odilon Redon<br \/>Charcoal, pastel, and gouache on paper, 36.8 x 35.7 cm | 14.5 x 14.1 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.artic.edu\/artworks\/96841\/melancholy\" target=\"_blank\">Art Institute of Chicago<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hatching may be primarily thought of as a drawing and printmaking technique, but it exists in painting and pastel works too. When colours are hatched together, the spaces between the lines allow previous layers, and the ground to show through. This can be cleverly utilised to optically mix colours. The volume and width of hatching in colour may determine how naturalistic the outcome is. The achievement of realism is clear to see in Mary Cassatt\u2019s tender pastel work <em>Mother\u2019s Goodnight Kiss<\/em>, where a combination of blues, yellows, pinks, and browns combine to render the warm scene. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1922.421-Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2074\" height=\"2560\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572051\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1922.421-Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-scaled.jpg 2074w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1922.421-Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-243x300.jpg 243w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1922.421-Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-829x1024.jpg 829w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1922.421-Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-768x948.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1922.421-Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-1244x1536.jpg 1244w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1922.421-Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-1659x2048.jpg 1659w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1922.421-Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-620x765.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1922.421-Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-940x1160.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2074px) 100vw, 2074px\" \/><br \/>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1572050\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1572050\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss.jpg\" alt=\"Mother\u2019s Goodnight Kiss, Mary Cassatt\" width=\"1280\" height=\"914\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1572050\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-620x443.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-100x70.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mothers-Goodnight-Kiss-940x671.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1572050\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Mother\u2019s Goodnight Kiss<\/em>, 1888<br \/>Mary Cassatt<br \/>Pastel on paper, 84 x 73.8 cm | 33.1 x 29.1 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.artic.edu\/artworks\/81527\/mother-s-goodnight-kiss\" target=\"_blank\">Art Institute of Chicago<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Vincent van Gogh painted <em>Grapes, Lemons, Pears and Apples<\/em> in broader hatched strokes, describing a tabletop still life in swirling purple, pink, yellow, green, red, blue and orange strokes. Here, the confident hatching of the entire image, paired with the interaction of complementary colours, gives us a still life full of vitality, with less naturalism. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1572054\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1572054\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1949.215-Grapes-Lemons-Pears-and-Apples-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Grapes, Lemons, Pears and Apples, Vincent van Gogh\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2120\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1572054\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1949.215-Grapes-Lemons-Pears-and-Apples-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1949.215-Grapes-Lemons-Pears-and-Apples-300x248.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1949.215-Grapes-Lemons-Pears-and-Apples-1024x848.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1949.215-Grapes-Lemons-Pears-and-Apples-768x636.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1949.215-Grapes-Lemons-Pears-and-Apples-1536x1272.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1949.215-Grapes-Lemons-Pears-and-Apples-2048x1696.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1949.215-Grapes-Lemons-Pears-and-Apples-620x513.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1949.215-Grapes-Lemons-Pears-and-Apples-940x778.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1572054\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Grapes, Lemons, Pears and Apples<\/em>, 1887<br \/>Vincent van Gogh<br \/>Oil on canvas, 46.5 x 55.2 cm | 18.3 x 21.7 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.artic.edu\/artworks\/64957\/grapes-lemons-pears-and-apples\" target=\"_blank\">Art Institute of Chicago<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hatching in painting may also be used to pick out the texture of a specific area of the surface, distinguishing it from the rest of the image. In the ink and watercolour painting <em>The Gopis Plead with Krishna to Return Their Clothing<\/em>, a page from a 17th-century Bhagavata Purana, the river alone is detailed with hatching, giving us a sense of the direction and force of the flow, and creating visual contrast with the smooth flatness of the yellow land around it. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1572057\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1572057\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT5007-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"The Gopis Plead with Krishna to Return Their Clothing, Page from a Bhagavata Purana, ca. 1610\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1852\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1572057\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT5007-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT5007-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT5007-1024x741.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT5007-768x556.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT5007-1536x1111.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT5007-2048x1482.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT5007-620x449.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DT5007-940x680.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1572057\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The Gopis Plead with Krishna to Return Their Clothing<\/em>, Page from a Bhagavata Purana, ca. 1610<br \/>Bikaner, Rajasthan, India<br \/>Ink, watercolour and gold on paper, 17.1 x 24.8 cm | 6.7 x 9.8 in<br \/><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/60789\" target=\"_blank\">The Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a><\/small><br \/><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Demonstrations of the Hatching Technique for Drawing<\/h2>\n<h2>Pencils and Pens<\/h2>\n<p>Hatching may appear to be a fairly straightforward process, but there&#8217;s actually a variety of choices to make to get your desired effect. For my first example, I made a quick reference sheet of some different kinds of hatching and crosshatching in pencil and pen. As you can see, the curvature, length of line, distance between, and weight of the lines shift how they are perceived. Before you start hatching, it could be wise to consider which of these kinds of hatching would best convey the form, texture, or mood of the subject you\u2019re depicting. You could make small thumbnail drawings to test which might look best. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-30.jpg\" alt=\"hatching and crosshatching reference sheet\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572008\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-30.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-30-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-30-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-30-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-30-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-30-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-30-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Next, I made another reference sheet, this time focusing on the width of the mark made from my choice of drawing implement, and the spacing left between them. From widest to thinnest graphite tool, I used: a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/jackson-s-clutch-pencil-leadholder-5-6mm\" target=\"_blank\">Jackson\u2019s Clutch Pencil Leadholder<\/a>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/jackson-s-graphite-pencil-2b-pack-of-12\" target=\"_blank\">Jackson\u2019s 2B pencil<\/a>, and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/faber-castell-tk9400-clutch-pencils\" target=\"_blank\">Faber-Castell TK9400 Clutch Pencil<\/a>. From widest to thinnest pen, I used: a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/kuretake-zig-kurecolor-twin-ws-marker-green-grey-4-846\" target=\"_blank\">Kuretake Zig Kurecolor Twin WS Marker in Green Grey<\/a>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/faber-castell-pitt-artists-brush-pen-indanthrene-blue\" target=\"_blank\">Faber-Castell PITT artist pen in Indanthrene Blue<\/a>, and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/jackson-s-pigment-fineliners\" target=\"_blank\">Jackson\u2019s Pigment Fineliner<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-31.jpg\" alt=\"hatching and crosshatching reference sheet\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572009\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-31.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-31-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-31-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-31-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-31-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-31-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-31-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>To underline the effect that different styles of hatching have on the reading of an artwork, I made three drawings of the same face in 2B pencil &#8211; one with short, close hatching, one with long, curved hatching, and another with straight, spaced hatching. Although they depict the same face, the mood they convey shifts. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-32.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572010\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-32.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-32-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-32-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-32-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-32-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-32-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-32-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Scraperboard<\/h2>\n<p>Artists who make scraperboard drawings often rely on hatching to build up the light in their works by scratching away the black surface to reveal the white ground below. For my example, I used an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/ampersand-scratchbord-panels\" target=\"_blank\">Ampersand Scratchbord panel<\/a> with an etching needle. You can use any sharp implement to work on scraperboards, or tools designed for the surface, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/essdee-scraperboard-cutter-set-5-assorted-cutters-holders\" target=\"_blank\">Essdee Scraperboard Cutters<\/a> or<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/ampersand-scratchbord-line-tool\" target=\"_blank\"> Ampersand Scratchbord Tools<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>For my example, I drew a jug and a vase sitting on a tablecloth, with a fabric backdrop. The brightest areas of highlight are made through overlapping several layers of crosshatching, whilst the midtones were made through minimal hatching. By changing the direction of the lines and following the curvature of the ceramics, the illusion of volume was better made. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-33.jpg\" alt=\"Hatching on Scratchboard \" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572011\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-33.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-33-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-33-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-33-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-33-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tips:<\/strong> The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/ampersand-scratchbord-panels\" target=\"_blank\">Ampersand Scratchbord<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/essdee-scraperboards-packs-of-10-sheets\" target=\"_blank\">Essdee Scraperboards<\/a> both have an indian ink coating over a clay ground, so if you make a mistake, you can carefully patch them with a small brush and your own indian ink. <\/p>\n<h2>Pastels<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-34.jpg\" alt=\"Hatching with Pastels\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572012\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-34.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-34-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-34-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-34-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-34-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-34-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-34-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Next, I wanted to demonstrate how to build up hatching in pastels, inspired by Mary Cassatt\u2019s tender portrait, <em>Mother\u2019s Goodnight Kiss<\/em>. I worked with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/jackson-s-square-soft-pastels-half-stick-set-of-48\" target=\"_blank\">Jackson\u2019s Square Soft Pastels Set of 48<\/a> on a sheet of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/uart-sanded-pastel-paper-10-sheet-pack-9x12in-23x30cm-400-grade\" target=\"_blank\">UART Sanded Pastel Paper<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>To begin, I lightly sketched the face with a dark yellow pastel, holding it on its edge to make thin, easy-to-amend lines. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-41.jpg\" alt=\"Hatching with Soft Pastels\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572019\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-41.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-41-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-41-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-41-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-41-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Next, I blocked in the areas of shadow with a blue and red pastel, with the foresight that these colours would later show through, between my neutral hatching. <\/p>\n<p>The resulting drawing has a flickering effect, with all of the hatched lines travelling across the face in the same direction. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-40.jpg\" alt=\"Hatching with Soft Pastels\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572018\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-40.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-40-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-40-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-40-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-40-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tips:<\/strong> Use pure black sparingly unless greyness is intentional in your work. Once you hatch in soft pastel on top of pure black, the dull grey it spreads can detract from the overall palette. To add shadows, I\u2019d recommend hatching together colours to create chromatic greys. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-38.jpg\" alt=\"Hatching with oil pastels\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572016\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-38.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-38-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-38-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-38-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-38-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-38-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-38-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Next, I wanted to demonstrate hatching in oil pastels, to compare the effect to soft pastels. For this example, I used a selection of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/sennelier-oil-pastels\" target=\"_blank\">Sennelier Oil Pastels<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/art-spectrum-colourfix-smooth-pastel-paper-sheets\" target=\"_blank\">Art Spectrum Colourfix Smooth Pastel Paper in Burgundy<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>To begin my drawing, I set up a plant pot in front of me, wanting to capture the erratic growth of the twisting leaves through overlapping layers of hatching. I began by lightly placing the points where the pot and edges of the leaves are placed. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-39.jpg\" alt=\"Hatching with oil pastels\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572017\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-39.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-39-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-39-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-39-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-39-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Next, I hatched my way around the entire sheet, building up colours on top of each other. Once you\u2019ve done more than a couple of layers, the surface becomes more slick from the waxy oil. This makes subsequent layers blend more easily into each other, as the tooth of the paper is buried below. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-37.jpg\" alt=\"Hatching with oil pastels\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572015\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-37.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-37-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-37-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-37-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-37-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tips:<\/strong> If you work on coloured pastel paper, drawing with colours that complement the ground below will increase the vibrancy of the work. I specifically included an olive green because it complements the burgundy red of the paper &#8211; even though that colour doesn\u2019t actually appear on my plant. If you\u2019re unsure which colours would be complementary, check what colour is opposite your ground on the colour wheel. <\/p>\n<h2>Demonstrations of Hatching Techniques for Printmaking<\/h2>\n<h2>Drypoint<\/h2>\n<p>Intaglio prints often feature hatching as a means to build up tone and form. In contrast to the chemical processes of etching, it\u2019s possible to make drypoints in the studio or on the go with very little equipment. For this example, I used an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/arteina-etching-tools\" target=\"_blank\">Arteina 5mm Drypoint Tool<\/a> to draw on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/jackson-s-polished-copper-etching-plates-0-9mm-thick\" target=\"_blank\">Jackson\u2019s Polished Copper Etching Plate<\/a>, and printed with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/caligo-safe-wash-etching-ink-75ml-carbon-black\" target=\"_blank\">Cranfield Caligo Safe Wash Etching Ink in Carbon Black<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/arnhem-1618-paper-pad-11x14in-15-sheets\" target=\"_blank\">Arnhem Paper<\/a>, using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/slama-press-hand-printing-press\" target=\"_blank\">Sl\u00e1ma Hand Printing Press<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>I prepared my plate by removing the plastic film on the \u2018perfect\u2019 side for the drawing to go on, and positioned a pear in front of me to draw. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-22.jpg\" alt=\"Drypoint etching using the hatching technique\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-22.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-22-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-22-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-22-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-22-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-22-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-22-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Drypoint printmaking requires you to apply pressure to the plate as you draw, to gouge the lines that will hold the ink, creating raised edges or \u2018burr\u2019. The deeper the lines, the more ink they hold, and therefore the darker they will print. Very light lines may not hold any ink at all, so it\u2019s important to experiment with different pressures to get your desired effect. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-21.jpg\" alt=\"Drypoint etching using the hatching technique\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1571999\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-21.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-21-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-21-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-21-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-21-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-21-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-21-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The more you print a drypoint plate, the more the lines are steadily squashed over time, so the amount of ink the lines can hold may reduce after around 50 proofs. Therefore, drypoint plates have a limited run before you need to draw back into them again. Softer metals are best for drypoint, such as copper or aluminium, since they are easier to press into.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-24.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572002\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-24.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-24-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-24-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-24-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-24-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For my drawing, I used a variety of thicknesses of line and built the tone up with hatching and crosshatching. Areas with dense crosshatching may print pure black because of the collective volume of ink held in adjacent lines. If you need to reduce the darkness or correct an error on the plate, you can use a burnisher to smooth over the gouged lines. If you would like to get a sense of your drawing before taking a proof, you can rub a small amount of intaglio ink into the plate with scrim as you work, which will add black to the lines.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-25.jpg\" alt=\"Drypoint etching using the hatching technique\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572003\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-25.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-25-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-25-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-25-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-25-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-25-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-25-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Once this first stage of the drawing was resolved, I prepared to take a proof by inking and wiping the plate, and soaking my paper in water, before blotting it off. I placed a sheet of paper between my printmaking paper and the press, so that the pressure from the Sl\u00e1ma ball bearings would be more evenly distributed, and rolled it in circles evenly across the surface. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-27.jpg\" alt=\"Drypoint etching using the hatching technique\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572005\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-27.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-27-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-27-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-27-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-27-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I pulled a couple of prints before the ink had built up enough to get a print I was happy with. For the next stage of this plate, I would remove the ink and revise my drawing before repeating the process. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-29.jpg\" alt=\"Drypoint etching using the hatching technique\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572007\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-29.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-29-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-29-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-29-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-29-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tips:<\/strong> It\u2019s very common for your fingers to get sore from holding a drypoint needle because of the pressure you have to apply &#8211; especially if yours is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/ec-lyons-etching-tool-twisted-burnisher-and-needle-point\" target=\"_blank\">twisted<\/a> or thin in your grip. To make it easier to hold, you can wrap the part of the needle that you tend to hold with tape, or even adhesive bandage material, to make it wider and softer. You can then easily remove this grip whenever you need. <\/p>\n<h2>Relief<\/h2>\n<p>Hatching and crosshatching are prevalent in relief printmaking, where the artist must work with the inverse logic of previous mediums by gouging out the areas they want to leave white and leaving intact the material that will print. For this print, I made a woodcut print, with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/jackson-s-baltic-birch-9mm-plywood-wood-block\" target=\"_blank\">Jackson\u2019s Birch Plywood Relief Wood Block<\/a>, cut with tools from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/jackson-s-wood-cut-knife-set-of-12\" target=\"_blank\">Jackson\u2019s Woodcut Knife Set of 12<\/a>, before printing with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/speedball-professional-relief-ink-8oz-236-5ml-supergraphic-black\" target=\"_blank\">Speedball Professional Relief Ink in Supergraphic Black<\/a> on sheets of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/arnhem-1618-paper-pad-11x14in-15-sheets\" target=\"_blank\">Arnhem 1618 Paper<\/a> using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/slama-press-hand-printing-press\" target=\"_blank\">Sl\u00e1ma Hand Printing Press<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-17.jpg\" alt=\"Relief Printing using hatching techniques\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1571995\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-17.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-17-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-17-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-17-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-17-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>To begin my print, I did a light pencil sketch on my woodblock, so I had a rough idea of the lines I would preserve and where to cut away. This can be as detailed as you choose. By doing this preliminary drawing with a black pen, you could decisively map out the entire print, and just carefully cut away the gaps. I did my drawing in pencil, which steadily rubbed away as I cut, giving me the freedom to adjust my design as I worked. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1571979\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-1-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I cut my way around the block, developing hatched and crosshatched areas. To create the areas of crosshatching, instead of gouging full lines, you cut away the square gaps between them. This can feel a bit counterintuitive until you\u2019ve built up an area of it, so don\u2019t give up too soon. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1571984\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-6.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-6-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-6-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-6-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-6-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Once I\u2019d finished cutting the block, I inked it up with an Essdee Lino Roller and made some prints. The first proof was the lightest of the three, since the block only had one layer of ink on it. The subsequent ones were stronger, so it\u2019s best to always take a few so you can see the true appearance of the plate. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-15.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1571993\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-15.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-15-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-15-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-15-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-15-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tips:<\/strong> When you\u2019re cutting detailed shapes from a woodblock, sometimes the wood can splinter in unintended ways beyond your drawn lines. You can prevent this error from happening by using one of the knife tools (rather than the gouges) to slice around the edge of awkward areas, before using a gouge to remove the wood.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-16.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1571994\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-16.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-16-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-16-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-16-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-16-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Demonstrations of Hatching Techniques for Painting<\/h2>\n<p>In the <em>The Gopis Plead with Krishna to Return Their Clothing<\/em>, hatching was used specifically to pick out the flow of the river, and I wanted to take the same texture-specific approach.<\/p>\n<p>For my example, I used gouache &#8211; although this technique would work with any painted medium. To start, I created a flat underpainting of a big cloud over the sea, and a stretch of land at the bottom, using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/shinhan-pass-watercolour-and-gouache-hybrid-paint-20ml-greenish-yellow\" target=\"_blank\">Greenish Yellow<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/shinhan-pass-watercolour-and-gouache-hybrid-paint-20ml-heliotrope\" target=\"_blank\">Heliotrope<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/schmincke-horadam-gouache-paint-15ml-delft-blue\" target=\"_blank\">Delft Blue<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/daniel-smith-extra-fine-gouache-15ml-buff-titanium\" target=\"_blank\">Buff Titanium<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/turner-acrylic-gouache-20ml-japanesque-sky-blue-357\" target=\"_blank\">Japanesque Sky Blue<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/holbein-acryla-gouache-40ml-primary-white\" target=\"_blank\">Primary White<\/a> on a sheet from a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/jackson-s-watercolour-paper-blocks-15-sheets-300gsm\" target=\"_blank\">Jackson\u2019s Hot Pressed Watercolour Paper Block<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-44.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572022\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-44.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-44-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-44-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-44-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-44-620x930.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Next, I painted rain falling from the cloud, light catching the waves, and picked out the grass in the field &#8211; using different styles of hatching. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-46.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1572024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-46.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-46-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-46-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-46-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-46-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-46-192x128.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-46-940x627.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Further Reading<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2025\/05\/20\/chiaroscuro-techniques-for-painting-drawing-and-printmaking\/\" target=\"_blank\">Chiaroscuro Techniques for Painting, Drawing and Printmaking<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2022\/02\/28\/woodcut-printmaking-for-beginners-what-you-need-to-get-started\/\" target=\"_blank\">Woodcut Printmaking For Beginners \u2013 What You Need to Get Started<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2024\/11\/01\/the-dark-history-of-the-pencil\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Dark History of the Pencil<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2025\/10\/28\/art-through-symbols-the-skull\/\" target=\"_blank\">Art Through Symbols: The Skull<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Shop Art Materials on jacksonsart.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/tag\/art-technique\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Jacksons_Blog_Banner_Art_Techniques.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1500\" height=\"500\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1570899\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Jacksons_Blog_Banner_Art_Techniques.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Jacksons_Blog_Banner_Art_Techniques-300x100.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Jacksons_Blog_Banner_Art_Techniques-1024x341.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Jacksons_Blog_Banner_Art_Techniques-768x256.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Jacksons_Blog_Banner_Art_Techniques-620x207.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Jacksons_Blog_Banner_Art_Techniques-940x313.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hatching and crosshatching appear in a wide breadth of works &#8211; from quickly rendering tone in brief sketches to masterpieces [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":1572028,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[15278,159,474,477],"tags":[2828,15240,15250,63,180,120,806,691,763],"class_list":["post-1571938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-history","category-art-technique","category-drawing-art-technique","category-printmaking-art-technique","tag-art-history","tag-art-technique","tag-behind-the-technique","tag-drawing","tag-gouache","tag-pastels","tag-relief-printing","tag-soft-pastel","tag-woodcut"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Hatching Techniques for Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking - Jackson&#039;s Art Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We outline 10,000 years of the hatching and crosshatching technique in art history and provide demonstrations using a variety of mediums.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/15\/hatching-techniques-for-drawing-painting-and-printmaking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hatching Techniques for Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We outline 10,000 years of the hatching and crosshatching technique in art history and provide demonstrations using a variety of mediums.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/15\/hatching-techniques-for-drawing-painting-and-printmaking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"\u00a0Jackson&#039;s Art Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-15T17:20:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-31T15:15:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hatching_Techniques_For_Drawing_Painting_And_Printmaking_Blog_Image_-50.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Louise Reynolds\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Louise Reynolds\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"26 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" 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