Hatch and Crosshatch Art Technique

This hatch and crosshatch art technique uses lines to create highlights and shadows in your drawing instead of coloring it in. The hatch-crosshatch technique uses small lines to create dark areas (shadows) and light areas (highlights) in a drawing.

Hatch marks are lines drawn in the same direction, and crosshatch marks are lines crossed over each other in two or three directions.

Tip!
Fewer lines create light areas and more lines create dark areas. Practice this technique to add shadows and highlights to your drawings.

What You'll Need:

  • Drawing paper
  • Pencil
  • Ballpoint pen, or felt-tip pen

HOW TO MAKE A HATCH AND CROSSHATCH DRAWING:

Step 1: Sketch an outline of a picture, such as an apple, on a piece of drawing paper. Make hatch and crosshatch marks to "color" in the apple.

Illustration of an apple
A hatch and crosshatch illustration of an apple.

Step 2: Create shadows along the side and bottom of the apple with crosshatch marks. Highlight the center and the top of the apple with hatch marks.

Continue reading to the next page to find out more about our continuous picture art technique. You'll be glad you did.

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