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A drawing of an apple using hatching and cross-hatching
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A drawing of an apple using hatching and cross-hatching

What do hatching and cross-hatching mean?

Artists use different to make drawings more interesting to look at or more .

and are techniques used to create

In hatching, the lines go in one direction. In cross-hatching, the lines cross over the top of each other.

Artists often use a pencil to draw.

A drawing of an apple using hatching and cross-hatching
Image caption,
A drawing of an apple using hatching and cross-hatching
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Watch how to bring your drawings to life

Find out how to use cross-hatching to add detail to our drawings

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Examples of hatchings creating light tones and dark tones

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 3, Squares of different straight lines. Some lines are close together, some are vertical lines, and others are diagonal. They are all example of hatching. , Hatching When the lines are closer together, the tone is darker.
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Activity

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A line drawing of a mountain and a train. Hatching has been used.
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Can you spot the hatching in this drawing?

Did you know?

Drawing techniques such as hatching and cross-hatching can be used with different drawing materials such as:

  • pencils
  • pens
  • ink
  • pastels
  • charcoal
  • graphite sticks

A is a quick drawing, often done to show what something will look like before it's made with other materials.

A line drawing of a mountain and a train. Hatching has been used.
Image caption,
Can you spot the hatching in this drawing?
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Quiz

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A pot with four pencils

Glossary

Here are the meanings of some important words.

Cross-hatching - Using lines that cross over each other to create light and dark areas.
Hatching - Using lines to create light and dark areas.
Realistic - When something is as close to real life as possible.
Sketch - A quick drawing, often done to show what something will look like before it's made with other materials.
Tone - How light or dark something is.

A pot with four pencils
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More on Drawing

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