Hatching
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
Revision as of 14:03, 13 May 2009
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Hatching (hachure in French) and cross-hatching are artistic techniques used to create tonal or shading effects by drawing (or painting or scribing) closely spaced parallel lines. When lines are placed at an angle to one another, it is called cross-hatching.
Hatching is especially important in essentially linear media like drawing and many forms of printmaking, like engraving, etching and woodcut. In Western art, cross-hatching developed in the Middle Ages, and especially in the old master prints of the fifteenth century. Master ES and Martin Schongauer in engraving, and Erhard Reuwich and Michael Wolgemut in woodcut were pioneers, and Albrecht Dürer perfected the techniques in both media.
Artists use the technique, varying the length, angle, closeness and other qualities of the lines, most commonly in drawing, linear painting, engraving, and ethnic art.