Drawing Techniques: Stippling

There are various drawing techniques; Crosshatching, Hatching, Smooth Shading, and Stippling. These techniques are combined to create a different feel that is unique to each piece. These techniques are used with most medias; Graphite pencils, Pen and Ink, Inked brushes, Color pencils, Crayons, Charcoals, Chalk, Pastels, Markers, and Stylus.

Stippling is the process of using uses dots to produce tone, texture or shade. This technique uses dots of different sizes to create different tones, textures or shades. The closer the groups of dots are the darker the tones, textures, and shades. Lighter tones are achieved by smaller the dots and the distance between each dot. Stippling can adjust the depth of tone and the roughness of texture by varying the density and distribution of the dots. Stippling can take on many forms. This technique can be done freehand or mechanically, with carefully or loosely arranged dots of even or uneven densities and distribution. Any small marks, not only dots, are suitable for creating a stippled effect. This technique can be used in painting, engraving, or drawing to develop tones, textures and shades to the piece of art.

In Georges Seurat’s ‘A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte’, stippling is used to focus on the landscape of the park and the people. The stippling also focuses on the issues of color, light, and form. It is study for its use of stippling, optical and color theory properties. In the painting, he contrasted miniature dots of colors that, through optical unification, form a single hue in the viewer's eye.

Another famous example of stippling is Vincent van Gogh's 'View of Arles', stippling is used in a more expressive manner to boast the natural texture of the wheat field. The technique of stippling is combined with crosshatching in order to enhance its effect and emphasis on the wheat field. The technique of combining crosshatching and stippling allows van Gogh to achieve a richer depth of color, light and form.

There are countless examples of stippling throughout art history. Just type ‘stippling’ into any of the search engines’ images searches and be amazed by what you find.

Drawing Techniques

Drawing is defined as a graphic representation by lines or stokes of an object or idea. In drawing artist applies various drawing techniques to achieve their desire results; Crosshatching, Hatching, Smooth Shading, Contour Lines, and Stippling. Some common drawing media includes Chalk Pastel, Charcoal, Colored Pencil, Conté crayon, Graphite and Graphite Pencils, Marker, Oil pastel, and Pen and Ink. These media are used alone or in combinations to reach the artist aimed effect.

Crosshatching is a process of using parallel lines and perpendicular lines to create different tones. This technique uses crosshatching in two or more different directions to create darker tones, textures or shades. Broken crosshatching, or lines with intermittent breaks, is used to form lighter tones, and by controlling the density of the breaks a graduation of tone can be achieved.

Hatching is a process of using groups of parallel lines to create different tones. This technique uses hatching in smaller groups closer together to create darker tones, textures or shades. Hatching with periodic breaks, is used to form lighter tones, and by controlling the range of the breaks an array of tones can be achieved.

Smooth Shading is the process of applying continuous tone, different pencil hardness, and varying your pressure gradually to create tones, textures, and shades. This technique uses more pressure and softer pencils to create darker tones, textures or shades. Smooth shading with a harder pencil and less pressure will achieved lighter tones, textures, and shades. This technique allows an artist to accomplish more realistic shades, and allows for an ultimate scope of tonal values with the highest degree of accuracy.

Contour Lines are a process of giving tones, texture and shades by using lines. This technique allows an artist to use contour lines to follow the shape of the subject. It uses more lines closer together to create a dark tone. Contour Lines uses break between the lines to give the tone a lighter texture. Contour lines technique gives the piece of art more texture then the smooth shading, but it is less realistic in the tones and shades.

Stippling is the process of using uses dots to produce tone, texture or shade. This technique uses dots of different sizes to create different tones, textures or shades. The closer the groups of dots are the darker the tone. The smaller and broken apart the groups are the lighter the tone, and by controlling the size and distance between the dots a greater an array of tones can be obtained.

These drawing techniques can be used alone or in combinations to achieve a desire effect. Some piece use a mixture of techniques to give the piece a different texture or focus the viewer to the main subject of the piece of art.

In future articles will be discussed each drawing techniques and how they are applied to their subject to reach the desired result.

Art Media

Art means different things to people, but it’s defined as a process or product of meaningfully arranging elements in a way that evokes emotions or senses. These sensual or emotional reactions can be subconsciously without the viewer knowing why they are reacting to a piece of art. Art encompasses a wide range of activities including drawings, paintings, printmaking, and sculptures. In these activities, they apply different media for their artist representation of the subject.

Drawing is defined as a graphic representation by lines or stokes of an object or idea. Some common drawing media includes Chalk Pastel, Charcoal, Colored Pencil, Conté crayon, Graphite and Graphite Pencils, Marker, Oil pastel, and Pen and Ink.

Painting is defined as a process of coating surfaces with paint for a utilitarian or artistic effect. Some common paint media includes Acrylic Paint, Enamel Paint, Gesso, Glaze, Gouache, Ink, Latex paint, Magna Paint, Oil Paint, Primer, Sumi, Tempera, Vinyl paint, and Watercolor. These media are used by itself or mixed to achieve the artist desire effect.

Printmaking is defined as a process making prints as practiced in engraving, etching, drypoint, woodcut or serigraphy. Some common printmaking media includes Engraving, Etching, Inkjet Printing, Laser Printing, Linocut, Lithography, Moku Hanga, Offset Printing, Plate Printing, Photographic Printing, Screen-printing, and Woodcutting.

Sculpture is defined as a process of carving, modeling, welding, or otherwise producing figurative or abstract works in three dimensions. Some common sculpture media includes Beads, Clay, Edible Material, Found Objects, Glue and Other Adhesives, Ice, Jewels, Marble, Metals, Paperboard, Papier-mâché, Plaster, Plastics, Sand, Stone, Textile, Wax, Wire, and Wood.

These media are used alone or in combinations to achieve the artist desire effect. Some artist will mix graphite pencils and colored pencils to aim the viewer to the focal point of the piece of art.

In future articles will be discussed each activities. Also, how the activities apply each media reach the aimed result.