Crosshatching in Pen and Ink: The Complete Practical Guide

Crosshatching is a drawing technique that emerged in Medieval Europe and was perfected by Old Masters such as Durer and Rembrandt. It later fell out of favor and into obscurity with the advent of the offset printing press.

Recently, ink drawing has enjoyed a huge resurgence in popularity, and the art community on Instagram has embraced crosshatching anew. With its impressive historical roots and realistic results, it is seen as the sophisticated, fine-art alternative to more stylized techniques in graphic novels and commercial illustrations.

This practical book takes readers from the very basics of crosshatching through to drawing concepts such as light, shape and shadow. For each topic – still life, portraiture, figure drawing and landscapes – August Lamm uses a combination of fine-art examples, illustrations and step-by-step tutorials to take the reader through the fascinating and accessible process of crosshatching, from perception to execution. This is a comprehensive guide, suitable for beginners and artists of every level.