Hatching makes value with lines. You draw many short parallel lines side by side. From a little distance, the eye blends them into a gray tone.
Key idea
Lines closer together or heavier read darker. Keep the strokes in one area parallel.
Why it works
A patch of hatching is part pencil and part white paper. More lines, or thicker lines, cover more of the paper, so less white shows through and the patch reads darker. That is all value is: how much light comes back from that spot.
Worked example: A hatched value scale
You want a 5-step scale using hatching only. How do the steps differ?
- Step 1 is the white paper.
- Steps 2 to 5 use more and more lines, closer together (and a little heavier at the dark end).
- Keep all the lines in one direction.
Answer: Each step has its lines closer together than the step before.
Common mistake
People hatch in every direction at once, and it looks scribbled. Keep the strokes in one patch parallel. Make each stroke with a quick flick from the wrist or elbow, lifting at the end.