Crosshatching

Do you find it hard to draw hands accurately? Illustrator AUGUST LAMM has a simple 12-step plan that will give expert results every time – and can be applied to any subject

- AUGUST LAMM

August's materials

•Paper Arches 640gsm cold-pressed watercolour paper

•Pencil Faber-Castell 9000 HB Pencil

•Pen Sakura Pigma Micron 03 fineliner, black

•Eraser Sakura SumoGrip retractable eraser

•A dry brush or cloth

Crosshatching – the layering of parallel lines to create tone – is unlike any other drawing technique in that it is sculptural. What this means is that it is necessary to understand not only the appearance of an object, but also its shape. How much space does it take up? How do its surfaces curve and fold? These are questions that need to be answered, in addition to the obvious questions of light and shadow.

Given the unusual mental effort required in order to crosshatch well, it can be helpful to break the process down into an orderly series of steps, from initial sketch to finished drawing. My own process involves a great deal of planning at the outset, gradually leading into a less regimented, more free-form approach later on.

The early steps are most important – and most difficult – because they serve as the foundation for the rest of the drawing. If there is anything noticeably off about this foundation, be it the proportions or the line directions, it will show up in the final drawing. That’s why I recommend devoting plenty of time to planning in pencil prior to inking. August’s latest e-book, How to Crosshatch in Pen and Ink, is available to buy from www.augustlamm.com

1 Break into shapes

I began by breaking down the hand into a series of geometric shapes. The fingers became a single shape, the thumb became another, then there was the palm and finally the wrist.