Tried another drawing using cross hatching, just went horribly wrong.?

Question

Tried using cross hatching, this is when I want to stop. Any advice?

Answer 1

Cross-hatching is something that takes a little while to learn.



Something worth mentioning is that with crosshatching, it's not the pressure of the "hatches" that results in darkening, it's the pattern of them and how many there are.



Because when you ink photos like this, how much pressure you apply to the pen really doesn't translate in the finished piece. You need to add more hatches (usually going in opposite directions or a "grid pattern") to get that darker shade. That "opposite direction" hatching also gives the drawing the illusion of a stillness.



For example, his adam's apple should have hatches going in both directions (almost like a grid pattern), not only in one direction with more pressure than what's around it.

Answer 2

Doesn't look wrong to me. I just finished 2 and a half years of college towards a BA in art education. I see many things working here. Your cross-hatching gives him depth, and almost movement, I can almost see him turning his head. The background markings add to this effect. Your balance between the light and the dark is working very well. You fill the composition up well. Keep it up. Sometimes, we are our worst critics. I have learned to put my work away if I am unhappy with it, so I don't destroy it (like, paint it over). I come back to it with a fresh eye later. This semester, I painted a painting I did not like at all, but my professor did and hung it in the hallway, much to my dismay. Then, gradually, over 4-5 weeks, I started to see something I had not seen before about it, and I ended up liking it. This terrific professor just retired so I gave her the painting to her to remind myself to not judge my work so harshly. BTW when I have parts of a work that are working, and maybe some that are not (your left shoulder is off) I will crop and/or collage the piece. It's good work. Not sure why the other person said you need less on the forehead or cheek; defining the planes of the face is integral for portraiture and your face is spot-on, to me.

Answer 3

Less is always more. You didn't need that all on his forehead, or on most of his cheeks either.

Answer 4

Maybe if you do smaller and softer movements with your hand it will look better.