Q&A for How to Cross Hatch

Cross hatching is most effective when you think about the lines following the plane of the object you're shading. For example, if something I'm sketching is round, I would make rounded lines that follow the contour of the object. Or if I were sketching a box, I would use lines going in different directions for the side, top, and bottom planes.

That's somewhat subjective. You can use whatever medium looks good to you. But ink looks more intense and eye-catching than pencil, which many people like. Crosshatching is a very old form of shading. It is very realistic, and some of the most realistic shading drawings come from crosshatching.

Practice, and knowledge of where the light would fall. Shadows are usually opposite, or fall under where the light hits.

One tip is to try to keep the pressure of your lines consistent, and especially try not to make them too forceful. Make sure to practice often. If you practice enough, you'll develop a steady hand and cross hatching will get easier!

Try not to concentrate on this, but instead get in touch with your 'right brain thinking' or relaxed thinking. Drawing is about expression and doesn't need to be accurate, but enjoyable and relaxing. It's about making a mark on the page that expresses something. I recommend you research 'Drawing on the right side of your brain' by Betty Edwards and try a few of these exercises. I find using upside down ink drawings to practise this technique are the clearest and help you to concentrate.

Consider using masking fluid. Map out or 'paint' the object you want to overlap; draw the 'underlapped' object and the peel away the masking and continue to draw your picture.