Pen
and Ink Drawing 7
Ink
Drawing Techniques: Stippling
Click
here to download an A4 copy of this stippling worksheet
Stippling
is an ink drawing technique where you apply tone and
texture in small dots. You can adjust the depth of tone
and the roughness of texture by varying the density
and distribution of the dots. To assist you in developing
your technique, we have devised a simple stippling
worksheet to help you practice.
Vincent
Van Gogh (1853-1890)
View
of Arles,
(ink on paper, 1888)
In
our stippling worksheet at the top of the page, the
stippling technique is applied with great precision
to convey the smooth tones of some basic forms. In
Van Gogh's 'View of Arles', stippling is used in a more
expressive manner to suggest the natural texture of
a wheatfield. With the exception of Pointillism ( a
style of painting where form is constructed from coloured
dots ), stippling is seldom used as a technique
on its own. It is nearly always combined with cross-hatching
in order to enhance its effect.
Stippling
Examples
Click
here to download an A4 copy of these stippling examples
Like
cross hatching, stippling scan take on many forms. It
can be done freehand or mechanically, with carefully
or loosely arranged dots of even or uneven densities
and distribution. Any small marks, not only dots, are
suitable for creating a stippled effect.
To
help you think about the various methods of stippling,
we have created a sheet of stippling
examples for reference and practice. This is not
an exclusive list and you could invent more variations
that suit your own approach.
