Techniques in Drawing Cartoons:

Hatching, cross-hatching, line-widths, lines, and signatures.

by Chip Beck

Professional Cartoonist




1. Lines are like people. No two have to be alike. Some are fat, others are skinny, a few long, tall, short, squiggly, jagged, twisty, and full of personality. Put personality into your line work and your lines will put personality into your art.

2. Your signature is your unique logo. The whole world could come to recognize it. Your signature is already unique, but is it the way you want it to be? Think of it as a work of art. Look at how the working editorial cartoonists design their signature. Some are sloppy. Some are great. What do you want to be?

3. Hatching and cross-hatching add shadow, shading, contrast, and balance to your drawings. Study other cartoons and mimic how they use this technique.

 

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