<p>You could draw your hatch lines always starting at the edge you want to keep clean, drawing away from that edge. When ending the line lift off the paper while keeping the pen moving so you do not get a little blob where the pen stopped. You can do the same when starting the line, start moving in the direction you want and make first contact where you want the shading to start.</p>
<p>You could use masking or art tape to cover the areas you want clean if you really needed to have a hard edge where your freehand lines end. A stencil would also work.</p>
<p>Just beware with any stencil or straight edge to watch out for the ink getting drawn under the edge due to capillary action. Some tape on the bottom of the masking object can raise it up enough to prevent this.</p>
<p>However letting the hatching exist outside the contour lines makes your drawing more free, expressive and open so you may want to consider that option.</p>
<p>The fix to this more than anything will be practice. Over time you will naturally get more control of where the lines you draw freehand start and stop. Experience will also help inform you where and when a clean edge versus one that is less controlled will help the overall look of the drawing.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-20T19:44:31.220Z
Erasible masking liquid used for aquarelle painting is probably a better for curvy contours than masking tape.
Elmy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-21T20:04:28.723Z
The masking tape can be curved to a degree when applied or trimmed with an x-acto knife. Liquid mask is made more for brush work and may not hold up to a scratchy stylus. Worth a try though.
rebusB
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-20T19:24:44.083Z
2024-03-24T17:55:04.667Z
2024-03-24T17:55:04.667Z
rebusB
<p>I've started drawing in crosshatching style, but I find it difficult to keep the lines inside the edges. I´m going to attached and example of what I mean. Any tips or techinique that I can apply?</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/YTYzT.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/YTYzT.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>I´ve tried to make the ouside line thicker but I don't like how it looks. I want to achive this kind of style:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/qRld0.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/qRld0.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-20T19:05:21.493Z
They do stick out a bit on your desired example - zoom in to the cat's back in the triangle formed by the spider legs (or whatever they are).
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-20T19:32:58.030Z
Have you considered losing the edge line entirely and only using the shading lines? The problem may not be the shading lines going over the contour (edge) line, it may be having the contour line in the first place.
rebusB
<drawing>
How to have clean lines inside the edges doing crosshatching?
wamro
# How to have clean lines inside the edges doing crosshatching?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-03-20)

I've started drawing in crosshatching style, but I find it difficult to keep the lines inside the edges. I´m going to attached and example of what I mean. Any tips or techinique that I can apply?

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/YTYzT.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/YTYzT.png)

I´ve tried to make the ouside line thicker but I don't like how it looks. I want to achive this kind of style:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/qRld0.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/qRld0.png)

**Tags:** drawing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: They do stick out a bit on your desired example - zoom in to the cat's back in the triangle formed by the spider legs (or whatever they are).  
> **username_2**: Have you considered losing the edge line entirely and only using the shading lines? The problem may not be the shading lines going over the contour (edge) line, it may be having the contour line in the first place.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-03-20. Score: 3

You could draw your hatch lines always starting at the edge you want to keep clean, drawing away from that edge. When ending the line lift off the paper while keeping the pen moving so you do not get a little blob where the pen stopped. You can do the same when starting the line, start moving in the direction you want and make first contact where you want the shading to start.

You could use masking or art tape to cover the areas you want clean if you really needed to have a hard edge where your freehand lines end. A stencil would also work.

Just beware with any stencil or straight edge to watch out for the ink getting drawn under the edge due to capillary action. Some tape on the bottom of the masking object can raise it up enough to prevent this.

However letting the hatching exist outside the contour lines makes your drawing more free, expressive and open so you may want to consider that option.

The fix to this more than anything will be practice. Over time you will naturally get more control of where the lines you draw freehand start and stop. Experience will also help inform you where and when a clean edge versus one that is less controlled will help the overall look of the drawing.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Erasible masking liquid used for aquarelle painting is probably a better for curvy contours than masking tape.  
> **username_2**: The masking tape can be curved to a degree when applied or trimmed with an x-acto knife. Liquid mask is made more for brush work and may not hold up to a scratchy stylus. Worth a try though.  

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