plate no. 9468

The Inferno, Canto 10

etchingRomanticismillustrationfigurestombsmokedarknesscavereligious

experienced study

This painting is a great exercise in understanding value and creating form with hatching and cross-hatching. Students will learn to build up dark areas gradually and create a sense of depth through line work.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the tomb, figures, and background.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the painting using closely spaced lines or solid black.
step 03
Start building up mid-tones with hatching, varying the spacing and thickness of the lines.
step 04
Use cross-hatching to create darker values and more complex textures.
step 05
Pay close attention to the direction of the lines to suggest form and volume.
step 06
Focus on creating a smooth transition between light and dark areas.
step 07
Add details to the figures and tomb, refining the shapes and textures.
step 08
Finish by adding highlights and adjusting the overall value contrast.