Stippling, Scribbling, and Alternative Marks
Introduced| English |
|---|
| stippling/ˈstɪplɪŋ/ |
| scribble/ˈskrɪbl/ |
| additive/ˈædɪtɪv/ |
| subtractive/sʌbˈtræktɪv/ |
Dots, tangles, dashes
- Beyond hatching lies a whole vocabulary of marks — each with its own texture and speed.
- Stippling 点画 builds tone from dots: dense reads dark, sparse reads light.
- Scribble 乱线 marks are fast tangles — lively, good for fur, foliage, energy.
Name that mark
Sort each description by the mark system it describes.
Stippling builds darker tone by ____.
Dot density = value.
Additive and subtractive
- Marks can be additive 加法 (putting material on) or subtractive 减法 (lifting it off with an eraser).
- An eraser dragged through graphite leaves a light stroke — a mark in reverse.
- Dashes, ticks, and broken marks suggest texture without outlining every detail.
An eraser can make marks, not just fix mistakes.
Subtractive marks are drawn with the eraser.
Putting material on is additive; lifting it off is ____.
Additive vs subtractive marks.
The four-ways page
- A classic experimentation page: one subject rendered in four different mark systems.
- The comparison teaches which mark suits which idea — and it is perfect process evidence.
- Marks are choices, not accidents: name them in your written evidence.
Select all subjects where scribble marks shine.
Scribble suits lively, broken textures — not mirror-smooth metal.
Match the mark to its personality.
Each mark carries a mood.
Stippling is slow. Starting a large drawing in pure stipple the night before a deadline is a classic disaster — test the technique's time cost on a small patch first.
The same sleeping cat four ways: hatching (calm and orderly), stippling (soft and patient), scribble (twitchy, alive), broken dashes (light, sketchy). Same cat, four moods — the mark is the mood.
Stippling = tone from dots; scribble = fast living tangles; marks can be additive or subtractive. Build a personal mark vocabulary and choose marks to match ideas.