Cross-Hatching & Stippling: Ink Shading in Procreate

2026-06-25

Pen-and-ink shading builds value out of pure black lines and dots — no grey needed. Cross-hatching and stippling give inked art that classic engraved, editorial look, and Procreate makes them far less tedious than on paper. This guide covers both techniques step by step.

Shading without grey

In ink, you can't paint grey — you imply it. Closely packed lines or dots read as dark; sparse ones read as light. The two main methods are hatching (parallel lines, layered into cross-hatching) and stippling (fields of dots). Both build smooth value out of pure black.

Cross-hatching, step by step

Hatching: lay down a set of parallel lines following the form's surface.
Cross-hatching: add a second set at an angle over the first to darken.
Build up: add more layers at new angles for the darkest areas — two, three or four passes.
Leave light areas open: the white paper is your highlight.

Keep the lines following the contour of the surface (curving around a cylinder, for example) so the hatching describes form, not just tone.

Control value with spacing and layers

Darkness comes from line spacing and the number of layers, not from pressing harder. Tighter lines and more crossing layers = darker. Plan three or four value steps (light, mid, dark, darkest) and assign a hatching density to each so the shading reads cleanly.

Stippling, step by step

Stippling builds value with dots: dense clusters for shadow, scattered dots fading into light. It's slow but gives a beautiful soft, textured gradient. In Procreate you can speed it up with a stipple or spray brush from the inking or texture categories, or tap individual dots for control.

Brushes that help

A crisp, opaque liner gives clean hatch lines; a dry or textured pen adds organic grit. Some brushes have hatching or stipple built into the grain so a single stroke lays down texture — handy, but hand-drawn hatching has more life. Browse the inking category and the best free inking brushes.

Procreate shortcuts

QuickLine keeps long hatch lines perfectly straight — hold at the end of a stroke.
Symmetry/duplicate can repeat hatch fields, then adjust.
Work on a separate layer so you can lower opacity or erase overdone areas.

Where to use it

Cross-hatching shines in comic inking, botanical and editorial illustration, and engraved-style art. It pairs naturally with strong line weight and solid blacks.

Brushes and next steps

You only need a free liner and maybe a stipple brush — grab them from the inking category or any free brushset. Fit hatching into the full inking workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click a question to expand the answer

How do you cross-hatch in Procreate?

Lay down a set of parallel lines following the surface, then add a second set at an angle over them to darken — that's cross-hatching. Add more layers at new angles for the darkest areas, and leave the white paper open for highlights. Darkness comes from spacing and layers, not pressure.

How do you stipple in Procreate?

Build value with dots: cluster them densely for shadow and scatter them thinly toward the light. You can tap individual dots for full control, or speed it up with a stipple or spray brush. Stippling gives a soft, textured gradient out of pure black dots.

How do I make ink shading darker without grey?

Use closer line spacing and more crossing layers of hatching, or denser clusters of stipple dots. In pen-and-ink you imply value — tightly packed marks read dark, sparse marks read light — rather than painting an actual grey tone.

Are there hatching brushes for Procreate?

Yes — some inking and texture brushes have hatching or stipple patterns built into their grain, so one stroke lays down texture. They're handy for speed, though hand-drawn hatching that follows the form has more life. Free hatching and stipple brushes are available.