I’ve previously suggested that cross hatching is rarely the best use of an artist’s time. It involves much busy work in the service of an unremarkable artistic goal: achieving a consistent tone (as opposed to using lines descriptively to convey information or mark artistic judgments). A form of human zipatone, cross hatching is the kind of work that might often be delegated to an apprentice or a studio helper.
I’ve previously written about my great admiration for the brilliant draftsmanship of political cartoonist Mike Hernandez. His latest cartoon, after the slaughter of little school children in Texas, questions whether the increase in mass shootings is triggered by access to assault weapons or by problems with American culture:
Ramirez writes:
What is the root cause of these mass shootings? The AR-15 long rifle was developed in the 1950s, first sold commercially by Colt in 1964, and has been around for almost 60 years. Mass killings with AR-type rifles have mostly occurred in just the last 10 years.
Ramirez raises a good point. What could possibly account for the increase in killings over the past ten years, if not cultural problems? Well perhaps:
- In 2004 Congress eliminated the federal ban on assault weapons (Pub.L. 103-322)
- In 2005 Congress immunized gun manufacturers from liability for harm caused by guns ( Pub.L. 109-92)
- In 2008 the Supreme Court newly expanded the rights of gun owners under the second amendment, protecting them from regulation. (District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008))
As I’ve said, crosshatching is not always the best use of an artist’s time. Sometimes that time might be better spent thinking through a concept. Or reading a fucking newspaper.