Victor Hugo, 1st plate
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a bearded man with wrinkles and a serious look. His hair is curly and wild, and he’s wearing a high-collared jacket. The lines are scratchy and dark, like they were drawn quickly with sharp tools. The artist used a technique called drypoint to make the texture—tiny grooves in the metal plate hold the ink for a rough, almost sketchy feel. Next, check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how artists create these kinds of prints.
