Untitled
1927
graphite
From the collection of Museum of Modern Art
1927
graphite
From the collection of Museum of Modern Art
This sketch shows a stormy sea with two giant fish swimming near a rocky coastline. The waves crash hard, and the sky is dark with swirling clouds. Tiny ships dot the water, looking small against the huge fish and towering waves. Notice how the artist used lots of fine lines to build up shapes—no paint, just pencil. The fish and waves feel almost three-dimensional because of the layering. Try looking up cross-hatching to see how artists create depth with lines like this.