Alfred Hitchcock | Biography, Movies, The Birds, Psycho, Vertigo ...
Alfred Hitchcock was an English-born American motion-picture director whose suspenseful films and television programs won immense popularity ...
drawing
Hitchcock went to St. Ignatius College before attending the London County Council School of Marine Engineering and Navigation in 1913–14. He worked in the sales department at W.T. Henley’s Telegraph Works Company until 1918, when he moved to the advertising department. Giving in to his artistic side, Hitchcock enrolled at the University of London in 1916 to take <anchor>drawing</anchor> and design classes. His facility in that field in 1920 helped land him a spot designing title cards (which silent films required) for the American film company Famous Players–Lasky, which had opened a British branch in Islington. When Famous Players closed down its British branch in 1922, he stayed on at Islington. He worked on films for independent producers and came to assume more responsibility, working as an art director, production designer, editor, assistant director, and writer.
Drawing | Principles, Techniques, & History | Britannica
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[drawing](https://www.britannica.com/art/drawing-art)

Table of Contents


- [Introduction](/art/drawing-art)

- [General considerations](/art/drawing-art/General-considerations)



- [Elements and principles of design](/art/drawing-art/General-considerations#ref59499)

  - [Plane techniques](/art/drawing-art/General-considerations#ref60315)

  - [The drawing surface](/art/drawing-art/General-considerations#ref60316)

  - [Relationship between drawing and other art forms](/art/drawing-art/General-considerations#ref60317)

- [Surfaces](/art/drawing-art/Surfaces)

- [Tools and techniques](/art/drawing-art/Surfaces#ref59501)

  - [Charcoal](/art/drawing-art/Surfaces#ref60318)

  - [Chalks](/art/drawing-art/Chalks)

  - [Metalpoints](/art/drawing-art/Chalks#ref60320)

  - [Graphite point](/art/drawing-art/Chalks#ref60321)

  - [Coloured crayons](/art/drawing-art/Coloured-crayons)

  - [Incised drawing](/art/drawing-art/Coloured-crayons#ref60323)

  - [Brush, pen, and dyestuffs](/art/drawing-art/Coloured-crayons#ref60324)

    - [Pens](/art/drawing-art/Coloured-crayons#ref60325)

    - [Inks](/art/drawing-art/Coloured-crayons#ref60326)

    - [Pen drawings](/art/drawing-art/Pen-drawings)

    - [Brush drawings](/art/drawing-art/Pen-drawings#ref60328)

    - [Combinations of various techniques](/art/drawing-art/Pen-drawings#ref60329)

    - [Mechanical devices](/art/drawing-art/Mechanical-devices)

- [Applied drawings](/art/drawing-art/Mechanical-devices#ref59502)

- [Subject matter of drawing](/art/drawing-art/Mechanical-devices#ref59503)

  - [Portraits](/art/drawing-art/Portraits)

  - [Landscapes](/art/drawing-art/Portraits#ref60332)

  - [Figure compositions and still lifes](/art/drawing-art/Portraits#ref60333)

  - [Fanciful and nonrepresentational drawings](/art/drawing-art/Portraits#ref60334)

  - [Artistic architectural drawings](/art/drawing-art/Portraits#ref60335)

- [History of drawing](/art/drawing-art/History-of-drawing)



- [Western](/art/drawing-art/History-of-drawing#ref10931)

  - [14th, 15th, and 16th centuries](/art/drawing-art/History-of-drawing#ref10932)

  - [17th, 18th, and 19th centuries](/art/drawing-art/17th-18th-and-19th-centuries)

  - [Modern](/art/drawing-art/17th-18th-and-19th-centuries#ref10934)

- [Eastern](/art/drawing-art/17th-18th-and-19th-centuries#ref10935)

[References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/art/drawing-art/additional-info) [Related Topics](/facts/drawing-art)

[Images & Videos](https://www.britannica.com/art/drawing-art/images-videos)

[![Berthe Morisot: The Artist's Sister, Edma, with Her Daughter, Jeanne](https://cdn.britannica.com/31/183031-004-E072FB4A/Artist-Jeanne-Sister-graphite-watercolour-paper-Edma-1872.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/31/183031-050-8FAE6C2C/Artist-Jeanne-Sister-graphite-watercolour-paper-Edma-1872.jpg)[![View Georgette Seabrooke drawing a sketch](https://cdn.britannica.com/00/186300-138-F7C65AFA/A-Study-of-Negro-Artists-excerpt-Georgette.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](/video/186300/A-Study-of-Negro-Artists-excerpt-Georgette)[![Rembrandt: The Three Trees](https://cdn.britannica.com/29/188529-004-2E2ECBCF/Three-Trees-engraving-drypoint-Rembrandt-van-Rijn-1643.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/29/188529-050-55A0ADBC/Three-Trees-engraving-drypoint-Rembrandt-van-Rijn-1643.jpg)[![limestone ostracon depicting a cat, a boy, and a mouse magistrate](https://cdn.britannica.com/68/3268-004-C513D11B/Limestone-ostracon-drawing-cat-mouse-magistrate-boy.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/68/3268-050-D38D5F57/Limestone-ostracon-drawing-cat-mouse-magistrate-boy.jpg)[![Mary Cassatt: Mother Combing Sara's Hair (No. 1)](https://cdn.britannica.com/18/7118-004-386B08C4/Mother-pastel-paper-Sara-Hair-Mary-Cassatt-1901.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/18/7118-004-386B08C4/Mother-pastel-paper-Sara-Hair-Mary-Cassatt-1901.jpg)[![Morris Kantor: Untitled (Female Walking Nude)](https://cdn.britannica.com/00/136400-004-E85EFC6C/Female-Walking-Nude-Morris-Kantor-circa-1916-1918.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/00/136400-050-14D87909/Female-Walking-Nude-Morris-Kantor-circa-1916-1918.jpg)[![Peter Paul Rubens: Portrait of a Young Woman](https://cdn.britannica.com/42/23742-004-15BCD073/Portrait-of-a-Young-Woman-Peter-Paul.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/42/23742-004-15BCD073/Portrait-of-a-Young-Woman-Peter-Paul.jpg)[![Michelangelo: Profile with Oriental Headdress](https://cdn.britannica.com/15/26515-004-DED5075C/Profile-drawing-Oriental-Headdress-Michelangelo-Oxford-England.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/15/26515-004-DED5075C/Profile-drawing-Oriental-Headdress-Michelangelo-Oxford-England.jpg)[![Rosalba Carriera: A Young Lady with a Parrot](https://cdn.britannica.com/40/206140-004-8D699669/Lady-pastel-paper-Parrot-Rosalba-Carriera-Art-1730.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/40/206140-050-60304402/Lady-pastel-paper-Parrot-Rosalba-Carriera-Art-1730.jpg)[![Leonardo da Vinci: Adoration of the Magi](https://cdn.britannica.com/62/9662-004-23C39622/perspective-study-bistre-silverpoint-pen-ground-Adoration.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/62/9662-050-BD0D8230/perspective-study-bistre-silverpoint-pen-ground-Adoration.jpg)

For Students


[![Leonardo da Vinci](https://cdn.britannica.com/86/2086-050-C3E2C527/Self-portrait-chalk-drawing-Leonardo-da-Vinci-Turin.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/summary/drawing-art)

[drawing summary](/summary/drawing-art)

Read Next


[![Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. Engraving by Cosomo Colombini (d. 1812) after a Leonardo self portrait. Ca. 1500.](https://cdn.britannica.com/06/200006-131-ABB681CF/Leonardo-da-Vinci-Italian-Renaissance-Florence-Engraving-1500.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/10-famous-artworks-by-leonardo-da-vinci)

[10 Famous Artworks by Leonardo da Vinci](/list/10-famous-artworks-by-leonardo-da-vinci)

[![Painting palette with oil paints and brushes. Rainbow colored paints, arts and entertainment](https://cdn.britannica.com/35/179035-131-9646BA4D/Oil-paints-consistency-paste-variety-colors-brushes.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/art-history-the-origins-of-7-of-your-favorite-art-supplies)

[Art History: The Origins of 7 of Your Favorite Art Supplies](/list/art-history-the-origins-of-7-of-your-favorite-art-supplies)

Discover


[![President Kennedy address on Test Ban Treaty, White House, Oval Office, July 26, 1963. President John F. Kennedy, President Kennedy](https://cdn.britannica.com/46/146446-131-83C57663/John-F-Kennedy-Test-Ban-Treaty-Oval-July-26-1963.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/11-memorable-quotes-from-us-presidential-debates)

[11 Memorable Quotes from U.S. Presidential Debates](/list/11-memorable-quotes-from-us-presidential-debates)

[![Close-up of ostriches (Struthio camelus) necks and heads; location unknown.](https://cdn.britannica.com/58/152058-131-0EB52C8F/Ostriches.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/6-of-the-worlds-most-dangerous-birds)

[6 of the World's Most Dangerous Birds](/list/6-of-the-worlds-most-dangerous-birds)

[![Aladdin and the Efrite, jinn, genie.](https://cdn.britannica.com/07/186707-131-EE0952B0/Efrite-Aladdin-jinn.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/5-creepy-things-from-the-thousand-and-one-nights)

[5 Creepy Things from _The Thousand and One Nights_](/list/5-creepy-things-from-the-thousand-and-one-nights)

[![United States Electoral College votes by state](https://cdn.britannica.com/68/220368-131-C835E48E/United-States-electoral-college-votes-by-state.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/story/how-many-electoral-college-votes-does-each-us-state-have)

[How Many Electoral College Votes Does Each U.S. State Have?](/story/how-many-electoral-college-votes-does-each-us-state-have)

[![Orange basketball on black background and with low key lighting. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society](https://cdn.britannica.com/31/142331-131-EE300AF6/basketball-Orange-background-lighting-Homepage-entertainment-history-2010.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/the-10-greatest-basketball-players-of-all-time)

[The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time](/list/the-10-greatest-basketball-players-of-all-time)

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[5 Remarkably Close U.S. Presidential Elections](/list/5-remarkably-close-us-presidential-elections)

[![The Colosseum, Rome, Italy.  Giant amphitheatre built in Rome under the Flavian emperors. (ancient architecture; architectural ruins)](https://cdn.britannica.com/36/162636-131-E4AA93A0/Colosseum-Rome-Italy.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/list/new-seven-wonders-of-the-world)

[New Seven Wonders of the World](/list/new-seven-wonders-of-the-world)


Contents


[Visual Arts](/browse/Visual-Arts)[Graphic Art](/browse/Graphic-Art)

# drawing

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Written by


[Heribert R. Hutter\
\
Former Director, Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna. Author of _Drawing: History and Technique_ and others.](/contributor/Heribert-R-Hutter/1418)

Heribert R. Hutter

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Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.](/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419)

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated:

Jul 23, 2024
• [Article History](https://www.britannica.com/art/drawing-art/additional-info#history)


Table of Contents


[![Berthe Morisot: The Artist's Sister, Edma, with Her Daughter, Jeanne](https://cdn.britannica.com/31/183031-050-8FAE6C2C/Artist-Jeanne-Sister-graphite-watercolour-paper-Edma-1872.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop)](https://cdn.britannica.com/31/183031-050-8FAE6C2C/Artist-Jeanne-Sister-graphite-watercolour-paper-Edma-1872.jpg)

Berthe Morisot: The Artist's Sister, Edma, with Her Daughter, Jeanne

[See all media](https://www.britannica.com/art/drawing-art/images-videos)

Key People: [Rembrandt](/biography/Rembrandt-van-Rijn)[Leonardo da Vinci](/biography/Leonardo-da-Vinci)[Michelangelo](/biography/Michelangelo)[Pablo Picasso](/biography/Pablo-Picasso)[Edgar Degas](/biography/Edgar-Degas)_(Show more)_

Related Topics: [comic strip](/art/comic-strip)[graphic novel](/art/graphic-novel)[rangoli](/art/rangoli)[pencil drawing](/art/pencil-drawing)[pen drawing](/art/pen-drawing)_(Show more)_

[See all related content →](/facts/drawing-art)

**drawing**, the art or technique of producing images on a surface, usually paper, by means of marks, usually of ink, graphite, chalk, charcoal, or crayon. Drawing as formal artistic creation might be defined as the primarily linear rendition of objects in the visible world, as well as of concepts, thoughts, attitudes, emotions, and fantasies given visual form, of symbols and even of abstract forms. This definition, however, applies to all graphic arts and techniques that are characterized by an emphasis on form or shape rather than mass and colour, as in painting. Drawing as such differs from graphic printing processes ...(100 of 15691 words)

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