Back to: Lithographic Water Series
David Hockney's Lithographic Water Made of Lines and Crayon is one of the most minimalist works from his celebrated Lithograph of Water Made of Lines series, created between 1978 and 1980 in collaboration with master printer Kenneth Tyler at Tyler Graphics, New York. Printed in colours on TGL handmade paper and published in an edition of 42 plus 12 artist's proofs, the lithograph strips the image back to its essential components, relying almost entirely on finely drawn lines and crayon marks to evoke the movement, transparency and reflective qualities of a swimming pool. The restrained composition demonstrates Hockney's remarkable ability to capture the complexity of water using only the simplest visual language.
Rather than depending on broad areas of colour, Hockney uses an intricate network of intersecting lines and expressive crayon marks to suggest rippling water, shifting light and changing reflections. This analytical approach transforms the swimming pool into a study of perception, emphasising how movement and depth can be conveyed through line alone. Produced at Tyler Graphics, Lithographic Water Made of Lines and Crayon reflects Hockney's pioneering approach to lithography and remains an important work within his exploration of water, printmaking and visual observation.
