Back to: Lithographic Pool series
David Hockney's Lithograph of Water Made of Thick and Thin Lines and Two Light Blue Washes is one of the 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. Produced as a lithograph on paper in an edition of 35 plus proofs, the composition demonstrates Hockney's fascination with the visual complexity of swimming pools. Through a combination of expressive thick and thin lines and layered light blue washes, he recreates the ever-changing effects of light, movement and transparency across the surface of water.
Rather than relying on conventional realism, Hockney builds the illusion of depth through rhythmic linear mark-making and subtle tonal variation. The overlapping washes create reflections and shifting shadows, while the intricate network of lines suggests ripples that constantly alter the viewer's perception of the pool. Widely regarded as one of Hockney's most important printmaking projects, the Lithograph of Water Made of Lines series demonstrates his innovative approach to lithography and his lifelong exploration of perception, colour and the changing nature of light.
