Inking Glossary

Justice Traps the Guilty #21
Abstract Arch
A dark area in the shape of a curving band. Generally there seems no good explanation for why such a shadow should occur.

Yellow Claw #2
Two or more sets of parallel lines that intersect one another at an angle that are used to suggest grays.

Black Magic #15
Drop String
A row of dashes often, but not always, connected by a line. Another variation is to place the dashes so close together that they overlap.

Fighting American #2
Form Lines
Sets of lines, generally bowed, that provide a sense of volume to the art.

Headline #33
Picket Fence
Two rails roughly following the same path intersected by a number of pickets. A lot of variation can be found perhaps the most common is the replacement of one of the rails with either a drop string or a thicker spotting line.

Young Romance #92
Straight parallel lines that are progressively shifted.

Young Love #16
Shoulder Blot
Dark areas present in the shoulder regions.

The Black Rider Rides Again #1
Simple Hatching
One set of parallel lines used to suggest gray. Most do not make a distinction between simple and crosshatching as both are often present to suggest various shades of gray. I like to use this term because Kirby often uses simple hatching for large areas.