stippled

Stippled is an adjective describing a surface or image that is marked with many small spots or dots. The term derives from stipple, meaning to ornament or mark with tiny points, and it is commonly used to describe both a pattern and a technique that relies on dotting rather than continuous shading.

In visual art, stippling is a method of shading created by placing numerous discrete dots. The density, size, and spacing of the dots build tonal value and texture, with darker areas achieved by closely packed dots and lighter areas by sparser arrangements. Stippling can be executed with pen and ink, graphite, or digital tools, and it is closely related to pointillism, though depicting is typically monochrome and value-driven rather than color-based.

In printmaking and engraving, stipple techniques were developed to simulate shading by using dots rather than lines. Stipple engraving and related processes became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, enabling more nuanced tonal ranges in monochrome prints and engravings.

In scientific and natural history contexts, stippled describes patterns composed of small spots or dot-like markings on surfaces such as animal coats, insect wings, or plant tissues. This usage emphasizes texture and pattern rather than a separate technique.

Overall, stippled denotes a dot-based approach to texture and shading, whether as a decorative pattern, an artistic method, or a descriptive term for surface markings.