Drawing Fundamentals

What is a Value Scale?

A value scale is a series of values ranging from lightest to the darkest or vice-versa. This is a very important tool when learning how to draw. You will find these ranges of values in your drawings. To use this with your drawings, you can hold up the scale to see which value you need to shade.

Shading the Value Scale:

Download the Practice Sheet Here
Use a 2B pencil to shade the value scale.
Begin with the first box and shade it in dark using a 2B pencil. Never start with too much pressure. Build the shades gradually. You want to make it as dark as you can. Keep your shading consistent with closing gaps and every so often turn your pencil to prevent a sharp side.
Next, shade the box next to it. This shade will be lighter than the darkest value with using less pressure. Remember to stay consistent.
As you shade down the remaining boxes, your pressure will get less and less.

Shading the Gradient Bar:

Using the same Practice Sheet, use a 2B pencil and begin shading on the left side of the bar.
Don’t give too much pressure but gradually build up the darker tone.
As you shade down the bar, your pressure will decrease as you get lighter.
You can always go back to fill in any gaps or build up layers, if needed.

Gray Scale & Value Finder

These can found at any art store or online. They are perfect for determining shade values. The cutout shapes allow easy viewing and ensure accurate readings. This tool makes it easier to view to match the gray values on the card to the shades you are seeing.

A full range of values is the basic ingredient for shading.
By adding and shading a lot of different values, you begin to add depth to your drawings.

Shades of Gray

Highlight You will notice that the light is coming from the upper right corner. With light coming from this angle, this will create a cast shadow on the opposite side. This area will be the brightest on the ball.

Shadow: This area will be the darkest area on the ball. As you will see, the shadow will form with the contour of the ball.

Mid-tone: From the shadow area towards the light source, a graduated blend will blend from a dark value to a lighter amount.

Cast Shadow: This will depend on how bright the light source is. If the light source were too bright, this would create a very dark cast shadow vs if the light were softer, then the cast shadow would also be softer.

Reflected Light: This area is often missed when drawing but should always be pointed out. The reflected light is light that bounces back from another location (the table in this case).

To achieve realism in your work you need to understand how forms behave in different light conditions.

Light – Highlights in a subject will be the brightest area. They are usually small and intense. There can also be direct light where an area receives direct light from a light source. Reflected light is bounced light that reflects back from a surface onto the subject. Remember that light is what brings a subject to life.

Shadow – Shadows do not receive direct light, although some areas of a shadow can illuminate reflected light. There can be several shadowed areas in a subject, especially if there are multiple light sources. A cast shadow is created when the light source is casting on a form that causes a shadow behind it. A core shadow is the darkest area in the shadow, such as what you would see in a sphere.

Tones are created when the light casts over a subject and creates a series of tones ranging from light to dark. Learning to identify these tones is one of the keys to helping place them in their proper association within the drawing.

Values are how light or dark an area is in a drawing. Black and white are values, as well as all the shades of gray between them. Artists use values in their shading to translate the light and shadows they see, creating the illusion of a three-dimensional subject.

Contrast is created by accentuating the light and shadows. This can be used to make your drawings more three-dimensional. Elements in a drawing can become more powerful or intensify.

How To Shade

Get comfortable and hold the pencil at approximately a 45º angle. Don’t grip your pencil too much, and not too close to the tip.
When shading, you may be moving just your wrist or your shoulder. Each of these methods will produce different types of shading. Shading by moving your wrist will make strokes useful for fine details and smaller-scaled drawings. Using your elbow and shoulder while shading is useful for producing larger strokes for larger-scaled areas.
Remember that the more pressure you apply to the pencil, the darker the shading and strokes will be. The softer the pencil (2B, 3B, 4B and up), the darker the stroke will be.

How To Shade Smooth Tones

Incorrect Shading & Blending

Pencil strokes are erratic and cross over each other. When blending this type of shading, it will produce a rough, smudging effect, showing the pencil lines and inconsistency.

Correct Shading & Blending

Shade consistently with closing white gaps in between each stroke. You can go back over the shading to build up darker tones, but never give too much pressure.