Hope this is ok to post here. Was not sure as this is my first post. Anyway, I'm new to drawing and while doing straight lines and shapes is fine, I can't seem to figure out shading for the life of me. I understand the concepts and all that but when I try to apply it to anything, it comes out absolutely horrid looking. I'm was hoping to get some tips as I'm not sure if I need to use sharper pencils, more pressure, less pressure.... I'm lost.

I bought the book from this site and for now I've went back to concentrate on just the Sphere drawing. I've scanned the picture from the book along with one of my very very very bad attempts. Anytime I try to shade something it just comes out all grainy like this rather than the smooth shading I see in everyones pictures.

Any tips for a beginner as I'm just not sure how to do this smoothly and I'm starting to get frustrated at how bad it looks. Thanks in advance and please let me know if this was the wrong section to post this in.




Here are 2 more just so you can see what I mean about everything looking too 'grainy' when trying to shade objects....

I think you have the right idea, but perhaps need the correct tools for the job.

What kind of paper and pencil are you using for this? Your choice of paper makes a big difference in the outcome of your drawing. There are all kinds of surfaces to choose from, some rougher than others. Find a good, smooth paper for your first efforts.

It also looks like your pencil may be fairly blunt when you're doing your hatching. That would account for the indistinct lines. You need a sharp point on your pencil or use a mechanical pencil which doesn't need sharpening.

What I see on your shaded ball is a lack of gradation of values. It should go from the darkest shade to the lightest (the highlight) gradually without any distinct lines in between.

Finally, you don't have to use hatching to shade. Yes, its a great technique and common, but you can develop your own version to shade an object or blend your lines together to get a smooth surface and softer shading.

In this thread, I showed a demo of creating a shaded ball, much like the one you're trying to do. It might help you to have a look at the stages and see if you can create the ball as well. I've posted the images here, but go to the thread to see the step by step instructions.

Hopefully this will show up. I came back to reply but my post seems to have disappeared.

Just wanted to say thank you for the information. This give me some things to shoot for as most likely I bought the wrong materials.

For pencils I just picked up some "General's" woodless graphite and charcoal pencils like HB, 2B, 6B etc. I did not think of buying a mechanical pencil which would probably help a lot since these do go blunt very fast. Do they make mechanical pencils in various (ranges? HB, 2B, etc) or is it more just a matter of using pressure for lighter and darker lines?

As for paper I also was clueless so thought anything would work for a beginner so I just grabbed the first "Drawing" tablet I saw at the art store. Not sure what this one is but it does seem very rough. The only marking on it is "White, Acid Free, 70lb., 104 gsm" I will return to the art store today and see if they have any "Smooth" paper that I can try.

You Sphere Demo looks great and just the sort of thing I was looking for. To be able to see the various stages of an image like this really helps me get a feel for what I need to do. I'll be trying this out more once I can get to the art store this afternoon.

Thank you very much for taking the time to respond as it gives me plenty of directions to shoot for!

Always buy the most expensive materials that you can find. You will never regret it. A master is only as as good as his tools.

Graphite pencils are fine, but keep sharpening them often to get a fine tip. Mechanical pencil leads come in a variety of leads. For most drawings, I use HB and 2B with a 4B or 6B to add the really dark darks that I need. Pressure is a big factor and many many layers.

There are as many types of paper as there are hot dinners around. Its fun to experiment when you can and get a feel for what you like. Surf the internet in art supply stores, ask questions at your local art store and get some samples if you can to play with til you find the surface that you like best.

I personally use a Canson Universal sketchbook 11 x 14 which gives a good all round surface for general drawing. For main drawings, I transfer work to Bristol Smooth 300 series and now the 400 and 500 plate series. This means that the surface gets progressively smoother in the higher numbers. THe plate finish is very very smooth, which as advantages and disadvantages.

I'm glad the sphere demo is useful to you. Simply take your time and have fun with it. Remember there is never just one way to do something. You'll find your own technique as you practice.

Good luck with it.

Hello deviance1969,

How are your drawings coming along now? I've had some of the same questions you had and I know paper makes a big difference to how smooth the marks looks. I just got a new moleskine notebook and haven't made a mark in it yet, but it looks very nice. My current sketch pad is Strathmore and it is more textured. Just interested to see how your drawing is coming. . . please post an update :-)