Shading Skills. Beyond Beginner. Reviewing Shading Basics. Grades of Graphite. Pencil Pressure

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1 1 Level: Intermediate Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 9.9 Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease: 60.2 Drawspace Curriculum 3.3.R2-8 Pages and 11 Illustrations Shading Skills Beyond Beginner An introduction to intermediate shading techniques that focus on four specific ranges of values This tutorial has five sections: Reviewing Shading Basics Blacks and Dark Values Dark to Middle Values Middle to Light Values Light to Super Light Values To achieve the smoothest shading possible especially flawless surfaces such as ceramics, glass and metal always shade the entire subject using the same technique. Reviewing Shading Basics You can create a full range of values from very dark to super light by using different grades of graphite and varying the amount of pressure you apply to a pencil. Grades of Graphite You can create a vast range of lines and values by using different grades of graphite. A soft grade (B to 9B) draws a line with a soft edge. For really sharp lines with clean-cut edges, use a hard grade (H to 9H). Hard grades have a very fine grain structure with no detectable irregularities along their edges. Pencil Pressure How hard or lightly you press on your pencil (pencil pressure) can produce a variety of different effects.

2 2 For example, if you press hard with your pencil as you begin a line and then gradually ease off on the pressure as the line ends, this will create a tapered effect at the end of the line that fades to white. If you press lightly with a broad, soft-grade point such as 4B, then graphite will be deposited on the top of the paper s tooth creating a soft-edged, misty line. If you apply a medium to heavy pressure with the same soft grade of pencil, then the graphite will fill the tooth of the paper and produce a deep, rich tone. If you press lightly with a hard grade (2H or 4H), you ll achieve a line that s barely detectable, but useful in achieving subtle tones with repeated shading. Blacks and Dark Values Depending on your paper and its available tooth (the depth of the surface pits that hold the graphite), you may have to work hard and employ patience to create effective dark values. Use the flat face of a chisel point to ensure that the graphite flows onto your paper and doesn t create hard-edged lines. Hold your pencil more upright to allow you to use more weight without risking a broken lead. If the flat face hasn t filled the entire tooth, rotate your pencil and shade again with the edge. Figure 1 A coarse paper holds more graphite, but usually leaves unfilled pits that remain white and visually dilute the strength of dark tones. As smooth paper has a reduced tooth, you ll have to work the graphite into it. That disadvantage is easily overcome by using a combination of grades (HB applied over 2B, for example). The harder grade will smooth out the softer one, break up its grains and push them into the paper. To produce a really solid black (as in Figure 1), some artists recommend applying multiple layers of 8B or 9B. You can also use a lot of weight and shade in small, tight circles that approach every pit of the tooth from every direction. The only time I ever use a 6B is to produce a really solid black. I then cover it with a layer of 2B to smooth it out.

3 Dark to Middle Values Whereas dark and black values benefit from being deep in the tooth, middle values are usually applied on top of, or partially into, the tooth depending on the effect required. If you don t achieve the value you were hoping for, spray the area with a workable fixative, leave it to dry, and then repeat the process as many times as you need to. Fixative lifts the surface fibres and provides more tooth for additional layers of graphite. Figure 2 (Ready and Waiting) features a range of middle values created with a variety of methods and techniques. Figure 2 Blending was definitely not an option for Figure 3! That would have turned it into mud and removed the sharp edges. Instead, the crosshatching was layered with HB (flat face) to increase the descriptive threedimensional form. Then each area was further lightly layered with 2H. The old canvas bag (Figure 3) was shaded with a combination of hatching and cross-hatching to subtly suggest the weave of the fabric. The hatching, of course, wasn t random but followed the direction of the weave on each surface, and its values suggested the threedimensional form. 3

4 4 Light layering with a hard grade such as 2H unifies an area by removing any vestiges of white and gently smoothing the graphite beneath it. (This process is similar to blending but is much more controllable and doesn t move any graphite around.) Figure 3 Whereas Figure 3 demonstrates controlled shading, Figure 4 uses a more intuitive form of shading. Caricaturist, Al Hirschfeld once said, Sculpture is a drawing you fall over in the dark and that exactly describes the boots in Figure 4, which are essentially sculpted by pencil. Figure 4 The flat face of a 2B pencil was used throughout the boots (with the exception of an HB used for the toes). Shading in small circles or random shapes with a flat face permits you to build up each area until it matches your mental image, which is of paramount importance. Figure 4 was not an exercise in shading it s the physical and solid recreation of a pair of boots. You must be able to both mentally picture the subject and feel its texture. Challenge! Your imagination is an invaluable tool for recreating a three dimensional object on a sheet of paper. For example, study the forms of the boots in Figure 4. I left the laces in Figure 4 until the end. This allowed me to devote most of my focus on sculpting the threedimensional forms of the boots. Imagine you are pushing your pencil into the shadows; sliding up the sides and over the highlights; feeling the creases under your pencil. This thinking reinforces the three-dimensionality of your subject at every moment. And, to succeed, you only need ask one question: Can this point under my pencil see the light?

5 5 To achieve dark to middle values, shade lightly so your graphite rests mainly on top of the tooth. The flat face of your point should glide over your paper and shade without a trace of line. (The disadvantage is that your edges will be soft, too.) To sharpen your edges, use the edge of your point to first outline an area, using a tone or gradation of tone that matches those you expect to use within it. Now you have both a sharp edge and a narrow safety margin. Instead of having to shade up to the edge, you now only have to shade up to the line and, if you guessed correctly, the outline will disappear as you shade. If you guessed incorrectly, a sharp point or edge of Blu-Tack, gently brushed, can quickly resolve the error. Middle to Light Values If you shade backwards and forwards in one unbroken line, it usually leaves blunt ends that catch the eye and can t be removed. However, if you shade lightly and constantly vary the length and angle as you shade backwards and forwards, you can use that eyecatching fault to your advantage. The light tone in Figure 5 was produced with HB. The HB extended over the entire area and then 2B was layered on top to provide the shaded section. (As a soft grade won t layer perfectly over a harder grade, it ended up slightly patchy grabbing tooth where it could, and sliding over the HB where that had previously filled the tooth.) Try shading in small circles. A circle can travel in any direction it can intuitively follow your thoughts, whereas a line is directional and has to be continually stopped, repositioned and restarted to cover an area. Some artists prefer the underhand hold and the side of their pencil for middle to light values. I use the flat face of my point instead because it affords greater control. To ensure that the sharp edge is kept just above my paper, I wear a new flat face and rock it slightly as I scrub the point off. The result is a slightly convex rounded face. Finally, the sunlit area was lightly blended by working in small circles with the point of a tortillon. Figure 5 The shaded area was harshly blended with a lot more pressure. The resulting clumps of graphite added additional interest to the texture. The gaps between the stone flags were drawn first and then allowed to feather and deteriorate under the shading and blending.

6 6 They remain descriptive and suggest age without attracting unwanted attention. Figure 6 To create light shading without a pencil, use a tortillon or blending stump. The tortillon should be a little grubby by now, but if it isn t, just scrub a 2B pencil on scrap paper and then rub the end of your tortillon in the graphite powder. The tortillon is now a drawing tool. Save your used tortillons and blending stumps! Their graphiteladen worn points are ideal for scrubbing in soft textures and suggesting far away trees and misty scenes, such as in Early Morn at Witton Marsh (Figure 7). A tortillon was used to shade the old plastered wall in Figure 6. Figure 7 Light to Super Light Values Now we re entering the realms of gentle shading, required by skies and other large areas. This requires delicacy and a super-smooth finish. Figure 8 To shade small areas with light to super light values, use a flat face. Secure a piece of card across your drawing and rest your hand or little finger on it, and allow it to slide across the card. For large areas, use the grip shown in Figure 8 and let the weight of the pencil do the job. It s imperative to maintain a light contact of pencil to paper.

7 The lily in Figure 9 features both linear shading and blending with a tapered stroke (lines that feather and fade to white), working from dark to light. Figure 9 I worked on one single petal of the lily at a time, so I could concentrate on its unique three-dimensional form. I began every line of shading at the base or tip and then moved towards the highlight, where I gently decreased the weight until my pencil finally lifted clear of the surface. Then I blended very lightly with a tortillon. Figure 10 To shade smaller areas, such as skin tones (Figure 10), work from your wrist. For large areas, such as a sky or background, try working from your elbow or shoulder. Working from your shoulder or elbow allows you to draw in larger and flatter arcs, but your hand will still be fully in control of pressure. When blending, bear in mind that it will remove some of the graphite and lighten the original value. The background and fabric in Figure 11 (on the next page) were rendered by lightly applying unbroken to-and-fro shading with a 2H and varying the line lengths. With the graphite deposited only on the tops of the paper s tooth, it blended flawlessly. 7

8 8 The gentle blending was achieved using toilet tissue wrapped around a finger, working in small circles to achieve maximum coverage. I used to photograph dogs with a Canon film camera and motor drive that could take a photo every half a second. Figure 11 It was seeing the changes that took place between each photo that made me realize that a single photograph is just a frozen moment in time. It is an ever-changing image not one carved in stone. So, include the essentials but use your artistic licence to interpret the rest. Remember: no matter what skill level you attain, you will always find work that exceeds your own abilities. Drawing from Line to Life by Mike Sibley We all begin at the same point we just take our own time to reach our full potential. Just relax and enjoy yourself! Foreword by renowned artist, David Shepherd Happy shading! More than 625 illustrations Cheers Tools, techniques, methods Over 280 pages of pencil drawing tips, tutorials, demonstrations and much more... Step-by-step instructions For the Novice and Advanced student From pure line drawing through to near-reality Based on Mike s experience of over 30 years as a professional artist and graphite pencil specialist.