This tutorial teaches you an easy and practical way to draw realistic shadows with graphite or other drawing tools. Let's try!
Steps
Step 1. A three-dimensional drawing will have a flat or two-dimensional appearance, without the aid of shading
Step 2. If we have a light source in the upper left of the image to draw, we can simulate a three-dimensional object by adding several layers of gray (one darker than the other)
Start with a light gray or white layer for the area close to the light. You can use various shades of gray or color to create this effect.
Step 3. If the gray levels blend together where the shadows meet, you can further simulate the appearance of the object's volume
Step 4. This effect can be achieved using pen and ink, drawing intersecting lines to simulate the look and the layers of light and shadow
This technique is commonly used in illustrations and comics. For other print media, the "halftone" process is used, which allows you to print small dots of various sizes to simulate shading.
Step 5. Here is an example of shading with various layers of gray
The sketch shown here was created using the image of actress Milla Jovovich. I sketched the image with a very dark rough pencil and only drew the darker parts of the image.
Step 6. Leaving the lighter part of the image blank, the rest of the drawing was shaded with a light shading coloring tool
Step 7. Using a tinting tool for slightly darker shadows, I made the darker areas
Step 8. The darker areas were instead made with a tinting tool for darker shades
Step 9. By blending the edges of each shadow with a shadow blending tool, the final image will have the three-dimensional look typical of photographs
Advice
- Work slowly, and always start with lighter tones. It is easier to add shadows than to remove them.
- The hardness of the pencil / graphite ranges from hardest to softest in the following order: 6H, 4H, 2H, H, HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B. HB also called No.2
- DO NOT blend with your fingers. Oils can damage paper. If you can't find Tortillions, use a fabric.
- For extra effect, highlight the area with a colored pencil, then use a matte. For example, you could draw a rose with graphite, paint the flower red while leaving the stem and leaves gray, then use a dark red matte in a silver frame. Silver and black are coordinated with graphite, red accentuates the flower.
- Cross-hatch - crossed parallel lines.
- Hatch - lines parallel to infinity.
Warnings
- Soft graphite is more difficult to handle and will deburr more easily. However, the harder tips tend to cut through the paper and are more difficult to blend. Use HB or softer.
- Do not smear graphite. You may leave stains on the design. Use a Tortillon to blend to avoid smudging.
