In order to learn to draw volumetric figures, it is very important to master the technique that will allow you to achieve the most realistic images. Pencil shading makes it possible to create not only simple pictures, but also to convey complex images.

Technology capabilities

Hatching with a pencil allows you to accurately depict the required tone. Such drawings are made with lines of different frequencies, which allows you to depict tones of different saturation. Cross hatching is used to deepen the tone.

If you look closely at a drawing made using this technique, even in the darkest tone you can detect all types of shading: vertical, horizontal and oblique. With the help of pencil shading, you can not only convey the tone of the drawing, but even show the surface of the objects depicted on it.

In addition to the usual straight shading, relief shading is often used in drawing. This type of drawing filling is necessary to give individual objects relief (as the name suggests). For example, arched lines are often used to design elements such as human lips.

It will be useful for a beginner to keep on his desktop the so-called stroke palette, which shows various types and shades of shading. With the help of such a table it will be easier to understand which shading should be used in each specific case. It would be ideal if this palette was created by the painter himself, because, among other things, this is also an excellent skill training.

Teaching a small child

Teaching children to draw can begin from the very beginning. early age. When a child is just learning to draw a pencil on paper, you can already begin to teach him to do it correctly, to apply the first strokes, painting over some cat or house. At the same time, the child does not need to know all drawing techniques in general and shading in particular. The most you can teach him is to paint the house using different tones. Pencil shading is ideal for small drawings such as a house or a car. For children, it is not so important that the texture of the house is perfectly depicted, the main thing is that it is very similar to real home, and the baby did it himself.

Drawing for preschoolers

All children love to draw. Most often, the creations of preschoolers can hardly be called drawings; rather, they are simply a set of icons, individual objects, or schematic animals suspended “in the air.” If you started drawing with your child from early childhood, then by the age of 5-7 years they should already have mastered the initial shading with a pencil. For preschoolers, this is a quite interesting way of drawing, because it does not require any special skills. However, by this age the child is already quite capable of portraying geometric shapes, indicating light and shadow.

In addition to drawing skills, shading with a pencil for preschoolers also helps the development fine motor skills, helps teach perseverance and even instill good handwriting.

Complex drawings

Pencil shading was born from lithography and line etching. The great artists of the Norman school were fond of this painting technique. With the advent of the pencil in our lives, this type of art received a new development. Many magnificent drawings were created using this technique. With skillful use of the stroke, you can create an image that has volume and conveys space. Different line thicknesses allow you to realistically convey the depth of space.

A competent draftsman is able to depict incredible complex paintings, looking at which it is simply impossible to believe that this is shading with a simple pencil. Often, paintings are created that look more like photographs, with many tones, transitions and the smallest expressive details.

To achieve success in drawing, you must practice constantly. Pencil shading is not the most difficult drawing method; you can even learn it on your own by studying the works of masters and repeating the exercises. By analyzing and identifying your mistakes, you can achieve success in pencil drawing. There have already been cases in history when a person became popular artist, although he began to draw at an advanced age.

How to shade a background with a pencil

Lesson No. 1. Types of shading.

Hatching

There are always gaps between the drawn lines. High-quality shading of any fragment has approximately the same length of strokes, the distance between them and the slope. The strokes are clear, even, without rounding.

Michelangelo (fragment of the sketch “Madonna Taddy”)

Hatching that maintains shape

Hatching that does not maintain shape

2. Cross

3. Contour

4. Spot

5. Random (zigzag)

Examples of poor-quality shading:

Lesson #2. 5 secrets of a beautiful touch.

Using this example, we will consider the features of beautiful shading. + Video - Lesson.

Yudaev-Racei Yuri, “Bananas”
Using this example, we will consider the features of beautiful shading.

5 principles of beautiful shading:

First, a beautiful stroke is made with confident and quick movements. I have already written about how to draw straight lines; they are needed not by themselves (“that’s how great I can draw a straight line without a ruler!”), but as an element of the stroke. In the figure these lines are very readable. To draw straight lines this way, you need to hold the pencil correctly. Lines drawn by a trembling, uncertain hand are unlikely to look impressive)

The tone is developed by cross-hatching, increasing pressure and more frequent strokes. But first of all, it is important to cross the lines - look, even in the darkest place the paper shines through the shading. This gives an overall impression of cleanliness.

No shading is used. I'm not saying that you can't extinguish at all. You cannot mix cross-hatching and shading in one drawing; if you rub it, then the whole drawing. Because when the graphite is smeared only in a few places, it seems as if it is a consequence of general sloppiness. This happens, for example, when, while shading, your hand moves across the paper and rubs the finished areas - these stains are then difficult to get rid of. It’s easier to avoid them by placing a clean piece of paper under your hand.

The stroke is applied according to the shape. For example, in the figure you can see that bananas lie on a horizontal plane, and behind them there is a vertical plane. If a horizontal plane is hatched with vertical lines, it will rear up) Which, in general, is partly what happened in the lower right corner of the drawing.

What is most carefully studied is what is on foreground— there are the strongest chiaroscuro contrasts. In the distance, the tonal transitions are smoother, everything seems to be shrouded in haze - this is how an aerial perspective is shown.

And most importantly, you don’t need to be afraid of drawing the line incorrectly, going over the line, etc. Otherwise, you will feel constrained, and this feeling will certainly be transmitted to the viewer (if you decide to show someone a tortured drawing). To do well, you need to draw WITH PLEASURE and think less about the result).

Lesson #3. Practical part.

Shading may seem difficult. However, correct shading in itself is not simple; it takes years to perfect, and it can become the master’s personal style.

Tonal shading.

Draw a simple rectangle and try to shade it evenly using only one angle. The strokes should be light. Your strokes should start smoothly and then fade away just as smoothly. At the same time, the wrist should work very well, swinging like a conductor’s hand, and not your fingers.

1) Why do you start learning to draw with a pencil first? Not because it is a cheap material, but because errors are most noticeable in b/w color.
2) Before drawing an object, still life or portrait, lay out the layout from lightest to darkest. At the first stage, you can number and determine in the drawing where what color will be.

3) We shade not with one movement, but with several, tear the pencil off the paper.
4) We apply the stroke according to the shape of the object.
5) Some artists start drawing from the lightest places, but they are erased during the drawing process, even if you hold the pencil correctly. I usually start shading from the darkest places.
6) It’s a bad habit to draw everything separately. This problem occurs in many people and needs to be eliminated. That is, a person first draws one flower, then another petal, and after a couple of days everything else. And in general we get a broken drawing. Everything needs to be drawn evenly, without focusing on one object. Draw holistically, starting from the background, let it be light at the first stage, you will always have time to darken it. And move on.
7) Don't try to immediately darken the work with one stroke. Apply it gradually layer by layer. Stroke in different directions, but not crosswise.

Continuous hatching:

For best practice, do another continuous and gradual darkening from light to dark and vice versa. In this case, shading in different directions will help convey the gradient more smoothly. First use one medium soft pencil and see how it turns out. if the tone is not enough, then use pencils of greater softness. Never use finger blending or other special blending tools. Instead, try to create multi-layered shading with varying pressure on the stylus.

By training your hands, ensure that the shading is uniform and the lines are straighter. Practice as much as possible, in your free evenings or on weekends.

Before us is a drawing “Bananas”, artist-owned Yuri Yudaev-Rachei. Using this wonderful and very revealing example, we will look at the features of correct and beautiful shading.

5 principles

beautiful shading:

1. First, pay attention to clear parallel straight lines. Straight lines need to be trained separately; they are needed as an element of the stroke, and not on their own (“look how I can draw a straight line without a ruler!”). In the figure these lines are very readable. To draw straight lines this way, you need to hold the pencil correctly. A beautiful stroke is made with confident and quick movements. Lines drawn by a trembling, uncertain hand are unlikely to look impressive).

2. No shading is used. Nobody forbids extinguishing at all. But you cannot mix cross-hatching and shading in one drawing. If you rub it, then the entire drawing and do not leave strokes. Because when the graphite is smeared only in some places, it seems as if this is a consequence of general sloppiness. This happens, for example, when, while shading, your hand moves across the paper and smears the drawing. This is bad manners. By the way, to avoid smearing with your hand, do not forget to place a clean piece of paper under your hand.

3. The most attention is paid to the development of what is in the foreground, because there are the strongest contrasts of light and shade. In the distance, the tonal transitions are smoother and smoother, everything seems to be shrouded in haze. This is no coincidence: this is a way to convey aerial perspective in a drawing.

4. The stroke is applied according to the shape. For example, in bananas you can see that the strokes are slightly rounded, and this is how the round shape of the fruit is conveyed. In addition, looking at the picture, we see that the bananas lie on a horizontal plane, and behind them there is a vertical plane, apparently this is a wall. The artist conveyed this to us precisely through the direction of the stroke. If a horizontal plane is hatched with vertical lines, it will rear up. Which, in general, partly happened in the lower right corner of the picture.

5. A darker tone is achieved by increasing pressure, cross-hatching, and more frequent overlapping of strokes. But first of all, it is important to cross the lines. Look, even in the darkest place the paper shines through the shading. This gives an overall impression of cleanliness.

And most importantly, there is no need to be afraid of stepping outside the line, drawing the line incorrectly, etc. This feeling of constraint will certainly be transmitted to the viewer (if you decide to show someone a tortured drawing). To do well, you need to draw WITH PLEASURE and think less about the result. So practice your strokes. I mean special exercises that are done separately, just as in childhood we trained writing numbers, writing out entire pages of ones and twos.

When I was doing a task on a bunch of textured spots, I was looking for types of shading with pencil and ink. Maybe it will be useful for someone else.

top left: hatching called lamb. It is performed with circular movements of the hand without lifting it from the paper.
top right: cross hatching.
bottom left: chaotic shading is done without lifting the pencil from the paper. It is created without any standards, just move your hand as it moves itself
bottom right: basket shading. First of all, make a few short strokes at a short distance from each other, then do the same only in the other direction and so on until the end.

What is your favorite type of shading?

bonus:

You can rub the lines with a piece of cotton wool wrapped around a match.
Old masters made special “shadings” from suede or soft leather for these purposes. The suede is cut into a trapezoid shape, the base dimensions are approximately 10cm. and 6 cm., height 6 cm.. Spread on the smooth side with skin glue, the plane is within the small side of the trapezoid. After this, it is rolled tightly into a roller, starting from the large side of the trapezoid and bandaged. After drying, the pointed ends of the roller are sanded with sandpaper. This “shading” will be enough to work for many years.

Nowadays such shadings are made from paper in the factory.

Exercise 1.

Take a piece of thin paper and, starting from the top, draw straight horizontal lines. Trying to leave a small, equal space between the lines, fill the entire sheet with these lines. Draw quickly, in one long stroke; the slower you draw the line, the more crooked it will be. Most likely, the lines will be very crooked at the top of the sheet and much smoother towards the bottom. It is clear that it is far from ideal, but if you get one or two straight lines, this is a good start. Now on the same sheet draw straight lines vertical lines from top to bottom, lines diagonally from right to left and left to right.

Exercise 2.

Using a vertical and horizontal line, divide the sheet into four equal parts. Fill these parts with horizontal, vertical and diagonal (right to left and left to right) lines.

Exercise 3.

Draw a square approximately in the middle of the sheet. Don't try to draw it with four perfect lines, you should draw the sides of the square right through, drawing additional lines until the square turns out to be a square. Write a circle in the square. Move the pencil freely in a circle, from one point of contact with the side of the square to the other, the more additional lines you draw in the search correct form, the better. Shade the circle with diagonal lines from right to left and left to right.

Exercise 4.

Draw a series of small squares, approximately 3x3 centimeters. Try to keep the squares the same size and at the same distance from each other. Below, draw a series of circles of approximately the same size. Alternate rows, trying to get even columns of figures.

You can come up with such exercises yourself and alternate them as you like.

: put two points on a sheet of paper and connect them with one movement with a straight line. Gradually move the points further apart and place them under different angles, but it is important not to rotate the sheet. over time, move to three points, etc. Usually they end with five points to draw the correct star.

Do these exercises daily and also before you start drawing. Your movements will be more confident and professional.

Today I will tell you about several pencil drawing techniques. In the previous lesson in this series, you learned " ". And now we’ll take a closer look: where to start drawing?

What is important when shading pencil drawing? Try to avoid a “ragged” stroke, when the impact of the lead on the paper at the beginning of the stroke produces a noticeable thickening. Make sure that the stroke line is uniform in color and thickness. It is very important to sharpen the pencil well for this. (find out) Stroke in one direction only, do not lead the pencil in reverse side on paper.

There are also other techniques. Strokes can be superimposed on each other at different angles, in several directions, for example, at an angle of 30.45 or 90 degrees. But don't crosshatch it with a lattice. Such shading evokes associations with the lattice itself and will distract from the design itself, but it also does not look very aesthetically pleasing.

First, you need to develop a little hand motor skills and get your hand “accustomed” to drawing. Suitable for this simple exercises. For all these exercises, the sheet position is portrait. Often beginners ignore these exercises, because they really want to start creating as soon as possible, but then you will most likely be faced with the fact that the pencil will not obey you.

Let's do a few exercises together that are done in:

Exercise 1.

Take a piece of thin paper and, starting from the top, draw straight horizontal lines. Trying to leave a small, equal space between the lines, fill the entire sheet with these lines. Draw quickly, in one long stroke; the slower you draw the line, the more crooked it will be. Most likely, the lines will be very crooked at the top of the sheet and much smoother towards the bottom. It is clear that it is far from ideal, but if you get one or two straight lines on the sheet, this is a good start. Now on the same sheet of paper, draw straight vertical lines from top to bottom, diagonal lines from right to left and from left to right.

Exercise 2.

Using a vertical and horizontal line, divide the sheet into four equal parts. Fill these parts with horizontal, vertical and diagonal (right to left and left to right) lines.

Exercise 3.

Draw a square approximately in the middle of the sheet. Don't try to draw it with four perfect lines, you should draw the sides of the square right through, drawing additional lines until the square turns out to be a square. Write a circle in the square. Move the pencil loosely in a circle, from one point of contact with the side of the square to the other, the more additional lines you draw in search of the correct shape, the better. Shade the circle with diagonal lines from right to left and left to right.

Exercise 4.

Draw a series of small squares, approximately 3?3 centimeters. Try to keep the squares the same size and at the same distance from each other. Below, draw a series of circles of approximately the same size. Alternate rows, trying to get even columns of figures.

You can come up with such exercises yourself and alternate them as you like. The main thing is to do at least one similar exercise before each drawing lesson at the beginning of your studies. I often start with the first exercise, after which my hand moves the pencil more confidently. The hardest part for me is the diagonal lines from left to right.

Learning to draw is quite possible; you just need, as in any other business, to acquire the necessary skills, a little effort, and then it will not be difficult for you to express your ideas on paper or canvas.

I was taught another way: put two dots on a piece of paper and connect them with one movement with a straight line. Gradually move the points further apart and place them at different angles, but make sure not to rotate the sheet... over time, move to three points...... etc. Usually they end up with five points, to draw the correct star, the eye again develops.

Do these exercises daily and also before you start drawing. Your movements will be more confident and professional.