OLFA/SENIOR TWO/DRAWING/SHADING TECHNIQUES

Shading techniques

Shading is basically showing change from light to dark or dark to light in a picture by darkening areas that would be shadowed and leaving anther areas light. Shading is often used to produce illusions of dimension and depth.

Shading is the part that makes a drawing go from a flat contour drawing to a 3 dimensional illusion.

Below are the common shading techniques used in drawing. We are going to use spheres while experimenting with shading techniques

Hatching

This is the most common shading technique and it consists of a series of lines that go in one general direction. You can use it to shade just about anything

Cross hatching

Cross hatching is where you overlap lines at various angles. To shade light areas, lighten your lines and space them further apart. In shadowed areas, darken them and bring them closer together. It’s great for drawing fabrics like burlap, textured (wrinkly) skin and whatever else you can think of that displays such a pattern.

Scribbling

Also knowing as scumbling, is a fun way to shade a drawing and it goes fast. It basically involves placing your drawing tool to on your sketch and make random movement according to the effect of light. In dark areas of your composition you make many and strong scribbles. In light areas you create few, scattered and lighter scribbles.

Blending

Smooth gradations of value are produced either by adjusting the amount of pressure applied to the medium or by using a blending tool, such a blending stump.

Dotting (stripling)

This is all about using dots to create shades on a drawing. To create variations of tones in this technique, dark dots are placed in the shadow areas of the drawing and lighter dots are placed in areas that are receiving or are close to the light source. You can use different sizes of markers to make different sizes of dots when you are using the stripling technique.

Contour Shading

This shading technique is similar to hatching and cross hatching. The difference is that the lines are curved to follow the contours of the subject. So these lines can be drawn horizontally, vertically and even diagonally. the idea is to have the lines follow the shape of what you are drawing.

Zentangles and patterns

You can also use any pattern you would like for shading including zentangle types patterns. Just evaluate how dark a pattern will be and fill the area corresponding to this shade with your zentangle pattern.

WATCH VIDEO TO GET MORE INSIGHTS ON SHADING TECHNIQUES