How to Give Your Drawings Depth with Shading

Learn how to make your flat drawings look 3D by using simple shading techniques with your pencil. HowTo: Family Edition: family how-tos that actually help.

1. Pick your light source. Before you start, imagine a little sun in the corner of your paper. If the light is coming from the top-right, the shadows will always fall on the bottom-left side of your object.
2. Practice your pressure. On a scrap piece of paper, draw a line. Press hard at one end and slowly lighten your touch as you move to the other side. This is called a gradient, and it helps you make smooth transitions from dark to light.
3. Add the core shadow. On your drawing, identify the side farthest from your 'light source.' Gently shade that area, keeping your pencil strokes close together. Don't press too hard yet—you can always add more dark later.
4. Blend it out. Use your finger or a blending stump to gently rub the pencil marks. This softens the edges and makes the shading look realistic instead of scratchy.
5. Add the highlight. Use your eraser to clean up the area closest to your light source. Removing a little bit of graphite makes that spot look bright and shiny, which creates a great contrast.