Types of shading.
To create volume and lighting in a drawing, artists use shading. With its help, the tonal elaboration of the sheet is carried out. Below I will talk about eight types of shading that are most often used in classical drawing:
1. Regular single-layer zigzag shading. The pencil moves left and right without leaving the sheet. A zigzag-like stroke is formed.
2. Applying two layers of zigzag stroke. The intersection angle should not be 90 degrees. With such an intersection, an ugly “lattice” is formed. The intersection of strokes should form “diamonds”.
3. Hatching, in which the pencil touches the paper only when a line is drawn. The pencil smoothly descends to the sheet, draws a line, and then smoothly comes off the paper. This type of shading allows you to connect strokes very softly and imperceptibly. The plane of the sheet is filled with strokes evenly, without joints or “seams”.
4. Stroke around the circumference. The pencil movements are the same as in hatching number 3, only in a circle.
5. Hatching, similar to option number 4. But the number of layers here can be arbitrary. The length of the strokes is short, which allows you to delicately “sculpt” complex shapes, for example in a portrait.
6. The intersection of two layers of a stroke at an acute angle. The stroke is not “zigzag”. After drawing a line, the pencil comes off the paper every time.
7. Hatching, in which the stroke lines intersect at different angles. Both the angle and the number of layers are arbitrary. This touch is well suited for tonal elaboration of complex shaped planes and crumpled draperies.
8. Combined shading at different angles. There is one layer, although during further work you can introduce additional layers. This type of shading is well suited for working out complex, geometrically irregular shapes, such as rocky textures.
When working on a tonal drawing, you need to remember that the stroke most often should follow the shape of the object. It kind of “fits” the shape. In this case, the tone saturation (the level of “blackness”) can be dialed in two ways: with the force of pressing the pencil and the number of layers of shading. In this case, the stroke should not be “dull”, that is, the paper should still be slightly visible through the lines of the stroke. Otherwise, there may be some “grubiness” of the stroke, which makes a bad impression.
Connecting stroke lines into a single whole.
In a drawing, a short stroke is often welcomed, which can be “laid” according to the shape of the depicted object. But how to work, for example, the plane of a wall with short strokes? In this case, the strokes are connected into a block. In the table below, I have given an example of how this can be done:
Another important point in drawing is the combination of working with a plane and the point of a pencil. The stroke can be “fluffy”, that is, wide and blurry. Or it can become clear and sharp. Hatching uses each of these approaches, both individually and in combination with each other. The table below shows combinations of sharp and broad strokes:
First way. With a broad stroke you can make the basis of the drawing - the first layer. And on top, in the second layer, use a sharp stroke and detailed work.
Second way. The juxtaposition of wide and sharp strokes creates an interesting texture. If the stroke is made short and multidirectional, then it can work through the mass of foliage in the crown of the tree.
Third way. Soft fabric materials, fur, foliage... are worked out with a wide, soft stroke. It conveys the materiality of such a surface well. A sharp stroke is used to work on objects made of metal, glass, plaster, etc. That is, where clarity and rigidity are needed.
In conclusion, I would like to say that there are different techniques for creating tonal drawings, a large number of varieties of shading, and different approaches to work. But the key points described in this article are the basis on which work on academic drawing is based.
Alexey Epishin.
You can see how the above is implemented in practice using the example of my work in the section.
How to learn to hatch beautifully? Mainly through regular and persistent training. But there are some techniques that are very useful to achieve good results.
Where to begin?
First, sharpen your pencils properly so that your strokes are even and clear. . Medium soft pencils (B or B2) are best for training.
You need to hold the pencil correctly, namely, place it loosely on your palm, pressing it with your thumb, and only lightly holding it with the rest. In this case, you need to hold the pencil closer to the lower tip. At first it is quite difficult, but when mastered, this position of the instrument gives a great advantage, significantly improving the technique.
Learning to hatch
Build up the tone in the shadows with cross strokes, rather than putting too much pressure on the pencil or completely “painting over” the space, and also avoid rubbing the strokes with your finger - even accidentally, if you do not want to give the impression of smudged work.
The stroke is applied according to the shape of the object to emphasize it. You should not hatch a round apple with straight lines, and the table underneath it with vertical lines, otherwise you will get a flat apple strung with strange bristles. To convey the form, you can use horizontal, vertical, or oblique strokes.
Apply more strokes in the foreground, highlighting it, and leave the background as if melting into a haze.
The main thing is that you don’t need to stroke slowly, thoughtfully drawing out each line, or quietly lead the pencil with a trembling hand.
Don't be afraid to go beyond the contours. Apply strokes quickly and confidently, without thinking about your every move, and every time you will do better and better!
Remember that the ability to hatch comes with experience. Therefore, learn, try to make beautiful shading and gain experience!
Types of shading.
To create volume and lighting in a drawing, artists use shading. With its help, the tonal elaboration of the sheet is carried out. Below I will talk about eight types of shading that are most often used in classical drawing:
1. Regular single-layer zigzag shading. The pencil moves left and right without leaving the sheet. A zigzag-like stroke is formed.
2. Applying two layers of zigzag stroke. The intersection angle should not be 90 degrees. With such an intersection, an ugly “lattice” is formed. The intersection of strokes should form “diamonds”.
3. Hatching, in which the pencil touches the paper only when a line is drawn. The pencil smoothly descends to the sheet, draws a line, and then smoothly comes off the paper. This type of shading allows you to connect strokes very softly and imperceptibly. The plane of the sheet is filled with strokes evenly, without joints or “seams”.
4. Stroke around the circumference. The pencil movements are the same as in hatching number 3, only in a circle.
5. Hatching, similar to option number 4. But the number of layers here can be arbitrary. The length of the strokes is short, which allows you to delicately “sculpt” complex shapes, for example in a portrait.
6. The intersection of two layers of a stroke at an acute angle. The stroke is not “zigzag”. After drawing a line, the pencil comes off the paper every time.
7. Hatching, in which the stroke lines intersect at different angles. Both the angle and the number of layers are arbitrary. This touch is well suited for tonal elaboration of complex shaped planes and crumpled draperies.
8. Combined shading at different angles. There is one layer, although during further work you can introduce additional layers. This type of shading is well suited for working out complex, geometrically irregular shapes, such as rocky textures.
When working on a tonal drawing, you need to remember that the stroke most often should follow the shape of the object. It kind of “fits” the shape. In this case, the tone saturation (the level of “blackness”) can be dialed in two ways: with the force of pressing the pencil and the number of layers of shading. In this case, the stroke should not be “dull”, that is, the paper should still be slightly visible through the lines of the stroke. Otherwise, there may be some “grubiness” of the stroke, which makes a bad impression.
Connecting stroke lines into a single whole.
In a drawing, a short stroke is often welcomed, which can be “laid” according to the shape of the depicted object. But how to work, for example, the plane of a wall with short strokes? In this case, the strokes are connected into a block. In the table below, I have given an example of how this can be done:
A combination of wide and sharp hatching lines.
Another important point in drawing is the combination of working with a plane and the point of a pencil. The stroke can be “fluffy”, that is, wide and blurry. Or it can become clear and sharp. Hatching uses each of these approaches, both individually and in combination with each other. The table below shows combinations of sharp and broad strokes:
First way. With a broad stroke you can make the basis of the drawing - the first layer. And on top, in the second layer, use a sharp stroke and detailed work.
Second way. The juxtaposition of wide and sharp strokes creates an interesting texture. If the stroke is made short and multidirectional, then it can work through the mass of foliage in the crown of the tree.
Third way. Soft fabric materials, fur, foliage... are worked out with a wide, soft stroke. It conveys the materiality of such a surface well. A sharp stroke is used to work on objects made of metal, glass, plaster, etc. That is, where clarity and rigidity are needed.
In conclusion, I would like to say that there are different techniques for creating tonal drawings, a large number of varieties of shading, and different approaches to work. But the key points described in this article are the basis on which work on academic drawing is based.
You can see how the above is implemented in practice using an example of my work in the “Drawings” section.
5 secrets of a beautiful touch.
During the course “I am an artist”, which I am currently teaching, a question arose “How to learn to hatch beautifully?” I think this is interesting not only to course participants, so I’m posting the answer here)
The discussion started with this picture:
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, increased 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 in the 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 aerial perspective is shown.
- Shading of strokes must be done along the strokes, but not across. By shading along the strokes, you will achieve a more natural toning.
- For shading, not only simple shading is used, but also zigzag strokes.
And most importantly, you don’t have to be afraid to draw the line incorrectly, go 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).
Another important note: the characteristics of shading largely depend on the person’s character and temperament. It's like handwriting. So don't be discouraged if your shading style is different from other artists, and only compare your drawings to your own!
Learning to draw - Hatching with pencil and pen
In this lesson we will learn how to use a pen and pencil when shading.
The figure below shows a regular sketch of a face made with a ballpoint pen, and a close-up of an eye, depicted using smeared and soft shading with a simple pencil.
Here is a very ordinary illustration that shows the basic way of using a pencil when shading.
This type of shading is easy to achieve; all you need to do is move the pencil back and forth.
This type of shading is the simplest not only for a pencil, but also for a pen; it will certainly suit anyone.
Let's look at a few more shading techniques. To get a very dark background, take a look at the example on the left. If you press the pencil a little harder each time, you can make the tone darker. The area of the drawing we need can be painted in exactly this way.
A more rigid shading is shown in the example on the right. To do this, at the end of each line, we slightly tear the pencil off the paper. We do the rest as described earlier.
Here are a couple more examples of pencil shading. The picture on the left shows that each time we apply shorter and shorter strokes, we imperceptibly reduce them to nothing, similar to a cone. This can have a beneficial effect on most shading areas.
In the figure on the right, the strokes are depicted with movements in a circle. It is also sometimes suitable for use in small areas of fine shading, either when depicting fabric or for drawing other "special" structures. When using such movements, you can give the drawing a certain disorder.
Below is a sketch that was drawn with a simple ballpoint pen, next to it is a close-up of the shading I used in the cheekbone area. Here you can see in detail what types of shading I used.
In the image you can see how some lines are distinguished from others by deeper shading, to do this I pressed the pen much harder to make the tones appear darker.
Sei-Hai
Modern online publication about creativity
Drawing Basics: Pencil Drawing Techniques
This article will focus on drawing with a pencil. If you want to learn how to draw, but can't get started, now is the time to start learning. Take a sheet of paper, a pencil and try it. Let's start with the drawing technique.
Pencil drawing technique
There are two main drawing techniques - shading and pencil shading.
Using strokes (short lines) you can very successfully convey the tone of an object. Depending on the number of strokes drawn, you can get different levels of tone saturation (the fewer strokes, the lighter the tone, the more strokes, the darker). By the direction of the strokes you can convey the texture of the surface of the figure. For example, horizontal strokes will convey the surface of the water well, and vertical strokes will convey the grass.
Basically, shading is done with short, straight strokes with approximately the same distance between them. The strokes are applied to the paper with a pencil torn off. First, one thin line is made, then the pencil returns to the starting line, and in this way all other strokes are applied.
Cross hatching can be used to enhance the depth of tone. For example, horizontal shading is applied to the oblique shading, darkening the tone, then on what came out, you can apply oblique shading in the opposite direction to the first - this will darken it even more. The darkest in this case will be the tone where shading in all directions is combined.
Feathering
Shading is one of the main techniques that can be used when drawing for beginning artists. Using gradation of tone, you can add volume to your figure. In general, shading is a special case of shading. After applying the strokes, using the properties of pencil graphite and a special shading tool, they are shaded (smeared) until a uniform tone is obtained.
However, the implementation of shading itself has a number of features.
With the help of such techniques, you can depict anything on paper.
10 common mistakes that beginners make
Most people who like to draw take their first steps on their own. And even if it's just a hobby, they still make various sketches. We want to write about 10 possible mistakes that all beginning artists probably encounter.
1. Wrong pencil
If your shadows aren't coming out well, check the markings on your pencil. Most likely it is too hard. It is recommended to draw shadows with pencils marked B, 2B and 4B, but not HB.
2. Drawing from photographs
Every artist begins to draw from photographs. But very often photographs do not convey enough facial features for a good drawing. When a person's face is positioned from the front, it will be difficult to correctly model their face on paper, since the perspective from behind the head disappears. Try taking a photo where the person's head is tilted slightly to the side. This way the portrait will be more realistic and have better shadows.
3. Wrong basic proportions
Very often people begin to immediately pay attention to details, drawing them completely without sketching the entire drawing. This is wrong because you are not planning the correct proportions in advance. First, it is advisable to sketch out the entire drawing, and only then draw in detail the details.
4. Crooked features
We are used to looking at a person directly and aligning facial features when drawing. As a result, the portrait comes out quite distorted. When drawing complex objects, first try to outline guidelines along which it will be easier to build the drawing later.
5. Drawing of animals
Usually we look down at our animal. This makes the head seem larger to us than the whole body, and normal proportionality is lost. Try to distract the animal so that it turns its muzzle to the side, then the drawing will come out more truthful.
If you draw each hair or blade of grass separately, the drawing will come out disgusting. Try to make sharp sketches, going from dark to light.
Do not try to draw trees, flowers, and leaves with the correct shapes. Use outlines and penumbra for realism.
8. Wrong paper
Before you buy paper, test it on a sample piece of something light. The paper may be too smooth and the design will be faded. Also, the paper may be too stiff and the design will be quite flat.
9. Volume
When conveying volume, try not to use clear lines for the edges. They can be outlined by light lines of different tones.
Very often it is not possible to apply shadows evenly. Try to use the full color range of the pencil, going from lightest to darkest. If you are afraid to overdo it with the dark, put a piece of paper under the edge, and all the black will be on it.
At first it may seem that pencil drawings are too ordinary and dull. But with the help of a pencil you can convey a huge amount of emotions.
A small selection of video channels based on pencil drawing:
From the author: If you are interested in painting, drawing, composition, and art in general, then this is the place for you! By profession I am a Painter-Monumentalist. Graduated from MGAHI named after. Surikov. On the Art Shima channel you will find videos in which I draw and paint in oils, and videos with tips. Since I know many techniques, you can feel free to ask questions, and I will be happy to answer them. By subscribing to my channel, you will be able to see all my new videos.
Interesting video lessons on any topic.
The works are more complex, but with a good description. If you really want it, it will happen.
Drawing technique: shading and shading with pencil
There are two main drawing techniques - shading and pencil shading. Most of those who went to art school will choose a second painting technique. This is what is considered the correct drawing technique, and shading is not recognized at all. But there are also those who have not taken art courses and do not have an art education, including me, but they also draw and very often use shading.
We will not figure out which technique is better and more correct, but will simply talk about these two drawing techniques.
Pencil drawing rules
As you already know, there are two ways to transmit tone - shading And pencil shading. Hatching is more suitable for drawing illustrations, while shading makes the drawing more realistic.
In drawing textbooks you can find many articles about the rules of working with a pencil, about the correct positioning of the hand, and about developing artistic skills.
By no means should you question all these rules, but, in my opinion, they are not suitable for everyone. Due to different characters, artistic skills, and the desire for freedom in drawing, people look for those drawing techniques that are more convenient for them. They don’t want to force themselves into the rules. I think this is why many people do not use pencil shading, but shading, which many call incorrect.
Pencil shading
In the lesson “How to draw a person’s nose with a pencil step by step,” as in other lessons, I used two drawing techniques - first shading and then shading. Shading, as mentioned earlier, will help make the drawing more realistic.
There are basic rules for shading that will help you make it better. The first is to do it only along the strokes, which will give the shading a more natural look. Secondly, for shading you can use not only simple, but also zigzag shading. Third, don’t shade the drawing with your finger! Use cotton swabs or a piece of soft white paper.
Pencil shading
Using pencil shading you can easily convey the desired tone. Hatching is done with short lines (strokes), which makes it possible to obtain different degrees of tone saturation. In order to enhance its depth, cross hatching is used.
If you look closely, you can see that the darkest tone will combine shading in different directions: oblique, vertical and horizontal.
Pencil shading not only has the ability to convey tone, but will also help convey the surfaces of the objects in the drawing.
Relief shading
In conclusion, I would like to say a few words about relief shading. This type of shading is used when you need to convey the surface relief of the object being drawn. For example, I drew lips in the lesson “How to draw lips with a simple pencil: a step-by-step lesson” using arched strokes.
As a rule, relief shading with a pencil is the use of non-direct strokes.
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 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 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 at different angles, but make sure 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.
Let's consider several options for shading with a simple pencil:
1. Free shading
Random shading with an HB pencil Such random strokes will be obtained if you allow your hand to “dance” across the paper in all directions. Hold the pencil firmly, but not tightly, close to the pointed end, and constantly change the direction of movement. Your goal is a fairly uniform medium gray tone. Unlike mechanical cross-hatching, this shading looks bright and vibrant.
The apple is perfect for practicing random shading. In this case, the fruit is lit from behind, so the side facing us represents dark tones of varying intensities, except for the halo of light. A completely flat tone would be boring, but such shading breathed life into the image and gave it zest. The darkest part of the picture is where the apple comes into contact with the surface, but which it lies on.
2. Dot shading
Making dots with pencils H and 2B Hold the pencil firmly and, resting your wrist on the work surface, rhythmically tap the tip of the lead on the paper. Different tones can be achieved in three ways: using different pencils (hard ones give medium and light gray shades, as above, soft ones - almost black or medium gray, like below), changing the pressure force and, finally, placing the points closer to each other to each other or, conversely, longer from each other.
Here the dots are used only to convey dark and medium tones, while the light ones convey the white color of the paper. Squint and look at the drawing. You will see that the densely spaced dots form a shadow. The artist could not resist drawing longitudinal contour lines. But even then, the dots came in handy - they visually break up the lines, making them appear lighter. 
3. Dense shading
Dense shading with a pencil B In this case, a wide stroke is necessary, so take the pencil higher and do not lean your hand on the working surface. If it is difficult to hold your hand up, you can lightly touch the paper with your knuckles. Shade a wide stripe with a lighter tone and then darken it in the middle. This type of shading is ideal for depicting spheres. It is noticeable from the direction of the strokes that the exercise was performed by a right-handed artist.
This bulb receives light from one side, while the other side is in the shade. The rounded shape of the vegetable is conveyed using dense shadow and a small area of reflected light at the bottom left. Contour longitudinal lines go well with tones.
4. Arc shading
A Arc-shaped shading with an HB pencil This classic technique is reminiscent of the shading at the top left, but it can no longer be called random. As you work, rest your hand on the paper and try to make the strokes match the natural curves of the three-dimensional object - the parallels and meridians on the court. Don't forget about different tones. Start with dark, move to medium and end with light.
The arcuate shading serves two purposes here. Firstly, the different intensities of the shades make it possible to convey the shape of an apple, and secondly, the strokes themselves look like interlacing contour lines.
5. Cross hatching
Another fifth technique is cross hatching. You can hatch in two or, as shown in the illustrations below, in three and four directions. Freer options (in two and three directions) are considered the most universal. Please note: strokes made with a soft pencil leave almost no gaps (see illustrations). The ideal uniformity of cross strokes is achieved through numerous exercises. At the same time, using different tones necessary to convey the form is also not an easy task. Finger shading is a good technique, so it's worth using
Uniform cross-hatching looks great on large areas of background art. In addition, it conveys the look of old engravings well.
The artist depicted the relief of the hands using lines and tones. She rendered simple, flat surfaces with dense, uniform and cross-hatching. And complex ones (to measure, a half-closed palm) - with uneven strokes that well reflect the skin texture. The background areas are outlined with cross strokes - densely intertwined and equidistant near the brushes and looser in other places.
