Is Drawing Shading More Significant Than Outlines

“How Shading Can Help To Create 3D Realism”

By Michael Dale

You don't' get a sense of solidity by just drawing an object's outline... there is no impression of form and substance.

The reason is that an outline is nothing more than a framework. At best, all it can do is show the boundary limits of the subject you are trying to draw. The outline does not give any surface information. It wouldn't matter if the object was made from wood, stone, metal or fabric... there is no clue given.

An art beginner might think that drawing outlines is the most important skill. If so... they are wrong. It doesn't matter whether you want to draw with pencil, charcoal, inks, chalks or paints... it is what you do with the space inside the outline that counts.

Shading skills are at least as important to creating substance in your drawing. It allows you to show form and solidity. It also allows you to emphasize shape and show the texture of the object. When mastered, shading can help you to distinguish between material qualities. You can show the boundaries between land, sea and sky. You can show the difference between tooth and claw... or skin and fur.

The great news is that shading isn't hard to learn. If you can spare a few moments at any time of the day... all you have to do is pick up a pen or pencil and make marks on a piece of paper.

Don’t think too hard about it. All you need to do is draw or scribble a few lines and curves naturally…

Try to create an even tone by filling a small area
Try grading the tone of shading from light to dark
And now from dark to light
Finally, create dark shading with some varying strength highlights

So, now you are going to ask the question... “How do I shade?

In the 1800's, John Ruskin suggested drawing a square with a pen (around 1 inch by 1 inch) as a boundary. All you do now is fill the square with short dash lines and curves. You draw them evenly, in all directions. You continue doing this until you fill the square with an even level of shading density.

At the beginning, it isn’t as easy to do as it sounds. This form of shading (hatching) takes a steady hand to get even shading density. You will find some areas lighter than you want and other areas too dark.

Don't worry about it... the more practice you do the better your shading will get.

Go on... Give it a try. You'll soon see that you can easily master your shading skills.

Michael Dale is the author of 1- Color Is Best (the quick and easy way to learn to paint watercolor) and 3- Colors Are All You Need (mix any color you want fast using only 3 colors). Contact http://www.Paint-And-Draw.com to find out more.

You can also find a FREE drawing and painting course edited by Michael Dale at http://www.DrawingFoundations.com

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