How I struggled to understand the art of shading

This is a perfect example of bad shading, or rather lack of shading.

This was my budgie and it was all white. I knew it’s going to be difficult to draw it, but I had a go anyway. The result is pretty poor. Looks almost as if it had smooth body, not feathers. I put some shading there, but not enough.

Here’s another, more recent example of poor shading.

It’s better than the parrot, but not there yet. I could defend myself now and say these flowers were too difficult to draw, as they were almost white and shading was near impossible to do, but I think I could have done a better job.

I can’t say it’s the same with all, who start drawing, but I was in a way afraid of shading. I was afraid of making it really dark, I thought it would be too dark, and  wrong. Only lately I realized that it’s actually good. Shades are dark! So if you are like me, if you’re afraid of the dark 😉  don’t be, there’s nothing to be scared of.

Some find it difficult to grade the shade correctly, to ‘go into the light’ from the dark. No pressure, and I mean, no pressure, the lighter your strokes and grip on the pencil are, the easier it will be. Yes, it will take time, but at least you won’t find yourself facing a black spot where it just be just a little grey.

Here’s a proof that dark is good. Making it even darker wouldn’t ruin it, but improved it even more, although it should be applied moderately, the shades are already there, not much more needed.

My early work

Unfortunately I can’t share my very first drawings with you, so not stick-men type drawing here. This little piece is my first attempt at more mature drawing, as I would call it.

It’s not entirely bad, but it’s not good either. Fur structure is missing, there’s something wrong with the nose, and is could use some more shading. For a first attempt it’s OK. There was a long road ahead of me at that stage, but it was fun and that’s all that matters really.

Felling that drawing fur is more difficult, I turned to more smooth creatures: butterflies.

Again, they’re missing shading. I could have also use the pencils more skillfully. After butterflies, I attempted drawing more animals, with various results (not always good).

The work is consistent in lacking shading and a ‘realism factor’. These are drawings, no more. Not much life to them. But this was my beginning.