How to Shade Circles in Pencil Sketching and Line Drawing

If you're artistic and love the art of drawing, then you must learn how to shade circles when you are pencil sketching. It will enhance your drawings from flat two-dimensional sketches to vibrant 3D looking creations.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tablet
• Pencil set
• Round ball
• Light source
• Paper
• Eraser

1. Place your round ball on the white piece of paper.

2. Aim the light source at the round ball so that it casts a shadow over the paper. This will give you a real life 3 dimensional representation of how the shadow falls.

3. Sketch a circle using your pencil set on your tablet, about the same size as your ball with the light source on it.

4. Notice the different characteristics of the round ball with the light source on it. There will be a bright spot where the light hits the ball. Also, there will be a crescent moon-shaped shadow on the back half of the ball. Finally, you will see a shadow cast onto the paper, which the ball is resting on. You want to take those characteristics and apply them to your drawing.

5. Shade in the crescent moon type shadow in the back half of your drawing. Don't worry if you smudge the line of the circle as you can clean it up with your eraser.

6. Create the "hot spot" on the circle where the light source hits your circle. The best way to do this is to draw a smaller circle within your larger circle in front of the shaded crescent moon area. Keep this area white and shade with a slightly lighter pencil than you used for your crescent moon shading around it.

7. Add a shadow behind your two dimensional circle. Remember to use your real life example as your guide. This shadow should start darkest right next to the circle and gradually get lighter as it fans out.

8. Smudge any lines you have created with your fingers in and around your shaded circle. This will give an added authenticity to the drawing, as it won't be marred by rigid lines.

Tips & Warnings

• Once you've learned how to shade circles, move onto boxes and other objects you can make look 3 dimensional with your artistic prowess.
• Share your artistic skills. Many people feel as if they can't draw. By showing them some simple pointers such as shading, you'll have them creating life-like sketches in no time.