How to Teach Shading Art Lessons
Create expert shading with art students by introducing fun ways to create shadow through still-life drawing. With a few materials, this lesson can be done in the classroom or at home with a group of students or individuals. Anyone can create shading in her artwork with some practice. In this lesson, your emphasis will be on the technique of shading, taking the pressure off creating a prefect finished art product.
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Instructions
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Set up a basic still life in the center of the work area with simple shapes, such as cereal boxes, coffee cans, empty glass bottles and books, before working with students.
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Place a light so it shines directly onto the objects and creates a large shadow. Try to keep the light fixture from interfering with the view of the still life.
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As a group, look at examples of still-life drawings and discuss where the shadows are located. The light source highlights the edges and corners of objects, and shadows are thrown in the opposite direction of the light source.
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Before starting to draw, have students take a closer look at the still life and highlight where the light falls and where shadows are located.
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Demonstrate by creating shading, working from the darkest areas of the shadow and moving to the lightest. Smudge the charcoal with a paper towel.
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Create more shading for your art students by crosshatching, making straight lines using the charcoal going in one direction, such as up to down, in the darkest areas of shadows. Go over the straight lines in your drawing with additional lines moving in the opposite direction, side to side, which will create darker areas of shading. Either blend the lines or leave crosshatching visible.
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Give each student a sheet of white drawing paper and charcoal to draw the still life. Have them focus on drawing the shapes found in the still life without concern for detail or shading.
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After your students draw the shapes of the still life, encourage them to start adding in shading by using the charcoal and smudging with fingers or a piece of paper towel, or by using crosshatching.
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Display your students' still-life drawings around the room, and discuss how everyone created shading in their drawings.
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