How to Draw with Realistic Shading

Know that a three-dimensional drawing will still look flat or two-dimensional without the aid of shading.^[1]

Use layers of grey shading. If we visualize a light source at the upper left of the image, we can simulate an object as 3 dimensional by adding various layers of grey (one darker than the next). Start by using the lightest gray or white along the area nearest to the light. You can use various shades of pencil or coloring tools to create this effect.^[2]

Blend to add volume to objects. If the layers of grey are blended together where each shade meets, it can further simulate the appearance of volume and solidity.^[3]

Try using lines to shade. This effect can also be done using pen and ink, by drawing intersecting lines drawn on top of one another to simulate the appearance and layers of shading from light to dark. This is commonly used in illustrations and comics. In other print media, the printing process uses "halftone" printing, which prints small dots of varying sizes to simulate shading.

Here's an example of shading using various layers of grey. The sketch used here was created using an image of the actress Milla Jovovich. The image is sketched using a very dark, rough pencil and only drawing the darkest parts of the image.

Use white to create a distinction. Leaving the lightest part of the image as white, the rest of the sketch was shaded with a light shaded coloring tool.

Use a slightly darker shade of coloring tool to shade the next darker areas of the image.

Use a darker shade of coloring tool to shade the darkest areas of the image.^[4]