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Introduction to Drawing Realistically - The Five Elements of Shading |
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Contributed by AECadmin
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Value Drawing – The Five Elements of Shading
Introduction to Drawing Realistically
Lesson Plan
(Good for upper elementary through middle school)
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
--- Art production skills and concepts objectives: The students will learn how to create form/3-D space on a 2-D surface using pencil and the value scales.
--- Art understandings (Criticism, history, or aesthetics) objectives: The students will learn how to use value to shape a form on a 2-D surface.
RESOURCES
--- Examples of student drawings showing value. Additional drawing textbooks can help solidify the concept for further exploration.
MOTIVATION – Explain the following to the student, setting up the lesson -
“To draw something realistically, an artist needs to understand light and value and the five elements of shading. Chances are, you’ve been learning to draw by observing the contours and edges of objects. Value is another variable in the visual world. Today we’ll learn to draw a ball that looks realistic because it will appear three-dimensional. The technique here is to learn how to use value. As light hits a form (whether it be round or flat) it creates a value. Value is the relative degree of light or shadow on that form. Value changes often occur gradually, particularly on objects that are curved, without any hard edges.
--- The drawing we’ll do today will introduce you to the basics of shading and building volume through light and shadow. You’ll learn that the correct placement of lights and darks, the five elements of shading, and the gentle blending of the tones together create the form of any object. You’ll create value by rendering full light, reflected light, halftones, the shadow edge and the cast shadow. You’ll learn correct blending techniques.
--- We’ll start with a simple form such as a sphere. We start with an accurate line drawing, or an outline of your subject matter. This is the foundation of your drawing and acts as a guide for placing tones. For this exercise we will draw the object with one light source – similar to that of a spotlight or sunlight through a window. We’ll also pretend it’s a white ball, so nothing will get in the way of seeing the light and shadow created by illumination.
--- Next is the identification and placement of lights and darks and placing them in as puzzle pieces, much like a map. We’ll refer to the attached handout today, so everyone has one in front of him or her.
--- Third is the blending of all your tones together, smoothly and gradually. The key to the blended pencil technique is the gentle blending of value from dark to light. There should be no choppiness or interruption of tone. You should not be able to see where one tone ends and another begins. The smoothness is achieved by applying your pencil lines softly, and always in the same direction. Build your tones slowly and evenly. Lighten your touch gradually, as you make the transition into your lighter areas. The soft edge is where the object gently curves and creates a shadow edge. It’s not harsh, but a gradual change of tone. Smooth everything out with a blending stomp or your finger, moving in the same direction you used to place your pencil tone, beginning with the darks and blending out to light. Use the blending stump or finger at an angle. Apply your value tones with the contours of the object, following the natural curves. It’s really difficult to control blending if you’re cross blending and not following the natural edges. Don’t be afraid of good solid contrasts of tone…that means really dark shadow areas, and really white whites. Don’t forget to draw in the shadow and reflected light.”
Instructional Plan --- Directions as to how to proceed - with reference to the attached sheet that illustrates a ball drawing.
1. The cast shadow is your darkest dark, and should be made as close to black as possible. (6B or 8B pencil). This is the shadow that the object you are drawing is casting on the surface on which it lies. The shadow is the darkest where the object and the surface touch, and then it lightens gradually as it gets farther away from the object.
2. The shadow edge is the dark gray. This is not the edge of the object, it is where the object is receding from the light, and is on the opposite side of the light source.
3. The halftone is a medium gray. This is the true color of the object, without the effects of direct light or shadow. It’s neither light nor dark, so it’s called a halftone.
4. Reflected light is the small light edge seen around the object, particularly between the cast shadow and the shadow edge. This is really the light bouncing back from the surrounding surfaces. It is the light that makes the object appear round and solid, and tells us that there is backside to it. Reflected light is never bright white. It is closer to a halftone.
5. Lastly, the full light is where the light hits the object full strength. Full light should be presented by the white of the paper. The gray areas should be blended into this area very carefully, so no hard edges are created.
Helpful hint:
Uneven tones can be corrected by forming a point with your kneaded eraser, then drawing in reverse.
Evaluation
--- Does the light source appear to be consistent?
--- Is the range of values correct? Are the transitions from dark to light gradual?
Follow Up
--- Do a second drawing, this time using vine charcoal instead of a pencil.
--- Next steps: The drawing of a cylinder, with hard edges and interior views.
Student Copy
Value Drawing – The Five Elements of Shading
Student Copy
INTRODUCTION
To draw something realistically, an artist needs to understand light and value and the five elements of shading. Chances are, you’ve been learning to draw by observing the contours and edges of objects. Value is another variable in the visual world. Today we’ll learn to draw a ball that looks realistic because it will appear three-dimensional. The technique here is to learn how to use value. As light hits a form (whether it be round or flat) it creates a value. This is the relative degree of light or shadow on that form. Value changes often occur gradually, particularly on objects that are curved, without any hard edges.
--- The drawing we’ll do today will therefore introduce you to the basics of shading and building volume through light and shadow. You’ll learn that the correct placement of lights and darks, the five elements of shading, and the gentle blending of the tones together create the form of any object. You’ll create value by rendering full light, reflected light, halftones, the shadow edge and the cast shadow. You’ll learn correct blending techniques.
--- We’ll start with a simple form such as a sphere. We start with an accurate line drawing, or an outline of your subject matter. This is the foundation of your drawing and acts as a guide for placing tones. For this exercise we will draw the object with one light source – similar to that of a spotlight or sunlight through a window. We’ll also pretend it’s a white ball, so nothing will get in the way of seeing the light and shadow created by illumination.
--- Next is the identification and placement of lights and darks and placing them in as puzzle pieces, much like a map. We’ll refer to the attached handout today, so everyone has one in front of him or her.
--- Third is the blending of all your tones together, smoothly and gradually. The key to the blended pencil technique is the gentle blending of value from dark to light. There should be no choppiness or interruption of tone. You should not be able to see where one tone ends and another begins. The smoothness is achieved by applying your pencil lines softly, and always in the same direction. Build your tones slowly and evenly. Lighten your touch gradually, as you make the transition into your lighter areas. The soft edge is where the object gently curves and creates a shadow edge. It’s not harsh, but a gradual change of tone. Smooth everything out with a blending stomp or your finger, moving in the same direction you used to place your pencil tone, beginning with the darks and blending out to light. Use the blending stump or finger at an angle. Apply your value tones with the contours of the object, following the natural curves. It’s really difficult to control blending if you’re cross blending and not following the natural edges. Don’t be afraid of good solid contrasts of tone…that means really dark shadow areas, and really white whites. Don’t forget to draw in the shadow and reflected light.
PROCEDURE – refer to the attached sheet
1. The cast shadow is your darkest dark, and should be made as close to black as possible. (6B or 8B pencil). This is the shadow that the object you are drawing is casting on the surface on which it lies. The shadow is the darkest where the object and the surface touch, and then it lightens gradually as it gets farther away from the object.
2. The shadow edge is the dark gray. This is not the edge of the object, it is where the object is receding from the light, and is on the opposite side of the light source.
3. The halftone is a medium gray. This is the true color of the object, without the effects of direct light or shadow. It’s neither light nor dark, so it’s called a halftone.
4. Reflected light is the small light edge seen around the object, particularly between the cast shadow and the shadow edge. This is really the light bouncing back from the surrounding surfaces. It is the light that makes the object appear round and solid, and tells us that there is backside to it. Reflected light is never bright white. It is closer to a halftone.
5. Lastly, the full light is where the light hits the object full strength. Full light should be presented by the white of the paper. The gray areas should be blended into this area very carefully, so no hard edges are created.
Helpful hint:
Uneven tones can be corrected by forming a point with your kneaded eraser, then drawing in reverse.
Evaluation
--- Does the light source appear to be consistent?
--- Is the range of values correct? Are the transitions from dark to light gradual?
Follow Up
--- Do a second drawing, this time using vine charcoal instead of a pencil.
--- Next steps: The drawing of a cylinder, with hard edges and interior views. |
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Lesson Plans