Illustration Tutorial: Shading Techniques with Pencil

Learn step by step how to shade gradually and the possibilities of this technique in illustration with Ricardo Núñez

Pencil shading is one of the most common techniques used by any illustrator or artist, but also one of the most practical and difficult to master. When blurring, many times we tend to generate forms that are too hard or aggressive, when the objective of this technique is to create delicate lights and shadows with a natural look.

In the following video tutorial, illustrator Ricardo Núñez (@rhinunez) shows us how to correctly apply the shading technique, using pencils of different hardness. Discover it below:

What do I need to blur?

- Thin sheets of paper
- Standard or mechanical pencils of different hardness. For example, Núñez uses a 2H, an HB, a 3B and a 4B.

Trace your illustration

Start by choosing any simple illustration: Núñez, for example, has gone with a feather. Once you have it, trace its edges gently by placing it under a thin sheet of paper and drawing on it, with a 2H pencil. The edges should be almost imperceptible.

Shading with circles

We are now ready to apply the pencil to our illustration. When you start, you will probably notice that the tip feels a little hard or aggressive; you just have to draw a little, on a sheet you use for erasers or sketches, so that the tip gets softer and more comfortable to use.

With a 3B pencil, start applying the blur to the illustration, making small circles with your wrist and moving from the darkest to the lightest area. The pressure should be constant and soften as we approach the lighter area and we start to make bigger and bigger circles.

From here, the idea is to repeat this blurring process using different pencil hardnesses. You can combine, for example, one round with a 2H and then another with a 4B, shading with great care and precision. Always start from the dark area and work towards the lighter one, taking special care in the lightest parts.

Like this tutorial? Learn more from Ricardo Núñez about telling stories through drawing on his online course Artistic Illustration Techniques with Graphite Pencils.

You may also like:

- Realistic Portrait with Graphite Pencil, a course by Diego Catalan Amilivia
- Realistic Portrait with Coloured Pencils, a course by Néstor Canavarro
- Chiaroscuro Creative Portrait with Pencils, a course by Marco Mazzoni