ART, DESIGN TIPS, RESOURCES & CREATIVE INSPIRATION

Unlock Your Creativity

Welcome to our collection of art and design tips, resources, and articles! Whether you're a professional artist or just starting out in the world of design, we've got something for everyone. Our library is packed with helpful advice on everything from creating beautiful illustrations to choosing the right colors for your project. We also have plenty of inspiring articles to get your creative juices flowing. No matter what type of project you’re working on, this is the perfect place to find all the information and inspiration you need.

Shading & Perspective How to Create Depth in Your Drawings

Perspective and shading can be used to create depth in your drawings, making them appear more realistic. Understanding how it works will give you a better understanding on how to apply it to your drawings. We will be discussing one point perspective and will go into more depth regarding two point perspective. We will also be discussing how to use shading to create depth in your drawings.

female artist showing shading techniques

Shading

Shading is an important part of any drawing. It can be used to create depth and realism, and it can also be used to make your drawings more interesting and eye-catching. In this blog post, we will discuss the different ways that you can use shading to create depth in your drawings. I will also provide some tips on how to shade your drawings correctly so that they look their best.

One of the main reasons why shading is important for creating depth in your drawings is because it can help to create the illusion of three dimensions. Shading can be used to create shadows and highlights, and these can be used to create the illusion of depth and realism. In addition, shading can also be used to create perspective in your drawings.

Another reason why shading is important is because it can help to make your drawings more interesting. By adding shadows and highlights, you can add interest and contrast to your drawings. This can make them more eye-catching and visually appealing.

If you want to learn how to shade your drawings correctly, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. First, you need to make sure that you use the right pencils for shading. There are special pencils that are made for shading, and these will give you the best results. Second, you need to pay attention to the pressure that you use when shading. The amount of pressure that you use will affect the darkness of the shading. Third, you need to take your time when shading. Shading takes practice, so don’t expect to get it perfect the first time. Just keep practicing and you will eventually get the hang of it.

Keep these tips in mind and start experimenting with shading in your drawings. You may be surprised at how much depth and interest you can add to your drawings with just a few simple shading techniques. So don’t be afraid to experiment and see what you can create!

the best tools to use when shading

Art Supplies to Use When Shading

There are a number of different drawing pencils that can be used for shading, and the best one will depend on your individual preferences. Some people prefer to use charcoal pencils for shading, while others prefer to use graphite pencils. It really depends on what you are comfortable using and what gives you the best results. Just experiment with different pencils and see what works best for you.

When it comes to shading, pressure is everything. The amount of pressure that you use will affect the darkness of the shading. If you want light shading, then use light pressure. If you want dark shading, then use heavy pressure. Just experiment with different pressures and tools until you find the perfect balance for your drawing.

Shading takes practice, so don’t expect to get it perfect the first time. Just keep practicing and you will eventually get the hang of it. The more you practice, the better you will become at shading. So don’t be afraid to experiment and keep trying new things.

I hope these tips have helped you to understand the importance of shading in drawings. Just remember to experiment and have fun! Soon you will be creating amazing drawings that are full of depth and realism.

online resources for learning how to shade your drawing

Online Resources to Learn Shading

There are a number of different online resources that can help you to learn how to shade your drawings correctly, and these resources can provide you with tips and techniques that will help you to improve your shading skills. In addition, online resources can also provide you with access to video tutorials and other resources that can help you to learn how to shade your drawings correctly.

Some of the best online resources for learning how to shade your drawings include:

YouTube – There are a number of different YouTube channels that offer helpful video tutorials on shading. Just search for “shading tutorials” and you will find a number of different channels that offer helpful tips and techniques.

Some of my favorite tutorials are:

Blog Posts – There are a number of different blog posts that offer helpful tips and advice on shading. Just search for “shading tutorials” or “shading tips” and you will find a number of different blog posts that offer helpful information.

My favorite blog posts are:

Online Courses – There are a number of different online courses that teach you how to shade your drawings correctly. These courses can be found on sites like LinkedIn Learning and Skillshare, and they will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to shade your drawings correctly.

Some of my favorite online courses are:

Get notified when we post new content!

Do some research and find the online resources that work best for you. These resources can help you to learn how to shade your drawings correctly and improve your shading skills.

Free Downloadable Practice Sheets

Practice sheets are important when learning shading because they allow you to practice different shading techniques without having to worry about making mistakes on your final drawings. In addition, practice sheets can help you to develop your shading skills and learn how to shade your drawings correctly. I have created three free downloadable pdf sheets for you to practice on. Print them out and use them with your favorite art supplies or upload them into Procreate and practice digitally.

These downloadable pdf sheets are a great way to practice your shading skills!

There are three pages that include a sphere, cylinder and cube so you can work on varying shades quickly without having to draw everything out first.

These make the perfect tool to work on developing a better understanding of how light affects surfaces.

free shading practice sheets

Examples of Shading Techniques

Use the downloadable practice sheets that I have provided and experiment with different light sources. Practicing your shading techniques will help you better understand how light affects different surfaces.

Which one do you think looks more realistic? The one with the light coming from the left or right? I used two different styles for the shading technique and different art supplies. For one on the left, I used a charcoal pencil and for the one on the right, I used an HB graphite pencil.

example of shading a sphere
example of shading a cube
example of shading a cylinder

Perspective

Perspective drawings are a way of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface. The perspective lines help to create this illusion of depth. These drawings can be used to create a variety of images, including landscapes, cityscapes, and portraits. They appear to be more difficult than others, but the perspective lines are actually easier to draw once you understand where they need to go.

It can be very complicated to master perspective drawing techniques, but knowing what perspective type and perspective drawing technique to use helps create drawings that are accurate and aesthetically pleasing.

Understanding Perspective

Perspective drawings are usually used in conjunction with diagrams that help the viewer to understand exactly what they are looking at when viewing an image or drawing. There are many factors that go into these drawings including distance, size, location, and angle. The perspective lines help to create the illusion of depth in a drawing or design.

Vanishing points are an important part of perspective drawings, and they help to create the illusion of depth. There are two types of vanishing points – 1 point perspective and 2 point perspective. 1 point perspective is created by projecting parallel lines outward from one vanishing point, while 2-point perspective projects parallel lines outward from two different vanishing points.

Methods for perspective drawings

There are many techniques that can be used depending on the perspective being drawn, but the two main types are 1 point and 2 point perspective. The difference between these perspectives is that one point perspective creates 3D depth by projecting parallel lines outward from one vanishing point, while 2-point perspective projects parallel lines outward from two different vanishing points. You will find that 2-point perspective drawings are much more complicated to create than their counterparts.

One Point perspective

One point perspective is created by projecting perspective lines from one vanishing point. This perspective effect can be seen in everyday life and you do not need to be an artist to understand it because it is all around us. For example, when you look down a long hallway such as the corridor for a subway station or airport, the perspective lines will increase in size and convergence as they go further and further away from you. This perspective effect creates perspective depth because perspective lines will eventually converge to a single point on the horizon, which is the vanishing point.

how to show depth in your drawings using perspective

In drawings with 1 point perspective, there is one vanishing point that all of the parallel lines converge on. This helps to bring the viewer’s eye to the focal point of the image or design by blurring the perspective lines as they get further away from the vanishing point.

how to show depth in your drawings using perspective

Two Point perspective

Two-point perspective drawings use two different vanishing points instead of one to generate perspective depth effects. Two-point perspective drawings are much more complicated than their one perspective counterparts, but they are also much more dynamic and interesting to observe because they use perspective angles instead of perspective lines. This perspective perspective factor creates perspective depth by projecting perspective angles from each vanishing point. The perspective lines created by perspective angles do not converge as perspective lines drawn from a single perspective drawing would. Instead, perspective angles remain at right angles to the picture plane and perspective lines do not converge.

Get notified when we post new content!

how to show depth in your drawings using perspective

In drawings with 2 points perspective, there are two different vanishing points that all of the parallel lines converge on. This helps to create the illusion of depth in a drawing or design.

how to show depth in your drawings using perspective

The four main perspective factors

There are four main perspective factors that you need to consider when creating perspective lines: distance, size, location, and angle. You will need to use these perspective factors to help you create the perspective lines in your drawing. The perspective lines help to create the illusion of depth in your image, and it is important to get them correct in order to make your drawing look realistic.

  • Distance is the first perspective factor that you need to consider. The distance between objects affects how they are perceived by the viewer. The closer two objects are to each other, the more they will appear to be aligned. Conversely, the further apart two objects are, the more they will appear to be angled away from each other. You can use this perspective factor to create the illusion of depth in your drawing.
  • Size is another perspective factor that you need to consider. The perspective lines are distorted according to their size in relation to the perspective drawing. Objects that are smaller should be placed further away from the viewer, while objects that are larger should be placed closer to the viewer. This perspective factor is very important because it helps create perspective depth by blurring perspective lines as they get further away from the vanishing point.
  • Location is the perspective factor that refers to where an object is in a perspective drawing. When you draw perspective lines, they will not be parallel because objects at different distances from the viewer will have perspective distortion and this causes perspective lines to be angled away from each other no matter how far or close together they are. Finally, angle is another perspective factor that you need to consider. Perspective lines are not always straight, so it is important to create perspective angles instead of perspective lines at times because perspective lines have curvature and perspective angles do not. Drawing perspective lines becomes a matter of trial and error as you continue through the perspective drawing process.
  • The angle that perspective lines are drawn from affects their perspective effects. For example, a perspective line drawing comes from a 45-degree perspective when the vanishing point is at the horizon and it reaches both sides of the picture plane equally. The perspective line will converge to a single point on the horizon as you look farther away from it. On the other hand, perspective lines drawn from a 0-degree perspective come from the perspective of your eye level and perspective lines will converge to two distinct points on opposite sides of the perspective drawing.

Online Resources to Learn Perspective

It can be very difficult to master perspective drawing techniques, but knowing what perspective type and perspective drawing technique to use helps create drawings that are accurate and aesthetically pleasing. Understanding perspective is important for creating realistic drawings, and online resources can help you to better understand how to create perspective drawings correctly.

Some great online resources that you can use to learn about perspective drawing techniques include:

YouTube – There are a number of different YouTube channels that offer helpful video tutorials on shading. Just search for “shading tutorials” and you will find a number of different channels that offer helpful tips and techniques.

Some of my favorite tutorials are:

Blog Posts – There are a number of different blog posts that offer helpful tips and advice on shading. Just search for “shading tutorials” or “shading tips” and you will find a number of different blog posts that offer helpful information.

My favorite drawing blogs are:

Online Courses – There are a number of different online courses that teach you how to shade your drawings correctly. These courses can be found on sites like LinkedIn Learning and Skillshare, and they will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to shade your drawings correctly.

Some of my favorite online courses are:

These online resources will help you to better understand how to create perspective drawings correctly. With a little practice, you will be able to create realistic and eye-catching perspective drawings of your own.

Free Downloadable Two-Point Perspective Practice Sheets

One of the best ways to improve your skills when it comes to perspective drawing is to practice. And what better way to practice than by using downloadable practice sheets?

These downloadable practice sheets are a great way to expand your skills.

These practice sheets provide you with both interior and exterior two-point perspective exercises that you can use to improve your skills.

You may be surprised at how quickly your two-point perspective skills improve!

free perspective practice sheets

Examples of Two-Point Perspective

I created these practice sheets to help you experiment with creating exterior and interior two-point perspective drawings. In this first set of drawings we’ll start off by learning how to draw an exterior street scene and then move onto creating an interior living room. The steps are similar between both types. You’ll sketch out the basic structures whether it be buildings or furniture. Then we’ll move on to adding more details like windows, doors, decor, etc. Then we’ll add those new skills of shading for the final drawing.

Example Exterior Two-Point Perspective

For the exterior perspective, I started off by creating a center corner building. I then added three symetrical buildings on each side. Once the initial draft was complete, I decided to make the center corner building longer on the right side and adjusted the sketch. I then added the windows and doors and the sidewalk.

example of exterior two point perspective
example of exterior two point perspective

The next step was to add some architectural details such as ideas for the roof structure, entryways, possible awning. Once I added the awning, I decided to make the building into a restaurant with exterior seating.

For the final sketch, I decided to finish it on tracing paper using an HB art pencil so that I could see the practice sheet below and have a clean sketch without the perspective lines.

Once I had the layout of the design, I then added more details and shading to the final drawing. I wanted shutters on the restaurant, an arched entry, and bushes. I added more detail to the other buildings and then added a street, trees, additional plants and some clouds in the sky.

example of exterior two point perspective
example of exterior two point perspective

Example Interior Two-Point Perspective

I wanted my interior two-point perspective to be a modern living room space. I started off by figuring out where I wanted the sliding glass door and fireplace. Once I had those two items figured out, I wanted to add a three-seat couch and coffee table. Then I added a square in the corner where I thought a potted plant would look nice. I also added a square for a poof to the right of the coffee table.

example of interior two point perspective
example of interior two point perspective

Now that I had the basic layout, I started to add more detail to the drawing by designing a modern coffee table, adding tile to the fireplace, a rug, sketching details to the ceiling and outside the windows.

On the final drawing, I wanted to use a different tool and opted for a Micron pen on tracing paper. Again, using my sketch layer as the base and adding more details to the final drawing, keeping in mind to follow the perspective lines.

example of interior two point perspective
example of interior two point perspective

Drawing tips for beginners

If you’re new to perspective drawing, here are a few tips to help you get started:

  • Start by understanding the perspective drawing perspective and how it works. This can be done by looking around you and observing everyday objects that use perspective. Once you understand how perspective works, it will be much easier to apply it to your drawings.
  • Once you have a basic understanding of perspective, try practicing by drawing simple objects in one or two point perspective. This will help you get comfortable with the perspective drawing perspective and learn how to create depth and volume in your drawings.
  • When drawing in two point perspective, it is important to remember that perspective angles will always be at right angles to the picture plane. In addition, perspective lines do not converge as perspective lines drawn from perspective perspective would. Therefore, perspective angles will only converge at the vanishing point and perspective lines never cross or meet one another.
  • Drawing perspective drawings can be challenging at first, but once you understand perspective drawing perspective it should come much more naturally to you. However, if you need a little help, perspective drawings can be drawn using the perspective drawing perspective which draws perspective lines outwards from the object, converging towards one or two vanishing points on the horizon line.
  • Lastly, perspective drawings should always feature a horizon line and three to five different types of perspective planes. These perspective planes originate at different places but converge at the horizon line.

Trial and error process

Shading and perspective drawing is a trial and error process. You will often have to experiment with different shading techniques and perspective techniques in order to create the desired effect. Don’t be afraid to try new things and to experiment with your drawings. You may be surprised at what you can create by simply experimenting with different techniques.

So get out there and start practicing! And don’t forget to download the shading and perspective practice sheets that I have provided. With a little practice, you will be able to create amazing drawings that feature beautiful shading and realistic perspective.

Conclusion

Shading and perspective are an important part of any drawing and they can be used to create depth and realism in your drawings. In this blog post, I have provided some examples on how to shade your drawings so that they look their best. I have also provided the step by step process that I took in order to create both an exterior and interior two-point perspective drawing. Take this knowledge, plus the links that I have provided for additional resources to fine tune your shading and perspective drawing skills.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any tips on how to use shading or perspective to create depth in your drawings? Share your thoughts with me in the comments section below. I would love to hear from you!

Share this Article!

Scroll to Top