Shading Techniques Art Project for Older Kids

Middle school and above aged kids will learn basic shading techniques in this project. The focus will be on techniques used when drawing with pencil, charcoal, pen, and marker. We’ve included a free printable to make this an easy project for home or the classroom.

Exploring Shading with 3D shapes

Artists use many techniques to shade and we will explore a few of them in this project. When kids understand shading, they can draw a circle and easily give it the appearance of a sphere. This element of art is known as “form.”

Painters create the appearance of form on a flat surface by using light, shadow, the appearance of an object’s contours, negative space, and the surrounding objects around the subject matter.

MasterClass

RELATED: See our Value Scale Project for more on shading skills.

Supplies needed for the Shading Techniques Art Project for Older Kids

• Free “Shading Techniques” Printable (Download Below)
• Pencil
• Charcoal
• Pen and/or Marker
• Optional Blending Tool – such as cotton swab, tissue, tortillon, blending stump, etc.

Download the Shading Techniques Printable Here

Using this printable saves kids time from drawing the shapes to shade. By having the shapes already drawn, kids can go straight into learning about shadows and various shading techniques.

Directions TO Shading Techniques Art Project

Before beginning the project, have kids look around the room at different objects to see how light creates shadows. Point out how the object appears lighter where the light hits the object and darker where it doesn’t. Have kids keep this in mind for the duration of this project.

While I encourage the kids to choose which drawing mediums they want to use for each circle, remind them to use all options within this project. This project is about exploring new techniques, not perfection.

Step 1

Blending is generally the method that most kids are familiar with. In this method, kids will use the pencil or charcoal to shade the circle. In blending, shading occurs by layering a medium and then blending it to give it a smoother appearance. Basically, kids want to color more heavily, or add more layers, where they wish to create darker areas. They will lessen pressure on their tool and color fewer layers in the lighter areas. Once kids are finished with shading, they can then use their finger, or a blending tool, to blend the medium to give it a smoother appearance.

Step 2

Scribbling is a fun technique that can be accomplished using any of the tools listed. Just like in the previous circle, kids will layer more scribbles in areas that they wish to be darker, and fewer scribbles in areas they want to appear lighter. In this exercise, refrain from blending these lines as it will take away the scribbling effect.

Step 3

The next circle can also be completed by any medium listed, but I generally encourage kids to use whichever medium has the thickest point. Stippling can be one of the most time consuming of the shading methods. This shading technique uses dots to darken areas. Artists apply more dots to areas they wish to be darker, and fewer dots in areas they want to appear lighter. Therefore, darker areas will have more dots closely together, while lighter areas will have fewer dots, further apart.

Step 4

Hatching can also be completed using any medium mentioned. Hatching is similar to stippling, but artists are using lines instead of dots. In this circle, kids will draw more lines, closely together, in areas that they want to appear darker. In this exercise, encourage drawing in only one direction.

Step 5

Cross-Hatching takes the hatching method one step further. Instead of just drawing lines on one direction, artists will overlap hatching lines in various directions to achieve darker areas.

Step 6

In this technique, kids need to follow the shape of the circle when placing their lines. Kids may again use the tool and medium of their choice for this circle.

Contour shading allows the artist to give form to their artwork. By following the shape of the circle, students may notice that this circle begins to look more like a sphere and less flat. Remind kids to keep this idea in mind when moving on to the next step.

Step 7

Kids will then pick one method, and one medium, to shade each of the four shapes differently at the bottom of the page. Remind kids to use contour lines to help give the shapes form.

Finished Shading Techniques Art Project

I love how these projects turn out. It’s a great way for kids to work on shading while bringing form into their drawings. Now that students better understand these techniques, they can use the various methods in drawings of their own design.

Our Experience Making this Shading Techniques Art Project

I use this project yearly for my middle schoolers and above. I believe it’s a great way to introduce various shading techniques and tools while giving the kids a new appreciation for art. They quickly learn that it can be a bit trickier than expected to get the results they desire, and that some methods can be quite time consuming.

Shading Techniques Art Project Variations

• Limit kids to only using one medium for the entire project.
• Use colored mediums.
• Have kids draw their own shapes or designs afterwards to further practice techniques.
• Have kids combine various shading techniques into one project.

Other fun Art Ideas from Kids Activities Blog

• Kids learn how to use lines to make this 3D Ball Drawing.
• Make a cube to move around a light and demonstrate various shadows.
• This posterization project a fun way to paint shadows.
• Younger kids can learn about tint in this leaf printing project.
• Older kids may also enjoy this one line art drawing project.

How did your kids enjoy the various shading techniques? Which method did they enjoy the most, or least?