Here is the next step in my drawing of the little girl.   

I am using a 4B and HB pencil, and LIGHTLY shading the face with the pencil held at an angle, so that it goes on as smoothly as possible.

I make sure that I go a little darker in the more shaded places and lighter in the other areas. If you're experienced at this, shading comes easily and you don't really have to think about it...but when you're just beginning, it can be a little confusing.   Here's a little tip to let you know how to "see" where the shadows are.
Try holding the reference picture upside down!  This confuses your brain, and allows you to see where the shadows are.  Your brain will interpret pictures differently when held upside down, because it can't label objects as it can with it held right side up (for example, "eye", "cheek", etc).    Because it doesn't know for sure what the object is, you are forced to see it as light and shadow instead of doing what your brain "thinks" it ought to be.     This really helps you to understand how to "see" things correctly when you draw.

At this stage, you may be thinking that the picture looks rough and not smooth. You are right, it does.  However, after this stage comes the "smoothing" stage.    Then the highlighting stage. Then the refining stage.  Each stage has it's own importance and the drawing will have to go through each in order to get to completion.




step 2

step 1

All "drawing girl" Tutorial steps

Bethany Kerr Fine Art