Shading is a technique that allows for depth and character to be added to an illustration.

In drawing it shows the levels of darkness by placing darker shades to show shadows and less dense shades to highlight lighter areas.

In traditional pencil drawing, these definitions are created through a combination of lines, pressure, and grades. Now, with computer image programs, you can have even greater control with a huge range of tools available to enhance your designs.

Take the illustration above for example - A simple HB pencil sketch with minimal shading.

When working on a project, I personally find it a lot easier to sketch out a rough drawing on paper. This gives me a quick indication of how I want it to look.

The illustration above provides enough information for the viewer to understand that it's a drawing of a person's face. To some extent though, the face still looks 2-Dimensional, in other words, flat.

To enhance this image into a more 3-Dimensional one we are going to use a series of digital shading techniques on Adobe Illustrator.

You can choose to re-draw the whole thing, as I have done, or to make things easier, you can scan the previous pencil-on-paper drawing and make changes digitally.

The benefit of using digital applications for this work is it makes it a lot easier to undo and erase medium strokes without trace. We're also able to duplicate certain features, flip the image, and use different brush strokes to provide various effects.

The illustration above shows the difference between an illustration with less shading (left) and one with more (right). The illustration on the left shows less definition and looks a lot more "flat" and unrealistic. This is in comparison to the illustration on the right which more shows how a face looks in real life, including with discolorations, blemishes, and darker and lighter areas.

The illustration on the right is an example of a hatching technique. The shading on the above illustration is created using the Quick Brush 3 in the Adobe Illustrator brush library, all with different opacities (i.e. inner corners of the eye have a 5% opacity).

To further explain the importance of shading, the illustration above highlights the detail that can be added.

On the right, the unfinished illustration looks simple and plain without full shading applied. In contrast, the illustration on the right is a lot more complex and accentuates the features on the tiger.

Details around the fur and shape are enhanced through the use of the shading techniques.

The illustration on the right is an example of a hatching technique. The shading on the above illustration is created using the Quick Brush 3 in the Adobe Illustrator brush library, all with different opacities (i.e. inner corners of the eye have a 5% opacity).

The illustration above is a combination of the two illustrations with shading. It hopefully highlights the power of shading, and how you are able to bring a more lifelike appearance to your work with careful consideration of light and dark.

It takes practice to build in the techniques to ensure they look natural, but by experimenting with different tools, stokes and opacities, you can easily and effectively add a 3D level to your work.

Want more?

Discover how to deliver quality illustrations for contests and clients:

Minimalist Inspired Illustration Designs To Demonstrate Less Is More

2Design Using Adobe Illustrator – How To Use Different Brushes And Opacity levels For Shading

Beautiful Illustration To Highlight The Key Elements Of Design

Written by Danielle Tarroza on Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Danielle is an aspiring writer with a penchant for design. She has completed a Biomedicine degree and is a self-confessed fashion eclectic. Her creative and stylist skills are matched by passion for coffee! Follow her on Twitter: @__daniellegrace