If your shading looks dirty, flat, or like weird bruises on the face… you’re probably making at least one of these 3 mistakes.
In this video I break down the most common shading mistakes I see beginners make:
1️⃣ Mixing too many shading types (hatching, cross-hatching, circular scribble…) in one drawing
2️⃣ “Fat hands” – oily skin smudging your paper and destroying your values
3️⃣ Using pencils in the wrong order, so everything looks shiny and muddy
I’ll show you:
– How to choose ONE clear shading method so your drawing looks intentional
– How to avoid greasy fingerprints and dirty patches on your paper
– How to pick and use the right pencils for clean, rich darks
At the end I give you 2 simple exercises:
– The Ribbon Sphere: use a ribbon on a ball to understand core shadow
– The Shading Box Drill: practice clean, controlled lines in different directions
Stop guessing with your shading. Learn to control it.