Draw a round object with shadows
Draw a round object on paper, observe a light source, and add realistic shadows and highlights using pencils to learn shading techniques.
Step-by-step guide to draw a round object with shadows
Step 1
Place your paper on a flat table or desk.
Step 2
Put the small round object near the center of the paper.
Step 3
Turn on a lamp or move the object to a window so light hits it from one side.
Step 4
Find the brightest spot on the object where the light hits.
Step 5
Lightly trace the outline of the round object on the paper with your pencil.
Step 6
While the object is still in place draw the shape of the shadow the object casts on the paper.
Step 7
Lightly mark where the highlight you saw falls on your traced circle.
Step 8
Shade the side opposite the highlight with darker pencil strokes to create the core shadow.
Step 9
Add lighter pencil strokes between the core shadow and the highlight to make smooth midtones.
Step 10
Use a blending stump or a cotton swab to gently smooth the shaded areas for a round look.
Step 11
Darken the cast shadow close to the object and fade it outward with softer strokes.
Step 12
Lift a tiny spot on the highlight with your eraser to make it bright.
Step 13
Take a photo of your finished shaded round object and share it on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
I don’t have a lamp or a blending stump—what can I use instead?
Use a window or a flashlight instead of a lamp, and replace a blending stump or cotton swab with a tissue, folded paper, or your clean fingertip to gently smooth the shaded areas.
My shadow drawing looks wrong or smudged—how can I fix it?
Keep the small round object and lamp still as instructed, redraw the cast shadow while the object is still in place to match the light direction, then shade gradually and use a clean blending tool to avoid smudging.
How can I adapt this activity for different ages?
For younger kids use a large round object to trace and simple broad midtones with a soft crayon, while older children can use multiple pencils (HB–6B), a blending stump, and practice core shadow, midtones, and lifting a tiny highlight with an eraser for realism.
How can we extend or personalize the shaded round-object drawing?
Try different round objects and light angles, add colored-pencil layers over your blended graphite or set up two lamps for multiple cast shadows, then take a photo of your finished shaded round object to share on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to draw a round object with shadows
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Learn to DRAW | How to draw object drawing shading for beginners Pencil Drawing tutorials lessons
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Facts about shading techniques and pencil drawing
✏️ Pencil grades run from hard (H) to soft (B); softer B pencils give richer darks while H pencils keep edges crisp.
💡 A single point light source makes a bright highlight, a smooth gradient on the round form, and a clear cast shadow—great for practice!
🎨 Chiaroscuro is an Italian term meaning "light-dark" and Renaissance masters used it to make flat paintings look 3D.
🔢 Many artists use a 9-step value scale (from white to black) to compare and match tones when shading.
👀 Our brains read gradual changes in value as roundness—shade a circle correctly and it instantly looks like a sphere.
How do I draw a round object with shadows to practice shading?
What materials do I need to draw a round object with realistic shadows?
What ages is shading a round object suitable for?
What are the benefits and fun variations for drawing round objects with shadows?
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