20 Shading Exercises for Beginners

Simple practices that actually improve your drawings

Shading is one of those things that looks intimidating… until you break it down into small, repeatable exercises.

When I was starting out, shading was what made my drawings finally feel three-dimensional. You don’t need complicated techniques or expensive supplies — just consistency, patience, and the right kind of practice.

These 20 beginner-friendly shading exercises are meant to be short, low-pressure, and effective. You can do one a day, or a few in a single session.

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Before You Start: Tools I Recommend

You don’t need much to practice shading, but having a range of pencil hardness makes a huge difference.

✏️ STAEDTLER Mars Lumograph Sketch Set (6 Degrees)

This is the pencil set I started with, and I still recommend it to beginners.
It’s affordable, easy to find, and gives you a great range from light to dark — which is perfect for learning value control and smooth shading.
👉 https://amzn.to/3Mm8nqw

📓 Sketchbooks I Actually Use

When practicing, I always suggest cheap sketchbooks from the dollar store. They remove the pressure of “wasting” good paper and let you experiment freely.

Once you feel more confident, upgrading to something sturdier can feel really rewarding.

Talens Art Creation Sketchbook
This is what I personally use. It has a lot of pages, comes in different sizes and fun colours, lays flat, and the paper quality is great for pencils.
👉 https://amzn.to/4rKwSha

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20 Shading Exercises for Beginners

1. Gradient Bar

Shade from light to dark in one smooth motion.
This is the foundation of all shading.

2. Value Squares

Create 5–7 boxes, each slightly darker than the last.

3. Pressure Control Lines

Draw lines using increasing pressure from light to dark.

4. Circle Shading

Turn a flat circle into a sphere using light and shadow.

5. Cube Shading

Practice shading the three planes differently.

6. Cylinder Shading

Great for understanding rounded forms.

7. Cone Shading

Focus on smooth transitions.

8. Cross-Hatching Scales

Fill squares using only crossed lines.

9. Single-Direction Hatching

No crossing — just parallel lines.

10. Scribble Shading

Shade using loose, circular scribbles.

11. Texture Squares

Create small boxes and shade:

• wood
• fabric
• metal
• stone

12. Shadow-Only Study

Draw only shadows — no outlines.

13. Light Source Practice

Draw a simple object and shade it with:

• light from above
• light from the side
• light from below

14. Eraser Highlight Exercise

Shade everything mid-tone, then erase highlights.

15. Soft Edge vs Hard Edge

Practice blending one side and keeping the other sharp.

16. Sphere With Cast Shadow

Add a shadow on the ground plane.

17. Layering Exercise

Build shading in 3 light layers instead of one dark one.

18. Timed Shading (5 Minutes)

Quick shading without overthinking.

19. Reference-Based Shading

Shade a simple photo in grayscale.

20. Same Object, Three Values

Shade the same object in:

• light
• medium
• high contrast

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Why These Exercises Work

These practices train you to:

• control pencil pressure
• see value differences
• understand light direction
• shade confidently without smudging

And because they’re simple, you’re more likely to stick with them.

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A Gentle Reminder

Shading isn’t about perfection — it’s about seeing.
Every sketch, even the messy ones, teaches your eyes something new.

Progress happens quietly.