| Ever wonder what makes some art come alive? Some drawings and paintings seem to leap off the page, but it’s hard to pin down how the artist made his or her work so realistic. Want in on the artist’s secret? You got it. It’s shading! By mimicking the shadows and highlights created by light sources, shading, or “value”, gives 2D artwork a 3D effect. Our eyes perceive areas of value as they would in real life, and are fooled into seeing 3D space when it isn’t there. Students in Game-U’s traditional art class worked with instructor Anna to learn the principles behind realistic shading. To start, Miss Anna printed out several reference pictures for each student – sketches of a shaded sphere, cube, and apple – as common representatives of geometric and natural forms. Students then drew from each reference picture, drawing and shading their own sphere, cube, and apple using only pencils, tortillons, and eraser pens. Miss Anna showed them how to use the side of their pencils, moving them in tiny circles in order to achieve an even application of value. |
| While shading, students learned about the importance of understanding (and recreating!) light and dark in their drawings, as well as the positioning of light sources and the various ways that can affect shading. Way to go, young artists! Does your child love to draw or paint? Do they have a passion for expressing themselves or telling stories through pictures? Click the button below to check out Game-U’s art class and sign them up today! |
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