The Technique

Blended shading creates smooth transitions between light and dark areas. Instead of seeing individual marks, the different shades gradually flow into one another.

This technique is often used when artists want drawings to feel realistic, soft, or carefully modelled by light.

Used For

Portraits, realistic drawings, animals, still life studies, smooth surfaces, and any subject where soft shading is important.

You Can Try

Create gentle gradients, dramatic transitions, soft shadows, or smooth highlights. Experiment with layering pencil marks to build darker values.

Your Turn

Observe the example, practise creating smooth transitions between light and dark, then experiment with different levels of contrast in the Shading Toolkit.