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Drawing and Observational Studies
Quick questions on Tone and shading explained: N(A)-Level Art
7short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is building a tonal range?Show answer
A good drawing uses a full tonal range, from the lightest light (often the white of the paper) through mid greys to the darkest dark. A common weakness is shading everything in the same dull mid-grey, which looks flat. To avoid it, find your darkest dark and your lightest light first, then fill in the mid-tones between them. Strong contrast between light and dark makes a drawing read clearly.
What are shading techniques?Show answer
How you lay the tone down is the technique:
What is no light source?Show answer
Shading from random directions confuses the form. Decide where the light is first and shade consistently.
What is hard edges instead of gradual change?Show answer
A sudden jump from light to dark looks like a stripe, not a curve. Blend gradually on rounded forms.
What is q1?Show answer
Explain why deciding the light source first is important when shading. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Name the parts of light and shadow you would shade on a simple ball. [3 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Describe one shading technique and say what surface it suits. [2 marks]
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