Tone & Depth in drawing

Develop your drawings with greater realism, depth, and confidence.
This 6-week course focuses on tone, shading, and form.
Learn how light and shadow create structure and atmosphere.
Move beyond outline to create solid, three-dimensional drawings.
Work from objects and still life with guided support.
Perfect for improving accuracy, shading, and confident drawing. ✏️🎨

What we’ll cover each week:

Week 1 – Introduction to Tone & Value Understand the tonal scale from light to dark and how to control pencil pressure. Create tonal gradients and begin simple shading exercises.

Week 2 – Shading Techniques & Mark Making Explore different ways of applying tone including hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, and blending. Learn how different marks affect texture and depth.

Week 3 – Turning Form (3D Shapes) Use tone to transform flat shapes into three-dimensional forms. Work with spheres, cubes, and cylinders to understand light source and shadow.

Week 4 – Light, Shadow & Contrast Study how light behaves on objects, including highlights, mid-tones, core shadows, and cast shadows. Build stronger contrast in your drawings.

Week 5 – Observational Still Life Apply your tonal skills to a simple still life setup, focusing on proportion, composition, and accurate tonal relationships.

Week 6 – Developing Depth & Final Piece Create a more resolved drawing that combines all techniques learned, focusing on depth, contrast, and a confident use of tone.

By the end of the course, you will:

Understand how to use tone to create form and depth
Feel confident using a range of shading techniques
Be able to observe and draw light and shadow more accurately
Create more realistic, three-dimensional drawings
Complete a finished tonal drawing from observation