Many drawings appear restless not because too little was drawn – but often because too much is happening at once.
Why some shading seems "too much"
Many beginners focus on depicting as many gradations as possible when shading.
This quickly creates the feeling that every surface must be worked on. The drawing becomes darker, softer, and more detailed – but often loses clarity in the process.
Interestingly, the problem often lies not in a lack of technique, but in too much information at once.
When everything seems equally important
A drawing needs areas of rest.
If every spot receives the same attention, restlessness quickly arises. The eye can no longer find a clear focus, and the form begins to lose its stability.
This happens particularly often with mid-grays: everything moves in the same range between light and dark, without clear separation.
As a result, many drawings appear "muddy," even though a lot of work has gone into them.
Light requires clear decisions
When shading, it often helps to consciously define the light source first.
- Where does light directly hit the form?
- Which areas remain calm and bright?
- Where does the actual shadow occur?
- Which edges are soft – and which are sharp?
These questions alone often ensure that a drawing appears more structured.
Not every surface needs the same amount of information.
Why fewer tonal values often have a stronger effect
Many professional drawings work with astonishing reduction.
Often, it's enough to have:
- clear light areas
- a calm mid-tone
- a defined shadow
- and a cleanly placed cast shadow
This simplification makes forms easier to read.
Especially in sketches or minimalist illustrations, this often creates more calm and spatial effect than fully elaborated shading.
A simple exercise
Try drawing the same sphere twice:
Version 1
With as many soft transitions and even shading as possible.
Version 2
With clearly separated tonal value areas and consciously calm light surfaces.
The difference is often immediately visible: the reduced version often appears more stable and clearer.
You can insert a comparison sketch here: on the left, an over-worked sphere; on the right, a calmer version with clearer tonal values.
A glimpse into my own process
Even in my own sketches, I often try not to fully elaborate every surface.
Instead, I first focus on:
- Light
- Weight
- Contrast
- and calm tonal value relationships
Especially with reduced motifs, this helps to keep the drawing clear and stable, without it appearing over-worked.
Conclusion
Good shading does not automatically mean more shading.
Often, spatial effect arises precisely when tonal values are consciously reduced and used clearly.
Not every surface needs attention. Sometimes, calm arises precisely where something is omitted.