7. Ribbons

Now you've got to look at shading up close! Find some ribbon and look at it closely folding and creasing.

Study the drawing of the twisting and curling of the ribbon above. What makes the surfaces look as if they are coming forward towards you or curving away from you? Look at where the darkest and lightest areas are.

When you are drawing ribbons, leaves, paper, petals or any other subject that has gentle curves which bend forwards and backwards, in front and behind itself, consider these points: -

1. The areas that come forward towards you are light.
2. The surfaces that curve away and/or go behind another are dark.
3. If your shading is done with lines then make sure the lines follow the curves of the surface.
4. If your shading is constant and block, then gently lighten and darken the tone as you follow the curves.
5. Make sure your shading is consistent.

Exercise 7

Close observation is needed here! Look at my example of a piece of ribbon curving and billowing in and out. Where does the burn look darkest and where lightest? The point has gone from the darkest areas and then been drawn along the line of the curve faster to be fainter and then lifted off where its lightest.

Copy, trace or draw from your own piece of ribbon an example of shading up close. Look for light direction and shadows.