MASTER THE ESSENTIALS OF
SHADING
with
ALPHONSO DUNN
MASTER THE ESSENTIALS OF
SHADING
COURSE OVERVIEW
Master the Essentials of Pen and Ink Shading focuses on removing the intimidation from drawing and
shading with ink. It provides a comprehensive and thorough breakdown of the fundamental skills and
concepts learners need in order to have a sound foundation in pen and ink shading. In this course you
will learn the essential concepts, skills, and techniques including, pen control, consistency, basic strokes,
variations, value scales, gradation, light and shadow, and more. All this is laid out in the simple, clear, and
easy-to-follow style of instruction Alphonso is known for.
Essential Understandings:
• The fundamental differences between traditional • How the five shading skills address unique facets
drawing materials and ink drawing media. of the pen and ink shading process.
• How rushing affects line quality and our • How a basic understanding of light and shadow
drawing outcomes. facilitates better proficiency with shading.
• How planning in ink drawing can be done in a • How simple subjects provide unique
variety of ways. opportunities to practice and apply fundamental
• How to apply the "Less is More" principle in ink skills and concepts.
drawing. • The importance of using a simple and clear
• The nature of the basic strokes and their unique process for developing finished ink drawings.
characteristics. • How a holistic approach to the drawing process
• The visual effects and applications of the five fosters proficiency and success in ink drawing.
stroke variations.
What Will You Learn?
• Know the essential supplies needed for pen and • Combine the basic strokes, variations and
ink drawing. essential shading skills to rendering simple forms.
• Compare and contrast properties of different ink • Develop a core understanding of how the effects
drawing instruments. of light and shadow define 3D Shape and form.
• Apply planning as a fundamental aspect of the • Apply understanding of light and shadow to
ink drawing process. conveying 3D shape and volume of subjects with
• Practice awareness of rushing and the less-is- line.
more principle. • Combine the essential concepts and skills to
• Practice and compare the visual effects of the rendering simple forms and subjects.
basic strokes of ink drawing. • Develop ink drawings though a simple, clear,
• Create the five stroke variations and distinguish step-wise, and easy-to-follow process.
their uses and visual effects. • Apply your knowledge, skills, and understanding
• Practice and apply the five stroke variations on acquired from this course to rendering an infinite
different subjects. variety of subjects.
• Practice and apply the five shading skills of pen
and ink drawing.
MASTER THE ESSENTIALS OF
SHADING
COURSE GUIDE
OUTLINE DETAILS
PART 1 | THE BASICS Prior Knowledge Required None
1.1 Materials Skill Levels All
1.2 Key Reminders Course Units 23
Course Duration 7 Hours
1.3 Basic Concepts
PART 2 | THE FIVE SHADING SKILLS
MATERIALS
2.1 Line Weight
✓ Paper Smooth, medium to heavyweight, acid-free
2.2 Cross-Contour Lines
✓ Pen Can create lines of varying weight
2.3 Even Value
✓ Ink Permanent. Water- and smear-resistant
2.4 Value Scale ✓ Pencil HB graphite
2.5 Gradation ✓ Eraser Kneaded or plastic
PART 3 | SHADING SIMPLE FORMS
3.1 Understanding Light and Shadow
3.2 Shading Blocks
3.3 Shading Cylinders
3.4 Shading Spheres
PART 4 | DEMONSTRATIONS
4.1 Rock
4.2 Pear
4.3 Flower
4.4 Eye
MASTER THE ESSENTIALS OF
SHADING
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Alphonso Dunn
Alphonso Dunn is an artist, educator
and author, best known for his work
with pen and ink and his online
instruction on drawing. He authored
two books on pen and ink drawing,
Pen and Ink Drawing: A Simple Guide
and Pen and Ink Drawing Workbook.
Dunn was born in Jamaica, where he showed his love for
drawing at a very young age. At 17 he migrated to the United
States and inspired by ambitions for a career in medicine he
studied chemistry at William Paterson University. However,
after college, his enduring passion for drawing led him to pursue
his MFA at the New York Academy of Art. Upon completing
graduate study, he taught high school chemistry and college art
courses for several years.
In addition to his pen-and-ink work and art instruction books,
Dunn is known for creating hundreds of free instructional
videos shared on his YouTube channel, which has over 750,000
followers. His videos provide introductory art instruction on a
variety of topics, including drawing, sketching, pen and ink,
watercolor, linear perspective, urban sketching, anatomy and
more. He currently lives and works in New Jersey.
MASTER THE ESSENTIALS OF
SHADING
PART 1 The Basics
Overview:
Vocabulary
In Part 1 we cover the building blocks needed to establish a sound
✓ Strokes
foundation in pen and ink drawing. We will look at the essential
materials every ink drawing student should at least be exposed to. ✓ Variation
Next we look at three key reminders that are important to be aware ✓ Consistency
of and that are especially critical to drawing with pen and ink. Then
we will close out Part 1 by taking an in-depth look at pen control, ✓ Stroke Path
basic strokes, and the five stroke variations. ✓ Pen Control
What will you learn?
• Know the materials needed for creating textures.
• Practice the basic strokes of pen and ink drawing.
• Create variations of the basic strokes.
• Identify and apply the elements of pen of control.
Units Covered
1.10 Welcome
1.11 Paper
1.12 Ink
1.13 Pens
1.14 Additional Materials
1.21 Rushing
1.22 Planning
1.23 Less is More
1.31 Pen Control
1.32 Basic Strokes
1.33 Stroke Variations
MASTER THE ESSENTIALS OF
SHADING
PART 2 The Five Shading Skills
Overview:
Vocabulary
In Part 2 we go through the individual breakdown of the essential
✓ Line Weight
skills needed to successfully render forms with pen and ink. Pen and
ink drawing is a unique drawing medium and requires a separate set ✓ Cross-Contour Lines
of skills from other drawing medium like, graphite or charcoal. Line ✓ Value Scale
is the primary element at work, and this requires us to understand
how to use line to create and manipulate value in order to convey ✓ Even Value
volume and three-dimensional shape. ✓ Gradation
What will you learn?
• Create line weight variation and apply its visual effects to convey
light and shadow, mass, volume, and texture.
• Apply cross-contour lines to forms.
• Maintain even value across various shapes and forms.
• Gradate values with respect to range, rate, and direction.
Units Covered
2.1 Line Weight
2.2 Cross-Contour Lines
2.3 Even Value
2.4 Value Scale
2.5 Gradation
MASTER THE ESSENTIALS OF
SHADING
PART 3 Shading Simple Forms
Overview:
Vocabulary
In Part 3 we focus on developing a fundamental understanding
of light and shadow and see how this concept is used to convey ✓ Light Effects
the three-dimensional shape and volume of forms. We will then ✓ Value Patterns
apply this understanding, and the shading skills from Part 2 ✓ Shading
to rendering simple forms, like blocks, cylinders, and spheres.
✓ Simple Form
✓ Plane
What will you learn?
• Explain how light interacts with forms to reveal their three-
dimensional shape and volume.
• Blocks abd round forms respond to light in unique ways.
• Render blocks with pen and ink.
• Render cylinders with pen and ink.
• Render spheres with pen and ink.
• Gradate values within various ranges, rates, and directions.
Units Covered
3.1 Understanding Light and Shadow
3.2 Shading Blocks
3.3 Shading Cylinders
3.4 Shading Spheres
MASTER THE ESSENTIALS OF
SHADING
PART 4 Demonstrations
Overview:
Vocabulary
In this final section, we will combine the concepts and skills covered
in the previous sections and apply them to various subjects. These ✓ Drawing Process
subjects are especially chosen because they are easy enough to ✓ Local Value
be taken on by learners at all levels, yet provide enough challenge ✓ Basic Sides
for students to develop their skills and apply what they learn.
✓ Sub-planes
What will you learn?
• Demonstrate understanding of how light reveals three-
dimensional shape and volume.
• Develop finished ink drawings using a systematic process.
• Render a rock with pen and ink.
• Render a pear with pen and ink.
• Render a flower with pen and ink.
• Render an eye with pen and ink.
Units Covered
3.1 A Rock
3.2 A Pear
3.3 A Flower
3.4 An Eye
