Value — the full range from pure white to pure black — is what makes a flat drawing appear three-dimensional. Before shading anything convincingly, you must train your hand to produce a controlled range of values on a scale, then apply that skill to a simple still life set up under a single lamp.
Drawing paper or sketchbook page, HB through 6B graphite pencils, vinyl and kneaded erasers, blending stump (optional), single desk lamp, 2-3 simple objects on a white surface. Finished drawing approximately 8×10".
Make a 9-box value scale first on scratch paper. Fill from pure white (no pencil) to as dark as you can with a 6B. Aim for smooth, even steps. Practice until you feel in control of each gradation.
Set up your still life: 2–3 objects (apple, cup, box) on a white surface next to a single lamp. Turn off all other room lights so cast shadows are dramatic and clear.
Lightly sketch outlines in HB pencil using your contour skills — slow, observational lines. Press very lightly.
Before shading, mark your anchors: where is the absolute brightest highlight? Where is the darkest shadow? These extremes guide every value in between.
Shade in light layers, building slowly. Shade with small, controlled strokes layered in one consistent direction (or with light circular motion for very smooth areas) — avoid scratchy back-and-forth scribbling, which always looks unfinished. Save your darkest pencil (6B) for the very end — the core shadow on objects and the cast shadow on the table surface.
Step back and squint at the drawing. Squinting blurs detail and reveals only value. If everything looks a similar mid-gray, push the darks much darker.
The most common mistake is making everything too similar in value — no real darks, no real lights. Push your shadows darker than feels comfortable. That contrast is what creates the illusion of three-dimensional form.