10+ Easy Pencil Sketch Ideas to Practice Shading

If you’ve ever found yourself facing a blank sketchbook and wondered about drawing, that’s completely normal. It looks like you can do shading easily... until you actually try. Really, you don’t have to draw perfect sketches to improve your art. All you really need is to have the right ideas, find the right tools and stick with it a bit.

I put together 10 practical drawing ideas that will offer you opportunities to practice shading playfully. Both techniques look stunning with Drawlish Sketch Pencils the very ones artists enjoy for their silky texture, std graphite and wide range of tones. You’re able to grab them on Drawlish.com right away!

1. A Simple Sphere

Drawing a sphere is one of the easiest ways to understand how light and shadow work together. It’s basically the “shading 101” assignment and it actually helps. Just sketch a circle and practice giving it that soft, 3D look.

2. Folded Fabric

Grab a towel or a t-shirt and lay it on your desk. Notice how the folds create shadows and highlights? That’s gold for shading practice. It may look random, but once you start sketching it, you’ll see how shading brings fabric to life.

3. An Eye

Human eyes are fascinating to draw and they’re full of shading moments. The pupil, the eyelid, the tear duct, the soft skin under the eye... it’s a mini shading playground. Plus, you get to practice fine details and contrast.

4. A Leaf

Nature is the best teacher. Pick up a leaf and really look at it, the veins, the curves, the way it bends toward or away from the light. Sketching it helps you practice not just shading, but also texture and subtle transitions.

5. An Apple

Simple, everyday objects like apples are perfect for learning shading. They're round, they catch light in cool ways, and they don’t have too many crazy details. You’ll be surprised how realistic your sketch can look with just a few shading layers.

6. Crumpled Paper

Take a sheet of paper, crush it, and lay it flat again. Now sketch what you see. All those creases and crinkles create amazing light and shadow patterns. It’s surprisingly fun and a really cool way to understand contrast.

7. Tree Bark

Want to practice texture and rough shadows? Draw some bark. Seriously. The uneven surface forces you to work with varied pencil pressure and irregular shapes, which is awesome for building your shading instincts.

8. Geometric Shapes

Think cubes, cylinders, and cones. These might sound basic, but they’ll totally change the way you understand form and shadow. Plus, they’re fast and satisfying to sketch and perfect for warming up.

9. A Cup of Coffee

Look at your morning cup like it’s a still life model. Sketch the round rim, the handle, the way light hits the side. Don’t overthink it, just observe and shade what you see. You’ll be amazed at how real it starts to look.

10. A Feather

Feathers are a great mix of soft and structured. Sketching them helps you play with delicate shading and light pressure while still following a clear form. They’re relaxing to draw and turn out really pretty.

Make the Most of These Ideas with Drawlish Sketch Pencils 

The best part? You don’t need fancy tools to start just the right pencils. That’s where Drawlish Sketch Pencils come in. Whether you’re adding soft shadows, bold outlines, or tiny textures, our pencils give you the control and feel you need to bring your sketches to life.