What's the best way to shade a drawing and how do you know where to shade?

Well depends on what you are drawing. Light hits different objects in different ways and depending on the intensity of the light depends on how the values will form. I think looking at grayscale pictures and observing real life are the best ways to see how values form. If you are just sketching from your head though it can be more difficult. You need to choose a light source. Say you drew a face and the light is coming from the upper right in front of them. You will shade the cheeks as if they were spheres and nose more as a cylinder. Its a pain and takes alot of practice. Maybe i could put up some pictures so you get a better idea.

Well yeah lighting. But i sometimes get lazy and shade to emphasize the parts of the photo or person that i want to. If its a person you want to shade the nose on which ever side is the shadow, and definatly the cheek bones.

alright i’m no drawer or artist but i like to draw when i’m bored and this is what i usually do to shade. i kinda ooutline with dark pencil and use my thumb to rub around my drawing to shade. its fast and easy.

Please do! I’ve been wanting to understand this since I was 12.