A pear with a curled leaf

Use a slightly uneven pear silhouette to practice simple form shading. A stalk, curled leaf, and small cast shadow complete the study.

A way into the drawing

1. Draw the silhouette

   Begin with a narrow rounded neck and a broad lower body. Let one side bulge a little farther than the other.

2. Attach stalk and leaf

   Add the short stalk and a pointed leaf with a curved center vein. Turn one edge inward to suggest its curl.

3. Use two shadow areas

   Shade one side of the fruit and deepen the area underneath. Add tone along the curled leaf, leaving a broad highlight on the pear as untouched paper.

A small thing to tryChoose the highlight before shading. Protecting that white area makes a simple pear look round without heavy blending.