colored pencil value shaded shamrock and rainbow drawing

Looking for a FREE Saint Patrick’s Day Art Lesson? It’s your lucky day!

Students in grades 6-9 will enjoy this colorful Spring value shading art activity!

You can use this guided value shading task as a sketchbook activity or as an introductory skills practice lesson to add to your Spring 2-D Art Drawing Unit.

You can achieve amazing results by following these easy steps!

Materials:

  • Sharpen 3-4 colored pencils
  • You will need the colors green, dark green, yellow, black, or dark blue for this activity.

5 colored pencils for value shading lesson

1. Let’s begin this art lesson by shading a value strip with a green colored pencil.

  • Label the darkest value as 5 and the lightest value as 1.

Value strip shaded with green colored pencil

2. Use a green colored pencil to color the entire shamrock lightly applying value 1.

A closeup of a shamrock being shaded lightly with a green colored pencil

 

3.  Continue with the same green pencil to create a gradient blend that transitions smoothly from value 5 to value 4,3,2,1

VAlue shading a Shamrock with a green colored pencil Shamrock drawing with green value shading and colored pencil

TIPS:

  • Apply light pressure and small circles.
  • Hold your pencil held at a slant instead of upright, to achieve a smooth transitional blend.
  • The greater the difference between the very light center and the very dark edges will result in a “puffier” shamrock form.

4. Select a darker green colored pencil to shade the entire edge of each shamrock leaf again using value 5.

Press down hard!

Shading darker values around a colored pencil shamrock drawing

5. For a really impressive finish, create even more value shading magic, add dark blue and/or black around the edges to create the illusion of an even more rounded form.

TIP: Dark blue or black colored pencils will work really well to deepen the outer edge value.

Colored pencil green value shaded shamrock drawing to show form

6. In the center of the shamrock apply a value #2 layer using a yellow colored pencil to create the illusion of spring sunshine!

 

Ready to use this lesson with your students? Subscribe below to receive this FREEBIE Shamrock worksheet and you will be ready to go!


After your art students understand how to shade a Shamrock they might enjoy this fun Shamrock OP Art Activity!

This art resource has many worksheets that can be used as a quick sub-plan or extended week-long bell ringer to further practice their value shading skills with a rainbow of colors!