Scrimshaw Etching

Step 7 Shading

now comes the real work, the shading. as far as im

concerned, just about anyone can trace a design, its the

shading that gives a picture depth and shadow, and

brings it to life.

by varying the preasure on the needle you can get

lighter or darker lines. start wth the lightes parts and

shade like you would with a pencil, really light

strokes. you can always go back over it if you want it a

little darker. you can not make it lighter. scratch a

little, ink it and clean it. go a little at a time. and

remember to practice. this is a form of art the takes a

really long time to master. i have been doing this for

over 10 years and i still make mistakes. so relax and

have fun.