The use of varying degrees of darkness in art or design to create depth and dimension. Also refers to subtle gradations or nuances in meaning or quality.
From Old English 'sceadu' meaning shadow or shade, with the -ing suffix added in Middle English. The artistic sense developed in the Renaissance as techniques for representing light and shadow became more sophisticated.
Shading in art mirrors how we understand reality itself - it's not the bright highlights or deep shadows that create realism, but all those subtle gradations in between that make a drawing come alive and seem three-dimensional.
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