Walk around your kitchen. Don’t see a "coffee mug"; see a cylinder with a curved handle. Don’t see an "orange"; see a sphere with texture. Once you see the shapes, the intimidation factor vanishes. The Golden Rule of Shading
Your first 500 drawings will be terrible. Use cheap paper so you aren't afraid to make mistakes. The First Secret: The Four Pillars The Absolute Beginner's Big Book of Drawing and...
Soft enough for dark shadows, hard enough for light lines. Walk around your kitchen