It's becoming something of a tradition. Yesterday I used a grid overlay to help me draw this jug & cup group more accurately. The reason for employing this method has been covered a number of times now and suffice to say that it's a powerful aid to my sketching:
Starting with my already complete outline sketch today was all about putting in shading that works, trying to stop it looking too grainy and seeing if I could bring in some highlights. On the shading front I've found that moving graphite around with my finger works fine for rough surfaces but really a cotton bud is much better when you're looking at something smooth; these really even out the tone. The only problem with them is that they don't provide any precision and tend to smudge beyond the lines that have been so carefully drawn! However this is not an evident problem in my picture:
The reason for this is my secret weapon - an eraser shield. I've discovered that with this tool I can erase with great accuracy and no longer need to fear those random smudges and misdirected lines which occasionally crop up. It's great! Even better it's possible to use the shield to pick out very specific highlights with all sorts of shapes; this is how I've managed to bring out spots on the rim and handle of both objects. It's amazing how something so simple can make all of the difference.