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Year 7

Rendering techniques

I can render a 3D sketch to show the light source and effect.

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New
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Year 7

Rendering techniques

I can render a 3D sketch to show the light source and effect.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Adding tone with shading to a drawing can enhance the 3D effect.
  2. Adding shadow to 3D drawings can enhance the effect.

Keywords

  • Rendering - to add details like shading, texture and depth to a sketch to make it appear more realistic

  • Tone - the lightness or darkness of an area, which helps create a sense of dimension in the image

  • Shadow - an unlit area of an object that is blocking light

  • Highlight - the brightest part of an object lit by a lightsource

Common misconception

When rendering the light source, location might not be correctly identified.

Start with real objects and a light source to help students visualise where the shadow and highlight would be. Get students to label where the light source is.


To help you plan your year 7 design and technology lesson on: Rendering techniques, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Demonstrate the shading technique focusing on gradiation, use pencil pressure exercises.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

Pencil, colour pencil, lamp/light source, 3D objects.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does "3D" mean in drawing?
Three different colours
Correct answer: Three dimensions
Three designs
Three drawings
Q2.
Which of these tools can be used for shading?
ruler
Correct answer: pencil
compass
scissors
Q3.
What happens when you press lightly with a pencil?
An image in a quiz
you get a darker tone
Correct answer: you get a lighter tone
the drawing becomes 3D
Q4.
What is the purpose of adding a shadow in a drawing?
An image in a quiz
to make it look blurry
Correct answer: to show where light is coming from
to make it less detailed
to remove the background
Q5.
When is a freehand sketching used?
Correct answer: when quickly planning or developing ideas without tools
when drawing precise technical drawings with a ruler
when measuring and drawing perfectly straight lines
when only using a computer to draw
Q6.
Which type of drawing uses 30-degree angles?
perspective drawing
Correct answer: isometric drawing
freehand sketching
grid drawing

Exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What is the purpose of rendering in drawing?
Correct answer: to add realism with shading and texture
to erase mistakes
to colour in only one part
to trace over an image
Q2.
Where should the darkest shadows be placed in a drawing?
Correct answer: in areas where no light reaches
in the middle of an object
only on the edges
anywhere on the page
Q3.
What is a mid-tone?
Correct answer: a tone between the lightest and darkest areas
the darkest part of the drawing
the outline of an object
a completely white area
Q4.
What is a core shadow?
the dark area on a surface where light is blocked by an object
the lightest part of an object where light hits directly
the middle shade between light and dark
Correct answer: the shadow on the object itself, adding depth