Step 6: Apply Shading

After you have finished defining all the solid lines, it is time to add shading. When working with a banana peel the most useful shading techniques are stipplinghatching, and smooth shading.

Stippling: Creates shading by varying the density of dots. The closer the dots are to each other, the darker the area appears. This technique offers the most control but is the most time consuming. To create large dots, make shallow punctures in the skin as you did in the previous steps. To create smaller and lighter dots, hold the needle at a shallow angle and use your finger to repeatedly tap it against the surface. You may need to repeat this process several times to get the area dark enough.

Hatching: Creates shading by varying the density of parallel lines. The closer the lines are together, the darker it appears. This can be done with lines in a single direction (basic hatching), lines that intersect at an angle (crosshatching), or lines that follow the curve of the object (contour hatching). Hatching can be difficult on a banana peel because the surface texture changes as you mark on it. This makes it harder to keep the lines even.

Smooth Shading: Creates a continuous gradient of color without any discernible lines. The best way to apply smooth shading is to bruise the skin with a blunt tool. You can vary the darkness of the shading by varying the amount of pressure that you apply. This can be difficult to control until you have had some practice. The riper the banana is, the more easily it will bruise and the more quickly the color will darken.
<p>Genius! Have you thought of using an engraving tool? Might take some of the labour out of the work.</p>
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawesome
<p>Here's mine.....meet Flame Head Fred the banana!</p>
Awesome. Thanks for sharing. It is always nice to see other people's work.
<p>Really easy and fun to do!</p>
<p>This is awesome <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BananaArt" rel="nofollow">#BananaArt</a>! We're running a contest for best banana art. Top prize: Vitamix blender! Please upload your original art!!! More info <a href="http://on.fb.me/1odOBov" rel="nofollow">http://on.fb.me/1odOBov</a></p>
<p>Ok. I uploaded a few images.</p>
Neat! I would have never thought of that
I did one!
Nice presentation!!
As soon as I get more nanas I'm gunna try sumting simple to surprise my daughter with. Do it without her knowing & when she grabs 1 to eat she'll freak out asking how her name was put on it..... Or sumting like that. She'll be drawing on nanas for the rest if her life after I show her! Thanks for the idea!!!
Thanks for the awesome idea. Here is mine.
Coolest thing ever!!!
GUESS WHAT!!! I made this!!! Here is a picture of it. The Pie was by my bff, and the Peacock was by me
Here are the photos
Nice. I like it.
Thanks, Great project by the way.
OMG this is so cool! I HATE HATE HATE Bananas though, can you do it on other fruits? Anyway, I am SO gonna do this to my sister's banana! Thanks!! <br>
It's the middle of winter where I am. Couldn't you freeze them??
You can freeze them but it won't preserve the quality. The skin will still change colors. Then when you thaw the banana it will degrade even faster.
I wonder what happens if i decide to do a banana design on the bananna. HAHAHAH
That is soooo freaking cool! Bravo!<br> <br> Now to kick it up a notch with a tatto artist gun/machine/[pen..!.<br> <br> Have you tried doing it with one yet?<br> <br> Either way - you have the touch... those banana's look great!<br> What a thing to bring in the lunch box... or serve!<br> <br> I've got to do one...<br> <br> Thanx for sharing your instructable!<br> got my vote and good luck!<br> <br> - chase -
I have tried using a tattoo gun yet (mostly because I don't personally know any tattoo artists). But I can imagine that when using a powered tool, you would need to be extra careful not to pierce all the way through the skin.
It'd be fun to do a Jesus face then leave it in a grocery store on a sunday. Then wait and see if it makes the news...
i should have known phil hansen's name would appear here... <br>anyway this looks like a fun project!
Wow... you're an artist!! <br>This is a great idea.. too bad i'm really bad at art.. even stenciling.. :( <br> <br>Nice presentation too... <br>Thanks!
I assure you, I have zero artistic skill. If you can trace a line, you can make this. All it takes is patience.
Really? even if i have a minus (less than zero) artistic skill ? you promise?? <br>:D <br>OK, i'll try to have a go and will post my pic if i manage to make something.. <br>:)
In fine crafting, how long you spend on something matters far more that how skilled you are, in terms of the quality of the finished product.
huh.. no wonder my &quot;arts&quot; collection isn't so nice.. <br>I always thought i'm not gifted in arts.. :/<br>If you put it that way, maybe it's my lack of patience..<br>I'll try to give more time on my next art project, this banana art would be a perfect trial.. :D
This is so cool !!! You are definitely an artist my friend....
Great idea, but I don't think I'd have the patience to actually do anything more than a smiley face or my name. When I'm 'stuck in the house on a rainy day', I usually just browse Instructables (in fact, its raining now :)
Wow, i just wanted to say how impressed i am with this idea and your artwork! I never seen anything like this and its such a simple idea I'm surprised i never seen this sooner. Your works of art are amazing and this is just a great idea. It makes so much sense, bananas turn black from exposure to air and some fruits give off its own chemical that actually spoils themselves which is why alot of fruits are in bags or containers with holes to let air in and out so thier own chemical that spoils them gets out. I can't recall what that chemical is called at the moment and i don't know if the banana has that chemical or if just the air exposure makes it black after awhile, but its such a simple idea that if u prick it with a pin that it would cause that part of the banana to turn black and you can make artwork or write words or little pictures on your kids or husbands/wives lunches...Pretty dang cool if i say so myself...
Great art.Is there any way we could peel and dry,I wonder.Will try it as a valentine snack for my children!!!They are not on instructables.So they won't know I stole the idea- promise to tell them after all the oohs and aahs.
This is amazing!!! Great job!!!
<strong><em>&quot; First, if you're like me and can't draw to save your life, you'll want to select a reference picture.&quot;</em></strong><br> <br> What do you mean, I thought you're images (even if traced) are fantastic!!!<br> You are too humble my friend!
Very cool! Good job!
Wonder if anyone has done the &quot;Cut up the banana while inside the peel&quot;trick yet.It made my nephews day when I did it.
This is one of the most fun Instructables ever. It is like chalk art on sidewalk, here today, gone tomorrow.
SO cool!!! What a great way to entertain the kids! :D
<em><strong>Banana tatoos?</strong></em> Does anyone have a report of what a tatoo needle gun does?<br> My personal preference is to not tatoo my own skin, but for lunch this art is so <strong>appealing!</strong>
Amazing art..... can we preserve these?
with a camera :p :)
very good, i never thought about that. thanks <br>
very creative, excellent instructable!
Amazing idea, thanks for sharing it here. <br>My husband works out of town 4-5 days straight, and I love the idea of putting bananas in his food bag with fun pictures and messages on them. I probably won't make any major works of art, just hearts and skulls and &quot;I love you's&quot; ;)
WOW, these are great,

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