Never press hard to get a dark tone; it crushes the paper grain and creates an ugly shine. Instead, layer multiple passes of a soft pencil.

Squint at your drawing. If it looks grey and flat, your tones are too similar. Darken your deepest shadows to make the sketch "pop."

This is the secret to "combining" the two. Where the light is bright, let the sketch line disappear ( lost edge ). Where the shadow is deep, use a sharp, dark edge ( found edge ). 4. The Finish: Refinement

Use this to "draw" with light. Dab it onto shaded areas to lift graphite and create subtle transitions.