How do you draw a white object with a pencil?

Drawing an all-white object is a great way to learn that all-white objects are not all white. With careful observation, the artist is forced to take note of the dark, medium, light and bright whites that give white objects their shape. The artist also notices that white objects do not exist in an all white room. Sometimes the space around a white object is equally important in telling the tale of the white object. So, sharpen your pencil and start drawing that white bird bath, chair, trellis, or whatever catches your eye .

1. Experiment with the side of your pencil for shading. Try smudging the pencil marks with your finger.  You may like the effect, or hate it.  
2. If your drawing hand is smearing the image all over your paper, try placing a clean piece of paper under your drawing hand to prevent dragging graphite along the way. (You can also use this trick to keep one page of your sketch book from imprinting on the facing page.  Slide a piece of tissue paper, newsprint, or recycle any piece of paper by placing it between facing pages.)
3. Erasers are really helpful when you need to clean up the bright whites.
4. Don't be afraid to go back with a 6B-8B pencil to put in the darkest darks.
5. Getting the full range of shading will really bring your drawing to life.
6. In the two example images above, you may notice that the chef's hat looks whiter with the dark background. Does your object need a darker background to better tell it's story?