tips on shading

[ArtsyFilmer 23]

Hello I am an artist trying to get better at his art and the one thing that I never can get right is shading. I have tried different ways like go through with black on the parts you want shaded then turn down the opacity, along with some other ones. Is there any techniques you guys have tried and seem to like that might fit my art style (look at examples below) thanks for reading.

[Nintenboy195 384]

Well, one thing I could reccomend is investing for an ipad pro. and second, there are probably some art tutorials on youtube. Thats where i learned how to shade and perspective better.

edit: Also, get an apple pencil for that ipad pro! ^^

[Wicked Funky 2,955]

Well, You'll need to test your way forwards. Try drawing simple shapes and shade them, Then more and more complicated shapes with dents and bulges.

 

And yeah, I'm gonna be that guy, You need practice. But it's true, And the only way to learn.

[PacificGreen 1,163]

My tip is always to imagine where your light source is (it may even be off the picture) and try to shade where you would find shadows and where light may be obstructed.

At my level I just sorta sketch close up, and then zoom out and see how it looks as a whole. If it doesn't look right, I undo and try again.

 

Keep practicin', your pictures don't look too shabby. I think you might be doing a better job at outlining than me.

[Blique 211]

Don't use black when shading, it ends up making art look dusty and desaturated. I used to do it all the time before.   Here's my favorite drawing comparison of someone using desaturated shading vs colored shading:

 

 

 

(x)

 

You can use any color you want for shading. I personally like using purples, but it depends on the piece. In the above example, the face and hair are mainly orange, red-orange, and yellow - thus, to create contrast, the complementary colors were used for shading: blue, blue-green, and purple. Take care when combining complements though, or you'll end up with greys. I usually just throw color on my art, see if looks right, and tweak as I go.

 

Shading is also great for helping a character seem more like they belong on a background. For example, let's say I have Applebloom on a background of green grass and blue sky. I'd use blue shading on her, because that ties her in with the sky, plus blue on yellow makes green, which ties her in with the grass. I'd also put some yellow and red in the sky and grass while I'm at it. Gotta make things unified!

 

Here's a really awesome guide to color and shading with color. It's my favorite - it's fun to read and easy to learn from.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Blique

[Eiwly 77]

cardinal rule of shading: DON'T USE BLACK! there aren't a lot of no-no's when it comes to art, but that's the big one. no shadow is black, and no highlight is white, and using them as much tends to wash out pictures.

 

one tip for shading, if you want the colours to have a bit more pop, is to shade on a separate layer with a colour of medium-low saturation, a red or purple colour are good for warm pictures, while blues are good for cooler pictures. then set that layer to multiply, and lower the opacity a bit.

 

the same can be done with highlights if you want to add those in too. picking a brighter, less saturated colour is good, I often like to use yellow because I'm lazy , and set that layer to either overlay, screen, or soft light, depending on what program your using.

 

one more thing, when colouring, it's best to avoid colours of the same hues. ie, say red is a prominent colour in your picture, by using a reddy-purple, or just purple, it can add some nice depth and variation, which allows the picture to 'pop' so to say.

 

one more thing I find that helps, when trying to figure out where the shadows go, is drawing a mini sun where you want the light source to be. I know some people, me included, who find this helpful when trying to visualize where the light source starts, and what might be blocking it, causing shadows~

 

honestly these are all things I've come across over time, though experiment, practice, and reading tutorials. just don't be afraid to try new things, cause that's really the best way to learn~

[DeadRightNowBoi 161]

Honestly, the only way you're going to become a master in shading is to have some pretty good knowledge in lighting. Mapping and Modding for Half-Life 2 has given me a lot of knowledge in lighting I never knew before, but I know you're most likely not a hl2 modder so scratch that

 

You must pay really close attention to the lighting in real life. Going outdoors during daylight and night-time is a great way to learn about lighting. Take a very close look at all the details you see, such as "How dark the shadows are", "What's the color of the lighting", "The reflections casted on objects by lighting", "the angle of the lighting", etc. One rule I can tell you is in the real world, lights are NEVER pure white. The same goes with shadows as they are NEVER pure black. You just need to get a good idea in everything about lighting and you'll be good to go!

 

Hope that helps!