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sketching techniques

Aran

Member

okay, i've begun shading, but i feel like i have no technique--like i'm just putting strokes where shadows should be. but shouldn't there be techniques with shading?
 
What do you mean, exactly? Do you want a tutorial/clue on shading?

Also, which type of shading method are you using, cell shading?
 

Aran

Member

LT!

well.... like... how should i shade?

method? er... 9_o, uh... me don't know. what other type of methods are there?
 
Whoa, you are even asking HOW TO SHADE? Uhhm, i really think you should check on books on sketching to learn the standard shading METHOD, not technique...

As for me, when i shade, i use one slanted angle for light shades, then as it goes darker, there will be a crosshatch.. Or, 2 shading layers...

(you can experiment on your own too. But try slanted shades, maybe 15degrees...)
 
there are different types of shading. Hatching and cross hatching is shading with lines that go in the same direction. Or you could completly fill in a area.
You could even combine the two if you want.
But if its a sketch I wouldn't worry about shading. And if your going to scan the sketch its (if you're like me) harder to clean up with pencil marks every where.
 
Well first of all you need to keep in your mind at least one spot of light. After that, you just imagine how that light should affect the colors of the object you´re colouring, like "this part is in front of the light, so its back will have a shade". That´s the pretty basic, but the way you´ll select/put the colors will depend on the shading style you´re using. Try looking at the picture as a whole and imagine all the shades, and after taking a brief idea, go zooming some parts of the drawing and shading them separatedly.

Like, for cell shading you first select one basic color for all elements of the drawing (skins, clothes, trees, or whatever). After, for the shades, you select that basic color, darken it a bit (or lighten, if you want to highlight something) and brush in the drawing, where you think the shade would be. I just advice for you to put the basic colors and the shaded colors in separate layers, so it will be easy to correct some mistakes or even add some effects. Cell shading is very easy and straightforward, and there´re tons of tutorials on it. If it´s your first time colouring a drawing, try shading in that style for a while, until you feel confident enough to jump to a better style ^^

I´m trying soft cell-shading now, it´s really wonderful, and as easy to use as cell-shading, but with a bit more of work. I generally use one layer for the lineart, one for the basic colors, and masked layers for shadows (2 or 3 layers) and highlights (2 layers). There´s also those layers specifically for some parts, like effects, backgrounds, and the like.
 

Aran

Member

look, this is how i've been shading:
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/9928/kyranagain4copy9kt.png[/img]
 

Aran

Member

o.... no ^^

i'm on coloring now :D that's why its so hard to shade...

@Linkin_T: cell shading... i guess that's what i was doing at first...
 
I'd take the blur tool (not the smudge tool) and soften the dark edges.
use more then one tone on shades. Its usally darker where the shadow is cast from.
With highlights u could use a brush tool, low opacity, and lightly add white over the surface. Setting the brush to vivid light makes a cool effect too.
 
Aran;138263 said:
but i feel like i have no technique--like i'm just putting strokes where shadows should be. but shouldn't there be techniques with shading?

i dunno... thats pretty much EXACTLY what i do... although i heard rubbing in the shading with your fingers helps... then again ive never taken an art lesson in my life so... i wouldnt know...

edit: but thats with pencil and paper, hehe
 
Sorry man i thought you were clueless xD

I just advice you to lessen a bit the lighted areas (or if you really want them to be there in that size, try to lessen a bit the opacity or put a softer color). Other than that, your color tones for clothes and skin combined very well.
 

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