In this tutorial, I want to show you how to use the gradients to create an overall shadow and you can use a reverse-shading technique to draw arts very fast :)

I hope you enjoy!

Step 1: Sketches and Lines

First, sketch a motive you like. I used for the sketch and the lines the simple G-Pen.

Then line your sketch on a seperate layer.

 

Step 2: Flat colors

There are a few ways to do the flat colors.

I just tell you how I usually do it.

 

First, make another layer UNDER your lineart layer. Use a dark color and fill all your character with a dark color (dark, so you can see if white pixels are left somewhere)

 

 

Now make another layer on top of this layer and go to the left icon shown under "normal" layer option-bar. You can see it highlighted in this screenshot here. It's a very important tool called clipping mask. It means no matter what you do, you won't draw over the edges of your filled color now.

Now you can simply pick the bucket tool and fill in all areas of your character in one and the same layer. (you can also do it manually with a pen but it takes much more time )

Step 3: Reverse Shading

Now the fun part:

Make another layer and clip it on top like shown in the picture.

Set it on multiply

Now go to "gradients" and pick the first option "foreground color to transparency" and pick a warm brown color with not much saturation. It's your choice which color tone you want. You can always undo and go back or adjust the colors.

 

I prefer to start with a brown-ish color and not too saturated.

 

 

Now simply pick a site where you want to have the shadow come from and pull your cursor over your character to make a gradient shadow. If you pull the line short, you will have sharper gradient edges, if you pull it wide a wider area will be filled with the gradient.

Now do the SAME step again (making another layer at top , clip it and use the gradient) but this time set the layer mode on "add (glow)" and pick a more saturated orange, brown or yellow (or any other color you like) and pull the gradient from opposite direction to your shadows

Now, if you prefer it darker like I do, make another multiply layer between your gradient layer and your flat color layer and use the lasso fill tool to fully draw with another color over your character to make it darker. The darker your character is, the brighter the light will shine.

 

Don't make it too dark otherwise people won't see your lines anymore :P

(but you can adjust the brightness in the end anyways)

Now, let's do reverse-shading!

 

Reverse shading means, usually you would pick a darker color and shade the parts. But here we "erase" the already set dark color to add merely highlights.

This way on easy motives you have way less work than usual added shading.

 

Merge your two multiply layers and remain on the merged multiply layer now, pick the "lasso fill" tool but instead of picking a color, pick the tiny rectangle with the checkers under your two main colors. It works as eraser

 

Note: You can do it in CSP with any brush you like. If you're too lazy to select the eraser too each time, simply click on the checkers if you use any brush and you can erase :)

This is just a quick example of what will happen if you use the lasso fill on your multiply layer. Like you can see, the areas will appear very bright and you can take adventage of this by simply draw highlights with this.

Neat, huh? It's a very easy way. I now chose to draw very detailed, but it's not necessary.

 

On the right side I just used the lasso fill tool and drew highlights. It often looks better if you leave a bit of rest shadow between lines and highlights, especially on the hair.

 

Tip:

On the left side you also see some kind of fading light. It's the same like on the right side, just with lower density (I used 11), so you can simply play with the density and fast draw many lights at once!

 

That's practically it already, but I show you some nice refinements you can add.

Step 3: Finishing touch to your art! (Optional)

Now duplicate the multiply layer you're on.

It will appear very dark first but you can adjust it later. Go to "Filter->Blur->Gaussian Blur"

And set the bar on a level which makes your edges look glowy and smooth

Now you just have to add a few sparkles (I used G-pen and drew a few dots) and you can adjust the color and density of your multiply layer.

 

I hope this tutorial was helpful.