Hello, this is Akatsuki Ouyo! 🎨

 

Have you ever thought, "My drawings feel a bit lacking..." or "I want to create a more emotional atmosphere!"?

 

If so, I highly recommend trying the "backlight" technique! This time, using this illustration, I'll show you step-by-step how to make your characters shine their brightest!

 

By reading this tutorial, you'll surely be able to do things like these! 👇

 

• ✅Dramatic lighting effects that will make people stop and stare

• ✅Achieve maximum translucency! How to paint hair that glows with light

• ✅Pro-level finishing touches that define the overall atmosphere

I'll be using CLIP STUDIO PAINT. Now, let's master backlighting together and create a standout piece! ✨

1. Rough Sketch and Composition

First, create a rough sketch of the general image you want for your illustration!

 

This time's theme is precisely: "The coolest profile of an angel turning around!" 😎

 

There are three key points to express "coolness"!

 

• POINT1: Find the golden angle!

• POINT2: Create drama with backlighting!

• POINT3: Generate a story with "movement"!

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At this stage, just cherish the feeling of "I want to draw!" and draw boldly without worrying about mistakes! 👌

 

①Idea Sketch → ②Color Rough for atmosphere check → ③Brightness Adjustment

2. Base Coating

Once the rough sketch is done, let's start painting! 🎨 First, for the "base coating," lay down colors for each part!

 

There's only one super important technique here!

Separate layers for each part!

 

• Skin Layer

• Hair Layer

• Clothes Layer

• Wing Layer

"It might seem troublesome," you might think, but this will be so effective later that you'll think, "Past me was a genius!" 👍

 

Here's what it looks like after ①line art and ②base coating are finished!

The image below shows my layer structure!

 

Of course, I separate into folders for each part, but I'm also the type to separate line art and color into different layers!

 

This is the ultimate technique that allows you to freely change line colors later! Give it a try!

3. Creating the Base for Shadows and Light

It's finally time to paint! 🎨 Let's start by creating the base for shadows!

 

① Cast a shadow over the whole image

 

Clip a "Multiply" layer above the base color folder! If you want a cool atmosphere, just apply a calm blue color over the entire image with the [Fill tool] to create the foundation for three-dimensionality 👍

② Add cast shadows

 

Next, let's draw the secret to this illustration's "coolness": [cast shadows]! The key is to draw the shadows sharply, like in anime coloring.

 

• ✅ For the layer, add a new "Multiply" layer!

• ✅ For the brush, use a hard pen like a "G-pen"!

• ✅ For the color, choosing a slightly vibrant, dark blue is a trick to make it look professional! ✨

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[Most Important Point]

 

The rule for this painting method is just one! "Decide the direction of the light"!

 

This time, imagine the light is coming from the bottom left!

Then, the shadows will appear on the opposite side, the top right! Just by painting light and shadow like a puzzle, your drawing will become incredibly three-dimensional, so give it a try! 👍

4. [Most Important!] Drawing Backlight (Highlights)

Now, this is the main event! It's backlight time to breathe life into your illustration! ✨

 

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① Add rim light

 

Trace the character's outline with light to make them sharply stand out from the background!

 

• ✅ For the layer, use "Screen" or "Add (Glow)"!

• ✅ For the color, use a whitish light blue, and for the pen, use a hard pen to draw a crisp line of light along the outline!

② Add reflected light to deepen the three-dimensionality

 

Next, the secret weapon to elevate your professionalism: "reflected light"! Just gently adding the color of the sky to the shadows will dramatically increase the persuasive power of your drawing.

 

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[What is reflected light?]

In this case, the background sky acts as a light source, gently illuminating the shadowed areas.

 

• ✅ For the layer, use "Screen," and the trick is to lower the opacity to around 15-30%!

• ✅ For the brush, use an "airbrush," and for the color, the best way is to pick it directly from the background sky with the eyedropper! Gently apply it to the shadowed areas.

The finishing touch is the ultimate move for backlit illustrations! Create a "shimmering translucency" in the hair!

 

The secret to the magic of backlighting is that thin parts of the hair and clothing let light through, making them glow from within! ✨ We'll create this "translucent effect"!

 

• ✅ For the layer, create it above the hair with "Add (Glow)" and don't forget to clip it!

• ✅ For the drawing method, first, use an airbrush to gently light up the edges of the hair, then draw streaks of light with a fine pen over it! This alone is magic that makes hair look instantly silky smooth.

 

[Point]

Clearly defining the difference (contrast) between strong and weak light will really make it look professional, so give it a try! 👍

5. Detailing and Adjustments

Alright, the goal is near! Let's draw in the details and pour soul into the illustration!

 

The eyes are the heart of the illustration!

Precisely because the face is in shadow, sparkling eyes are super important! This time, I chose an orange color, opposite to the overall blue, to express the character's strong will. Using complementary colors makes them really stand out, so it's recommended!

 

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Draw in the hair for divine detail!

Now, this is where your skills shine! Over the light gradient, draw each strand of hair smoothly! Doing this will dramatically increase the illustration's "information density" and "texture," instantly making it feel "professional!"

 

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The background is a great supporting actor!

To highlight the main character, keep the background simple.

Use a gradient that brightens towards the bottom where the light is, and darkens towards the top, to quickly create depth and atmosphere!

 

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[You absolutely must try this! A secret trick for the final check]

 

Finally, I'll tell you a special trick to improve your drawing!

It's to view your illustration in monochrome once!

 

The method is simple!

Open [Layer] menu → [New Correction Layer] → [Hue/Saturation/Luminosity], and drag the saturation slider all the way to the left!

 

By doing this, without being deceived by colors, you can instantly tell if:

• "Is the most important part standing out properly?"

• "Is the character's shape unclear?"

If you make final adjustments here, your illustration will definitely level up! 👍

6. Finishing and Processing

Alright, this is the very, very final finishing touch!

We're going to apply some "magic" to dramatically boost the illustration's quality!

 

① Color Adjustment (Overlay)

Just create an "Overlay" layer at the very top and gently add a blue-toned gradient! It will instantly create an "emotional" atmosphere!

 

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② Add Effects

Next, let's enhance the sparkle by making white feathers flutter or adding a white haze around the highlights with an airbrush!

However, don't overdo it here! Stopping when you feel "it's still a little lacking" is actually the trick to making it look more professional!

 

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③ Blur

Blur distracting elements, such as the wing in the foreground, using [Filter] → [Blur] → [Gaussian Blur]! This alone creates depth and is highly recommended!

 

 

④ Final Adjustments

Finally, make final adjustments to perfect the illustration's brightness and contrast using "Tone Curve" and "Level Correction"!

When it reaches your ideal finish, like "A bit brighter!" or "Shadows darker!", then it's finally complete!

 

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[Here's where to find Tone Curve and Level Correction!]

Both methods are simple!

Both [Tone Curve] and [Level Correction] are located under the [Layer] menu → [New Correction Layer].

 

• For "Tone Curve," by wiggling the line on the graph that appears, the overall atmosphere of the screen will change dramatically, so try to find the point where you think, "This is it!"

• For "Level Correction," simply move the triangular (▲) sliders below the mountain-shaped graph that appears! The leftmost slider adjusts the "dark areas," and the rightmost adjusts the "bright areas," so it's intuitive to use.

And with that, it's truly complete this time! Great job, everyone! 🎉

 

See you in the next tip!