《Simple Backlit Character Illustration》

This article's theme is 《Illustrating Characters Emphasized by Backlight》.

 

I believe many people already have a general idea of how to draw backlighting using drawing software.

Therefore, in this article, I have minimized explanations related to operations and added sections on "What is Backlight" and "Ideas for Backlit Backgrounds". I've also included some material data that I used in the demonstration images, hoping that readers can understand backlighting from more angles and then try drawing it themselves!

 

So, let's get started ✨

👤What is Backlight?

Before drawing backlighting, let's first consider what backlighting is.

 

What exactly is backlighting? My immediate answer would be: "The character (or main object) is mostly in shadow; light comes from behind, creating a smaller lit area on the character."

 

This seems reasonable.

Now, please start looking at the questions posed by the author.

 

Let's start with something simple.

Look at the image below; it seems to be a common example of a backlit work.

If the object in the character's hand is replaced with a burning candle, even with a weak light in front, would it still be considered backlighting?

But if the candle is replaced with an active mobile phone, can it still be called backlighting?

So, keeping the phone's brightness unchanged, what if the character is now in front of a spotlight?

Although the image below is clearly backlit, it seems uncommon in general illustrations?

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Through the examples and questions above, I hope everyone can notice that what we call a "backlit" illustration, never includes only a single light source! While the main light source behind the character certainly attracts the eye, the secondary light source in front of the character is equally important!

 

"Backlight" describes a situation where light source ① from behind is stronger than light source ② from the front.

 

When the light source in front is stronger than the one behind, as in option three above, it cannot be called backlighting;

However, if the light source behind is strengthened again, as in option four above, it will become a backlit state again.

If the front light source is so weak that it's almost invisible, as in option five above, then although it's still backlighting, this kind of light and shadow is probably not what most people want to draw.

Remember, in a backlit scene, you need to consciously design the main light source ① and the secondary light source ②.

On this basis, you can also add other light sources ③.

For example, the candle in option two above is another weak light source acting on the character, in addition to the front secondary light source.

Furthermore, the phone light in option four above is an example where a nearby light source ③ is brighter than a distant light source ②.

 

By designing the strength, color, and angle of light sources, mix and match to create your favorite backlit atmosphere!

 

 

👤Basic Steps for Drawing Backlight

Next, let's start drawing backlighting!

I will simplify the operational explanations and highlight the points to pay attention to during drawing.

 

✍️Let's begin!

 

1. First, draw the character and apply the base colors.

2. Create a new layer and set its blending mode to Multiply.

Apply a low-saturation reddish-brown color as the main shadow.

 

🎨Color Selection

Low-saturation reddish-brown is an easy color for beginners to master.

You can definitely try other colors! For example, in a nightclub environment, the character might be affected by neon lights and turn purple-red.

 

💡TIPS

The shape of the main shadow is influenced by the position of the main light source and the object's three-dimensionality.

The color of the main shadow is influenced by the color temperature of the secondary light source.

2a. Points to note when applying the main shadow:

 

① Intentionally drawing the lit areas on the left and right sides of the character with different thicknesses can reduce stiffness.

 

② At the edges of the lit areas, pay special attention to drawing the three-dimensional shapes of objects, such as hair and clothing wrinkles.

 

③ If the character has long hair, note that the hair behind may appear brighter than the hair in front. This is more apparent with light-colored hair.

 

④ Be aware that lit areas can also appear in the middle of large shadows.

For example, at the armpit in this illustration, due to the position of the main light source, the character's arm doesn't block all the light hitting the clothes. So, I erased a small amount of shadow here as a hint.

 

⑤ Depending on the light source's position, if the clothes are thin and light-colored, the silhouette shadow of the body might also show through.

※For demonstration purposes, the light source angle is slightly ignored here.

 

 

3. A. Clip to the layer below, B. Lock transparent pixels.

Choose a color with higher lightness and saturation than the main shadow color.

Gently apply it to the edges with an airbrush.

Next, let's address the parts affected by the secondary light source.

 

4. Create a new layer and set its blending mode to "Screen" or "Overlay".

Gently apply it to the central areas with an airbrush.

For example, the center of the head, to imply that the head is spherical.

Other areas like the chest and upward-facing parts of the fingers are also painted.

 

5. Use a lighter color than in step 4 to draw some visibly protruding areas.

For example, the bridge of the nose, collarbones, clothing wrinkles, etc., to emphasize the object's three-dimensionality and depict detailed structures.

 

💡TIPS

The actual areas to paint depend on the position of the secondary light source.

For example, if the secondary light source is from below, the bridge of the nose won't brighten; instead, the bottom of the nose will.

6. Create a new layer and set its blending mode to Multiply.

Apply small shadows to further enhance the object's three-dimensionality.

 

In the example image, I intensified the shadows on the forehead, under the lips, neck, collarbones, and armpits.

Depending on your color settings, shadow colors may vary slightly across different areas.

 

💡TIPS

You can start with a single shadow color and then adjust the colors using Hue/Saturation (shortcut: Ctrl+U) after painting. This helps maintain color consistency throughout the image.

Although step 6 already constitutes drawing backlighting, if you want to further enhance the main light source's intensity, refer to the following steps:

 

7. Create a new layer and set its blending mode to "Add (Glow)".

Other options include Screen, Lighten, Add, etc.

Gently apply with an airbrush along the edges of the highlights.

In addition to the character's edges, remember to apply it to all lit areas (e.g., armpits).

8. Refine the skin.

 

In thinner areas, such as the palms of hands, light can pass through blood vessels, causing a reddish glow.

You can try shining a flashlight on the back of your hand to see the reddish effect!

 

To simulate this effect, I created a new layer and set its blending mode to "Overlay".

I applied red with an airbrush to the finger areas.

Additionally, the edges of the fingernails were painted white.

9. Add a background.

※Background options will be discussed in detail in the next section. Currently, only a gray background is added for demonstration purposes.

※When creating your illustration, you can decide on the background before drawing, rather than strictly following these steps.

 

10. Draw scattered hair.

Flowing hair always looks beautiful. Here, I used white to draw these hairs, increasing the visual information in the image.

If the character has dark hair, you can also use colors other than white. For example, for originally black hair, I would draw it with a bright brown.

11. Add a halo/glow.

When the image of an object illuminated by strong light is reflected into the observer's eyes, a halo phenomenon will appear to varying degrees.

 

Create a new layer and set its blending mode to "Screen".

Other options include Lighten Color, Add, etc. The background's color choice greatly influences the blend mode and color selection, so you can try which one best suits your illustration.

 

Use an airbrush to gently apply it around the edges of the character.

Basic backlit coloring complete!

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👤Ideas for Backlit Backgrounds

Want to try drawing a backlit illustration but can't think of how to draw the background?

In the following article, I will share several common ideas for backlit backgrounds. Be sure to check them out!

 

💡TIPS

When choosing a background, you may need to adjust the colors of the character's main light source, main shadow, or halo.

Especially, the color of the main light source and halo should be similar to the background (i.e., the light source itself); the color of the main shadow can be decided based on the overall color scheme.

 

 

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✧Solid Color Background

Let's start with the simplest option. That's right, a solid color can actually serve as a background!

 

Since there's more empty space in the image, composition needs more attention.

In other words, you need to pay attention to the proportion and position of the character relative to the empty space.

 

For example, in the image below, the character is placed to the left of the frame, not in the center.

The pose is also slightly tilted rather than perfectly straight.

The character's screen presence in the demonstration image is about 60% to 70%.

Depending on which parts of the character you want to draw, a higher character ratio can focus the viewer's attention on the character and reduce the background's impact; alternatively, intentionally creating a sense of space by significantly reducing the character's ratio is also a good choice.

Generally, I would not recommend a character ratio of around 40-50%. Either go higher or lower.

 

💡TIPS

If the composition includes other elements or if you plan to add text, you need to consider the proportion of those elements simultaneously.

In this case, a character ratio of around 50% can still be visually harmonious, as the total proportion will increase once other objects are added.

Regarding colors, you can choose freely.

Any color other than white can successfully display the "white hair" drawn in step 10 of the previous section and the "halo" drawn in step 11.

 

However, it's essential to pay attention to the compatibility between the background color and the color of light hitting the character.

Generally, the hue of the background color will not be very different from the hue of the light received by the character.

 

If you are using a white background, I recommend the following treatment:

1. Repaint the hair that turned white due to highlights back to its original color.

2. Create a new layer and use a brightening blending mode to lighten the character's edges to near white.

In the following demonstration image, I used dark blue and "Add" mode.

For backgrounds of other colors, you can also add a simple gradient above or below the background to reduce stiffness.

 

Additionally, the character's halo can be drawn with textured, soft brushes to increase visual information.

※Many official default brushes and free brushes from the asset library can achieve this effect; you can try them out to see which ones you like!

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✧Sky Background

Besides solid color backgrounds, the easiest to master is a sky background.

You can either draw it yourself with cloud or incoming light brushes...

...or simply use image materials shared by other users, which is very convenient!

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✧Windows, Doors

Window frames and similar elements are also common backgrounds where characters appear backlit.

 

First, draw the transparent part of the window frame (i.e., the glass part) in white;

When drawing, you can use the "Free Transform" function (shortcut: Shift+Ctrl+T) to add perspective;

Then process it using the Gaussian Blur filter ([Filter] → [Blur] → [Gaussian Blur]).

Finally, add a layer of glowing parts drawn with an airbrush on top to complete it.

 

You can also search for "window" in the asset library to choose and download your preferred materials to speed up the process.

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✧Additional Objects

To avoid a monotonous image, let's add more objects!

 

▶ Bokeh Lights

Draw glowing light spots using a brightening layer blending mode!

Search for "bokeh" in the asset library to choose your preferred brush.

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▶ Direct Light

A method of directly drawing a single strong light source.

This can be used to hint at objects hidden in the dark.

For example, in the image below, there could be a spotlight behind the character. Even truck headlights can be implied this way.

 

Search for "flare" in the asset library to choose your preferred brush.

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▶ Fireworks

Nighttime fireworks displays are also a common theme in anime illustrations.

Search for "firework" in the asset library to choose your preferred brush.

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▶ Silhouettes of Plants or Buildings

 

Silhouettes of plants or buildings can also be used as backgrounds.

Whether using image materials or drawing with brushes, this can be achieved quickly.

Search for "plant," "tree," "city," "building," "silhouette," etc., in the asset library to choose your preferred brushes.

 

For usage, I recommend first gently applying a lighter color with an airbrush around the edges of the objects;

Then use the "Gaussian Blur" filter to achieve a distant view effect.

In the following demonstration image, I used three layers of silhouettes to add depth.

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▶ Others

Besides the background examples above, you absolutely have many more choices!

 

You can start by thinking of "things that glow" to consider how to add light sources behind the character.

Neon signs, magic circles, looking up at the sea surface from underwater, or even distant explosions—all can be used in backlit character scenes!

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Conclusion

Thank you very much for reading this far!

 

Here, I want to emphasize again that the techniques mentioned in this article are not absolute rules.

I tend to use lighter and softer colors, so if you wish to draw more vivid effects, you'll need to re-examine the color choices in this article. However, I hope this article provides you with some inspiration. Let's create with joy!

 

Finally, I am also very grateful to the creators of the materials used in this article.

Due to space limitations, I couldn't fully recommend my frequently used materials, which is a pity. Feel free to explore the CSP asset library; it will surely bring you surprises!

 

 

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What do you think of this sharing?

Feel free to leave a comment and let me know! I hope this content is helpful to you.