Since this theme is about shading skin, I will tell you a few things about it. Even though it's not much.

Terms

HUE(Base Color)+Black=Shade

A shade is a color created by adding black to a hue. The more black you add, the darker the color will appear without changing its color identity. In this image, each box represents an increase in darkness from about 10% to 90%, demonstrating how a single color can have varying values, which are useful for creating shadows, depth, and dimension in objects.

Value

Value is the level of lightness and darkness of an object. Simply put, values ​​are what make an image look like it has shape and doesn't look flat. By setting the right values, a simple circle can turn into a ball that looks three-dimensional.

Let's look at each part.

• Highlights

Highlights are the brightest points on an object. This part receives light directly, so it looks almost white. The shinier the surface of an object, the smaller and sharper the highlights will usually be.

• Light

This is the area that is still exposed to the main light. The color is a little darker than the highlights, but still part of the highlights. These areas help establish the surface shape of the object.

• Midtones

Midtone is the base color or original color of an object. It is located between the light area and the shadow area. Most of the object's surface is usually in this area.

• Core Shadow

The core shadow is the darkest part of the ball's surface. This area is no longer exposed to direct light so it looks darker. This is precisely the part that makes the ball feel truly round.

• Reflected Light

Even though it is on the shadow side, there is usually still a little light reflecting from the floor or surrounding environment. This reflection is called reflected light. Because of this reflection, the dark side is not always pitch black.

• Ambient Occlusion

This is the darkest area in the image. Usually it is right where the ball touches the floor. Light can barely enter this area, so it looks very dark.

• Cast Shadow

Cast shadow is a shadow that falls to the floor surface. The shape and direction follow the position of the light source. Generally, shadows will appear darker closer to an object, then gradually become softer as they get further away.

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Why is Value Important in Skin?

 

Value is one of the most important elements in painting skin because it determines how the shape and volume of the skin appear. The difference between light and dark areas helps show the structure of the face or body, preventing the skin from appearing flat.

 

When light hits the skin, the area facing the light source will appear lighter, while the area facing away from the light will appear darker. This change in value creates the illusion of depth and makes the skin appear more realistic.

 

In addition to creating volume, value also helps clarify the direction of light and emphasizes anatomical details, such as cheekbones, nose, jawline, or muscles. Even with simple skin tones, the correct use of value can bring a character to life.

 

Therefore, before focusing on color, it's important to first understand value. Color gives skin character, while value gives it shape, dimension, and a realistic feel. With a strong foundation of value, the coloring process will be easier and the final result will look more natural.

Color Temperature

In skin coloring, the concept of warm and cool tones is very helpful in creating a more realistic-looking result. Areas exposed to light tend to have warmer tones, such as yellow, orange, or a hint of red, especially if the light source is the sun. Conversely, shadow areas are often influenced by cooler tones, such as blue, purple, or green, because they receive reflected light from the environment. By combining warm and cool tones in balance, the skin will appear more vibrant, have volume, and not appear flat.

Light Source

The light source on the skin is the direction and character of light hitting the skin's surface, determining which areas appear bright (highlights), dark (shadows), and have dimension. Consistent light source placement makes the skin appear more realistic and natural.

Light Color Temperature

Light Color Temperature (Light Color Temperature) is the color of light that changes based on its Kelvin (K) value. The lower the Kelvin number, the warmer the light appears (red-orange). The higher the Kelvin number, the cooler the light appears (blue).

1. Warm Light (1000K–4000K)

Warm light is light with shades of red, orange, or yellow. This light usually feels more comfortable, soft, and gives a warm impression.

The light colors are approximately:

🔴 1000K → red, like firelight

🟠 2000K → orange, like a candle flame

🟡 3000K–4000K → warm yellow, like an incandescent lamp or the afternoon sun

Examples of warm light sources we often see:

🔥 Fire

🕯️ Candles

🌅 Sunrise or sunset

💡 Incandescent lamps

When an object is exposed to warm light, its color will usually change to a warmer hue. The object may appear more yellowish, orange, or golden.

Interestingly, shadows often appear cooler. Because of the color contrast, shadows can appear slightly blue, purple, or darker brown.

 

On human skin, the effect is also quite clear:

• The areas exposed to light (highlights) typically appear more yellow, golden, or orange.

• The areas not exposed to light (shadows) can appear more blue, purple, or cool brown.

 

 

2. Daylight (5000K–6000K)

Daylight is light with a neutral white color that is similar to natural sunlight during the day. This light usually feels balanced, clear, and shows colors more naturally.

The light colors are approximately:

⚪ 5000K → soft white with a slightly warm tone

⚪ 5500K → neutral white, balanced daylight

🔵 6000K → white with a slightly cool or blue tone

Examples of light sources:

☀️ Sun during the day

🌤️ Clear skylight

💡 Daylight (to simulate natural light)

 

When an object is exposed to daylight, its colors usually appear closer to their original colors. The light does not push the colors too much toward yellow or blue, so it is often used as a reference for studying colors.

The contrast between light and shadow also feels more natural. The difference is visible, but it does not look as dramatic as under very warm or very cool lighting.

 

On human skin, the effect is usually:

• The areas exposed to light (highlights) appear slightly brighter, cleaner, and more natural.

• The areas away from the light (shadows) can appear slightly cooler, with a hint of blue, gray, or cool brown.

 

 

3. Cold Light (7000K–12000K)

Cold light is light with shades of blue, cyan, or blue-purple. This type of light usually feels cooler, calmer, and can create a more dramatic or mysterious atmosphere.

The light colors are approximately:

🔵 7000K–8000K → light blue or cyan, like an overcast sky

🔷 9000K–10000K → stronger blue tones, like cool outdoor shadows

🟣 11000K–12000K → blue-purple tones, often seen in very cold lighting conditions

Examples of cold light sources we often see:

☁️ Cloudy sky

❄️ Snow reflections

🌫️ Outdoor shadows

💡 Cool white LED lights

 

When an object is exposed to cold light, its color will usually shift into a cooler tone. The object may appear more bluish, less warm, and sometimes feel more distant or dramatic.

The shadows can also become more intense. Because of the color contrast, shadows may appear dark blue, purple, or cool gray.

 

On human skin, the effect is also noticeable:

• The areas exposed to light (highlights) usually appear light blue or cyan.

• The areas not exposed to light (shadows) can appear dark blue, purple, or cool brown.

 

 

"Many beginners think highlights are always white. In fact, the color of the highlights depends on the color of the light source. If the light is sunset, the highlights will actually be more yellow or orange."

Lets Try

Base Color

At this stage, use mid-tone colors, not too light or too dark. Choosing mid-tones allows ample room for adding shadows and highlights in the next step.

Because there's no lighting information yet, the skin surface still looks flat. However, this step lays the foundation for determining the overall skin tone in the final result.

Add Dark Colors

Adding dark colors is done first to form volume and determine the part that is in shadow according to the direction of the light. After the shadow is formed, a bright color (highlight) is added to the area exposed to light so that the object looks more alive and has a three-dimensional impression.

Ambient Shadows

Once the base color is complete, the next step is to add ambient shadows to give the face initial volume.

Ambient shadows are soft shadows that appear because ambient light has difficulty reaching certain areas. Unlike primary shadows, ambient shadows are not dependent on the direction of the light, but rather on the shape of the face itself.

Highlight

Once the basic volume is established, key lighting begins to be added according to the direction of the light source.

In the example image, the light comes from the top right, so the right side of the face receives direct light, while the left side is in shadow.

The difference between light and dark areas makes the face begin to appear three-dimensional. Areas such as the forehead, cheekbones, bridge of the nose, chin, and neck facing the light become lighter, while areas facing away from the light become darker.

This step is crucial because it determines the overall shape of the face.

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Shadows that are simply gray often make skin look dull. Therefore, after the lighting is complete, the skin tone is enriched using Color Burn.

In this example, the shadows have become warmer with brown undertones. This is because the light source used has a warm color temperature.

By adding warm colors to the shadow areas, the skin appears healthier and more vibrant. In addition to increasing color contrast, this step also helps unify the lighting so that the entire face feels like it's in the same light.

SSS (SubSurface Scattering)

The final step is adding Subsurface Scattering (SSS).

Human skin doesn't reflect all light on its surface. Some light penetrates the skin layers, scatters within the tissue, and then exits again. This process creates a warm glow on thin skin areas.

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Thank you for reading to the end. We hope the tips above are helpful and can help you with your activities. Good luck!