Hello! This is a tutorial about 4 of the most common shading styles and how I do them. I typically use them for my webcomics since speed is one of the most important factors when you have a weekly deadline. You can always combine these styles and you'll improve these styles with your own time with practice.

 

Let's check them out!

1. Shading Basics

First, I'm going to share the basics of shading. Shading is a way to show depth and dimension to your art and it enhances it by giving it a realistic look. You only need to add darker and lighter effects where the light hits the surface and darkens the parts it doesn't.

 

a. How do I know where to place them?

 

The direction of the light source is the your key.

 

b. Where do I put the shades?

 

There are specific parts where you typically place shade but make sure it's the opposite of where the light source hits and/or can't hit like:

 

1) The part of face that's covered by hair

2) Above and under lips

3) Under and/or the side of nose

4) Under eyelids

5) Inside the ears

6) Neck (Below chin)

7) Some parts of the hairline and side or under hair strands

8) Folds in your clothes

9) Where the clothes' edge covers parts of the skin

c. How do I draw shade?

 

Shades mainly consist of organic/imperfect geometric shapes (triangles, squares, diamonds etc.). Draw the shade corresponding to object that covers the surface and mimic their shapes but elongate them, this can depend how strong you want your light source to be.

d. Do I use gray for shading?

 

Not quite. Using the multiply layer, your preference (and environment) will help determine in. For example, if you're in a blue room, you'll use a dark navy/violet but here are the shade colors I use most for my characters' skin because their lighter skin tones have a natural hint of pink:

Note: You can copy the color code and paste in into the HEX chart. It also uses RGB and gives you a color wheel.

 

Double click your palette icon (left bottom) to show the Color Settings window. You can use their current skin color and go darker towards the gray. If the environment as a specific color, use the color wheel to adjust to their environment.

2. Cel Shading

Cel shading is probably the simplest and fastest way to shade, in my opinion. While it still looks 2D, the shade starts to give some depth to your art.

 

For this style of shading, I recommend the G-pen brush and Lasso Fill tool. I also customized my G-pen settings to suit my hand pressure but you can use another brush that fits you. You can customize the settings too :D

Note: Lasso fill is located in the Figure & Direct Tool's sub tool.

Follow the light source and shade the parts that the light isn't touching. For the spots that you'll always have a shade under, like your chin, angle it to follow the light's direction.

Then add shade to the smaller details like under the hair strands.

If you want a softer look, you can erase some of the shade by lowering the density of your [eraser] with low hardness.

You can add a little light glow to blend your character into your background by using the color of your background and apply it with the [airbrush] tool using a lower density on a [normal] layer.

Done!

 

(Time spent: 6 min)

3. Detailed Cel Shading

This Cel Shading shows much more detail like the folds in the clothes and in the hair.

You can play with some additional layers [Blending mode] to add some extra effects!

Here, I'm using the [Glow dodge] layer with a yellow color and [Color burn] with a grayish-yellow color. Use the [Air brush] tool with a low opacity to get this effect where the light stops and shade starts. Apply [Glow dodge] to the areas nearest to the light source and [Color burn] for the parts that are farthest.

Here's the final result with the before-and-after of the glow dodge effects!

 

(Time spent: 30 min)

4. Black Cel Shading

Fun Fact: This was the first shading style I used when I started drawing xD

 

The only difference between this version and the previous Cel Shading styles is that you'll use the color black only.

 

Since the black shade may affect your black lineart, you may need to keep your lineart in mind when the shade touches it. You can make it as the start or the end of your shading.

You can also add some hatch lines in some the lighter but detailed areas that still need shade.

Here's the final result!

 

(Time spent: 13 min 30 sec)

5. Soft Shading

The style is a bit trickier but the results are very rewarding. It's softer and gives a more realistic look. With this style, I use Watery brush tool then blend it out using the Blend tool for this softer shading style.

 

I'll show you how I apply this style to hair.

Using the Watery brush, I'll add some shade to the hair strands' ends and where some overlap. You can also use the Airbrush tool but with a low density and opacity.

Then blend out the edges lightly.

For skin, do the same but turn down the hardness.

You can also use some effects like before :D

Here's the final result!

 

(Time spent: 23 min 30 sec)

6. Finishing

This last step is optional but add and play with the correction layer to see if it enhances the drawing to your liking.

Here's a few correction layers I tried. You can see the difference and try it yourself if you like.

Here are all 4 styles side by side. Which do you prefer?

7. Closing

These are some of the shading styles I use but you can always improvise them and add your own style to it.! These time estimations are only to show the speed it took me to add them. You may take a little longer if you're not familiar but once you find your groove, you'll improve in technique and speed in no time!

 

Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section! I can also be reached on my social media accounts and email :D

p.s. Thanks for Mai (@misslowemai) for fixing my derpy English!