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14-bis β€” shadow tutorial

Published: 2009-07-13 18:58:07 +0000 UTC; Views: 56628; Favourites: 1185; Downloads: 1509
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Description here is a basic tutorial for shadows .

you will need your line , flat colors and a bg in separated layers.

the first step is to you to create a shadow layer between the line and flats . and set it to an opacity or fill to 35%.
and you will use pure black for the painting.

capture the selection of the flat to use on the shadow layer.
( select/load selection)

to paint the shadows you need to understand the volumes of the object you are panting and set a direction of the main light source.
try to locate the round and flat areas of the object , and how the light will cast shadows over it .

the shadows can be of two types.
1- the natural shadow volume that every part has .
they are always soft , and for that you can use a soft brush.
2- the projected shadow from one object over another .
they are mainly hard , so you can use a hard brush here, or a soft brush with a small size .

after you are done with the shadows , you can set the opacity to zero , and get the selection of this shadow layer, to use on the next step.
( select/load selection)

the second step is to paint the definitive shadow .
you need to understand that shadows are not always black.
shadows are darker versions of the base color .
so , over your flat color , using the selection of the shadow layer , you will use the burn tool , with any solid brush.
that will provide you a nice colored shadow to your object.

its very important that you make just one pass with your pen tablet or mouse .
if you let go of them and make another paint stroke , you will have double effect that we dont want .

third step , is to get back a little of the shadow layer you had set opacity to zero .

try to play a little with some values .
you will see your burned painted areas , changing the values of dark.

its a good idea to keep a copy of the flat colors , in case you make some mistake when painting the burn areas.

well , I believe it would be more simple showing the process than trying to explain it ( specially with my weak english)

any doubts , just ask me .
thanks for looking .
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Comments: 141

CEROL In reply to ??? [2009-07-14 11:10:09 +0000 UTC]

opa
interessante essa
vc ja fez tuto completo de shading?
duvida, suas sombras sΓ£o em primeiro plano ou sua pintura e em primeiro plano?

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

14-bis In reply to CEROL [2009-07-14 15:11:00 +0000 UTC]

as sombras sempre vem por cima da pintura .
os flats sao a penultima coisa na lista dos layers .
soh ficam a frente do BG.

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CEROL In reply to 14-bis [2009-07-15 11:29:29 +0000 UTC]

teus traΓ§os vem direto da tabalet?

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14-bis In reply to CEROL [2009-07-15 14:49:16 +0000 UTC]

muitos , mas nao todos .
eu estou tentando me aperfeiΓ§oar em ambos.

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TenshiHoshino In reply to ??? [2009-07-13 20:10:14 +0000 UTC]

Awesome tutorial. Dood.

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Riocoont In reply to ??? [2009-07-13 20:01:15 +0000 UTC]

Hey thx u for the tip

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fallenmoons In reply to ??? [2009-07-13 19:56:05 +0000 UTC]

This is exactly what I've been looking for! Thank you so much!

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90-OK In reply to ??? [2009-07-13 19:52:40 +0000 UTC]

I have photoshop now so i can start coloring . But im so used to grayscale.

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Marnerbroman In reply to ??? [2009-07-13 19:31:13 +0000 UTC]

about time!!

I mean thank you.

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Shizukana-Yume [2009-07-13 19:30:44 +0000 UTC]

Cara eu tava procurando a uns minutos atras, como fazer sombras cara VALEU!

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14-bis In reply to Shizukana-Yume [2009-07-13 19:34:32 +0000 UTC]

ha .
fico contente em ter ajudado.
mas vc podia ter me perguntado direto no notes .

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Shizukana-Yume In reply to 14-bis [2009-07-13 22:10:46 +0000 UTC]

Eu sei So que as vezes fico emcabulado em perturbar!

Eu to comecando a aprender a desenhar e talz, (mas eu ainda sou pior que tudo, tentei desenhar um circulo, saiu um quadrado)

Mas gracas a Brazucas como voce, a gente tem como aprender!

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catlikeacat In reply to ??? [2009-07-13 19:28:00 +0000 UTC]

This is honestly the best tutorial I've seen so far- every other one has left me majorly confused at what you were supposed to go for 95% of the steps. I think the typed up version beneath just makes it all the more clear.

Are you going to do anymore tutorials, like for highlights?

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14-bis In reply to catlikeacat [2009-07-13 19:35:18 +0000 UTC]

yes . I am not sure if I am explaining it the right way , but I will do others on highlights and effects

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catlikeacat In reply to 14-bis [2009-07-13 20:13:53 +0000 UTC]

You are, you're being very clear of each step. Alot of tutorials rush the descriptions and it ends up very vague.

I'm really looking forward to those- most of my coloring attempts thus far has been a horrible mess of trial and error.

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H2O589 [2009-07-13 19:27:10 +0000 UTC]

I'm not sure I understand the part with the burn tool. Are you burning the shadow layer or the flats?

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14-bis In reply to H2O589 [2009-07-13 19:30:48 +0000 UTC]

no , you are using the selection of the previous painted shadow .
you will burn the color of the flat using that selection .

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H2O589 In reply to 14-bis [2009-07-13 19:36:52 +0000 UTC]

Oh so you select the shape of the shadow layer then use the burn tool on the flats using that selection.

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14-bis In reply to H2O589 [2009-07-13 19:59:29 +0000 UTC]

exactly .
but take care to do a single stroke with the burn toll.
only let go the pen or muse button when you covered all image .

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Captain-Paulo [2009-07-13 19:24:58 +0000 UTC]

taΓ­ uma coisa que preciso melhorar muito

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14-bis In reply to Captain-Paulo [2009-07-13 19:25:46 +0000 UTC]

e olha que essa eh apenas uma tecnica.
quase todo artists tem a sua propria.

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Fificat [2009-07-13 19:15:10 +0000 UTC]

nossa isso me deu muitas idΓ©ias... XD

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14-bis In reply to Fificat [2009-07-13 19:22:27 +0000 UTC]

fico feliz em saber .

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Shockwaveecho [2009-07-13 19:13:45 +0000 UTC]

I've always been good at shading but this has given me a more defined look at it. Thanks.

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dynamicsketch [2009-07-13 19:13:28 +0000 UTC]

I would like a better explaination along with the examples in the image. This is good stuff to know, but I would like to know how to make hard and soft shadows.

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14-bis In reply to dynamicsketch [2009-07-13 19:17:46 +0000 UTC]

well,, I use a same smooth brush for both .
the soft shadow , you paint it very light over the round surface.normaly you use a bigger size.
for hard , you set the same soft brush to a small size , but paint it with more pressure , to make a very marked shadow.

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dynamicsketch In reply to 14-bis [2009-07-13 19:19:21 +0000 UTC]

Too bad Wacoms never liked me. They're like drawing and coloring with my eyes closed. That's how useless they feel.

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14-bis In reply to dynamicsketch [2009-07-13 19:26:55 +0000 UTC]

well , your drawings are excellent the way they are .
you dont need any shadow or lighting on them.

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dynamicsketch In reply to 14-bis [2009-07-13 20:36:39 +0000 UTC]

What if I wanted to draw scenery or backdrops or maybe if I wanted to try something different?

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14-bis In reply to dynamicsketch [2009-07-13 20:43:36 +0000 UTC]

well , on your images I dont think you need something very elaborated .
a simple BG is very good to draw the atention to your character .
but , of course you can try something diferent just for the fun.
your star girl image for an example .
you can add shadows to her , and a space BG .
it will make a very good drawing , still looking very good , but with effects .

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Severflame [2009-07-13 19:08:35 +0000 UTC]

Nice lil' tutorial!!! Thank you very much.

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Mike-RaWare [2009-07-13 19:07:09 +0000 UTC]

I doubt that this a serious tutorial. It's written with Comic Sans! How can I take something which is written in Comic Sans serious?!

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Afrodisium In reply to Mike-RaWare [2009-07-16 02:40:00 +0000 UTC]

You've got to be kidding me. You getting bent over a font? You can read it, right? Then, it's done it's job. End of story.

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mystelic In reply to Mike-RaWare [2009-07-13 19:48:00 +0000 UTC]

What's the problem with Comic Sans MS? :/
A font is a font, so what's the difference?

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Mike-RaWare In reply to mystelic [2009-07-13 19:50:11 +0000 UTC]

Is this enough explanation?

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mystelic In reply to Mike-RaWare [2009-07-13 20:11:28 +0000 UTC]

But still (I actually... didn't understand quite everything), Comic Sans stays a font like others.
You could almost say the same to bloody fonts.

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MKbuster In reply to ??? [2009-07-13 19:06:57 +0000 UTC]

this will sure come in handy, thank friend ^_^

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QwertyChris [2009-07-13 19:06:36 +0000 UTC]

*whistles* Orsum demonstration

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MysteryFanBoy718 [2009-07-13 19:04:54 +0000 UTC]

Thanks.

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whisingbloomer In reply to ??? [2009-07-13 19:02:07 +0000 UTC]

it looks so simple^^

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