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SIeepyBears — Malfey's Shading Tutorial

#grem #originalspecies #shading #turorial #shadingtutorial #closedspecies #grem2
Published: 2016-03-08 21:11:55 +0000 UTC; Views: 8132; Favourites: 294; Downloads: 64
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Description amazing title is amazing

After seeing what people wanted to see the most, I made a shading tutorial!


DISCLAIMER.
I am not a professional. This is simply how I do it. This is one way out of 10,000 ways. This is not necessarily the "right" way, just a clarification of my technique.

I will now expand on the steps below!

1. Once you're done lining and filling in the base colors, get yourself ready. ;v; There is no specific brush to do this: just make sure you have it toggled to that the opacity changes depending on pen pressure.

2. Make a new layer, and set it to multiply. Now, the most important thing. NEVER. Shade in black/grey. Unless you have a certain style going on, like comic style and stuff, or a certain color scheme, color is always preferred. Black and grey are very boring. 
What I do is shade with the COMPLIMENTARY color of the base I'm shading on. It highlights the difference between the subject and the shadow. A complimentary color is the color opposite to yours on the color wheel. Sometimes I go with one very close to that color. I chose blue because purple was a bit too strong.

3. NOW for shading and where. Think of it raining. Or fire hitting you idk xD Now, if you were positioned like this egg-grem over here, which parts of you would be more likely to get hit according to where the light source/destruction flame is? The tip of his head, thigh, and other parts of his body that aren't being covered by something else. There may be some bits that have light, but are more faint. Think the rain managed to reach there, or rebounded there, but not as effectively as though it had been fully exposed. His back leg and back tail are being covered, so they will be shaded. A knee bulges out more and sticks out, so it will be lighter. Same with knuckles, some parts of the fur, etc.

4. Now that that's out of the way, I can play around with the color of the shadows more. I made some areas darker by locking the pixels and painting over the shadows with a big soft brush.

5. I like to play around with the shades and give them a rainbow gradient sometimes! As long as the gradient flows properly in the spectrum, not green then suddenly red then idk it will look pretty coherent! Jamming random colors together CAN work sometimes, but you seriously have to know what you're doing. ( rudimentary practice/example    Probably not a good reference but you get the idea) I won't get into that sort of thing now.

6. Make a new layer with either the overlay or color dodge blend mode. I prefer color dodge, but be warned its very bright! I use a sort of orange-ish to yellow color for highlights. Again, white is dull and boring. Only for extremely strong light is it white. In this case, it looks white because Egg is basically white anyway

7. Apply with the same "its raining fire" thought as in process 3 for the light. Where does it hit hardest?

8. Blur the parts of the shades and light where the light sort of "fades" or hits less hard.

9. These lines are optional, but ambient light is not. Ambient light is when the light of the background reflects and rebounds on your subject. It doesn't need to be a source of light. Just the bg in general. If your BG was green, the ambient light will be a dull green. In this case it was white, so I made it blue. Ambient light is ALWAYS on the side of the shades. Sometimes normal side too. This thin line though is optional.

10. This part is not optional. Use a big soft brush to make the ambient light. Have it on a new layer and keep the mode normal

11-12. Lastly, color the lines! Set your line mode multiply and color the lines the same color as whatever is under that particular area. If his ears are blue, color the lines near his ear blue, etc.

And your done!



I am terrible at explaining, I have all this stuff in my head but I don't know how to word it <__> If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to ask! I will try my best to explain.

Let me know if this helped! It would mean a lot. I hope I managed to aid in some way! Also, if you guys actually draw anything using this tutorial as reference, show me, I'd love to see! Cheers guys!

Grems (c) MrGremble

Related content
Comments: 44

Rnxr [2018-10-10 18:34:42 +0000 UTC]

Woahhh incredible!!

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SIeepyBears In reply to Rnxr [2018-10-10 18:38:13 +0000 UTC]

<3

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wolfheart003 [2017-07-01 06:06:44 +0000 UTC]

This was super helpful! And the character in the drawing is simply adorbs! Ugh the cuteness is overwhelming 0-0

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SIeepyBears In reply to wolfheart003 [2017-07-06 10:49:06 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! Glad it could help c:

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kinq-jeremy [2017-02-03 02:17:41 +0000 UTC]

bb <33
this was fun and informational (even if most of my art is traditional nowadays ( T o T") )
but yEAH your art is
...
on a new level of badass 
when I saw it I was like
"woAH-"

keep up the good work
(ik this is really old but I saw it so I wanted to comment,, people think thats a crime or something hhhhhggvkhv)

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SIeepyBears In reply to kinq-jeremy [2017-02-04 08:32:17 +0000 UTC]

oh gosh tysm?? aaaa

I'm so glad it could help you in some way!! I love traditional art aa

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kinq-jeremy In reply to SIeepyBears [2017-02-04 10:35:18 +0000 UTC]

yass yw !!!
yep! honestly I just find traditional art easier-- but,, digital art usually comes out nicer..???

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GelangweilterToaster [2016-03-09 16:33:44 +0000 UTC]

That´s some very nice tutorial you have here
(your handwriting is sometimes a bit hard to read, but I´m fine with that XD)

I learned some new things that I may use sometime^^ 

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SIeepyBears In reply to GelangweilterToaster [2016-03-09 16:36:48 +0000 UTC]

dang xD I'm sorry. I should have typed it out haha but I was too lazy to type it if that makes sense xDD If there's anything you couldnt read let me know, I can type it for you!
I'm glad I could help!!

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GelangweilterToaster In reply to SIeepyBears [2016-03-09 17:50:46 +0000 UTC]

haha it´s okay tho^^ I still can read it

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SIeepyBears In reply to GelangweilterToaster [2016-03-09 17:56:33 +0000 UTC]

oh ok haha ;o; I'll keep this in mind for the future to change it haha

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Fyrrea [2016-03-09 09:21:03 +0000 UTC]

Lol, at point 7. I read "apply the lights where the light is HORSESHIT"

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SIeepyBears In reply to Fyrrea [2016-03-09 09:51:40 +0000 UTC]

omG HAA I guess my handwriting is horseshit

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Circuitreats [2016-03-09 01:04:50 +0000 UTC]

Absolutely awesome tutorial!! I'm excited to try this out later on with some artwork, been looking for something to make it all a little more dynamic and interesting, especially with the shading!! I never knew that shading worked with the complimetary colours (or COULD work that way at least). I'm curious though, how do you go about colouring the lineart? I've been trying to figure that one out for a long time now, haha. I'm also wondering what the "lock pixels" part is for? What does locking pixels do, if it's okay to ask? Thank you for making such a great tutorial!

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SIeepyBears In reply to Circuitreats [2016-03-09 05:07:46 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!! I'm glad I could help! ;0;
Coloring line art works if your lines are a layer by themselves. I think everyone does that haha
To do this, you have to lock the pixels! I don't know about SAI, but in Photoshop there is a small square looking button thing above the layer that I circled in step 4. Locking pixels will make sure you are "coloring in the lines" so to speak. When you color on a layer with locked pixels, you will ONLY color the pixels or whatever you drew on that layer, nothing else. For example if I drew a circle, locking the pixels will assure I can only color the circle. If They are not locked I may accidentally get out of the circle and it will be messy.
To color lines is the same way. Simply lock the pixels (I'm sure there's a way for this in SAI I just don't know the name) and then when you color it will only color on top of your lines. Play around with the blending mode of said layer to get different effects!
Hope I helped!

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susling [2016-03-08 22:54:18 +0000 UTC]

MUight i made a suggestion if it isnt too late um
the red u used is very bright and I cant read it very well ksdjfhkdhfd

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SIeepyBears In reply to susling [2016-03-09 05:14:27 +0000 UTC]

Oh dang really?? Nothing else seemed to be working haha D; I can't change it because the photoshop file crashed on me literally the minute I saved this ;-; I'll keep that in mind for future tutorials! ;;
Would you like me to type out what they say?

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susling In reply to SIeepyBears [2016-03-09 05:36:25 +0000 UTC]


OHh thats okay!! I read through it i just turned down my brightness~

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SIeepyBears In reply to susling [2016-03-09 08:41:21 +0000 UTC]

Oh okay! Again sorry D; I'll try something else next time!

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CryptideTR [2016-03-08 22:28:41 +0000 UTC]

i will try this and probably fail BUT I WILL TRY

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SIeepyBears In reply to CryptideTR [2016-03-09 05:13:23 +0000 UTC]

YOU CAN DO IT!
You will never know unless you try, and will always get better if you practice ;v; -b no one gets it right from the first time! I experimented a lot to figure this out haha while to others this may seem like common knowledge xD
I BELIEVE IN YOU ovo -b

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RoscoeWolfie [2016-03-08 22:12:29 +0000 UTC]

Oh my gosh thank you bby this is so helpful ;A; I love this
Shading is v difficult LOL I never get it right, I hope this'll help me more

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SIeepyBears In reply to RoscoeWolfie [2016-03-08 22:17:36 +0000 UTC]

Ty! I'm glad this could help ;A;

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Bellisaurus [2016-03-08 22:12:27 +0000 UTC]

This is great Mal! Nothing I don't know or already do lol, but still fabulous! //throws hearts

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SIeepyBears In reply to Bellisaurus [2016-03-08 22:17:23 +0000 UTC]

Awh xD I didn't want to get too technical this was sort of aimed at beginners ;; if I try and explain other stuff I feel I won't make sense orz I'm bad at explaining ;-;
Is there anything deeper into shading you wanted to know? If be happy to go into it!

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Bellisaurus In reply to SIeepyBears [2016-03-09 06:13:43 +0000 UTC]

Yes I'd love to know more about your advanced shading, like for when you paint, that being bgs or portraits. Color picking, final touches and all that.

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SIeepyBears In reply to Bellisaurus [2016-03-09 09:04:08 +0000 UTC]

Oo :0 well one thing I can definitely say is I follow the exact same rules that I said here. That's what lighting in shading is all about. The colors are all up to you: there are 5 different color combinations. Complimentary is just one of them. I have the others written down somewhere but I almost never use them.
If you want the truth I just observe things irl. I think "oh so that's how it looks, that's how it should be done". And with enough observation you eventually know how to do it on your own
Idk of that's helpful but that's how I do my paintings ;-; I just observe irl

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Bellisaurus In reply to SIeepyBears [2016-03-09 16:15:50 +0000 UTC]

Okay, thanks a lot bby <3

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SIeepyBears In reply to Bellisaurus [2016-03-09 16:16:54 +0000 UTC]

yw <33 ;;

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Deamonsin-7 [2016-03-08 21:48:35 +0000 UTC]

Numbers 5 through 8 were facinating. I was having a  little trouble making my shading look interesting, but i think that will help. that is if i can remember to use it next time  

also, i couldn't help but think your grem looks like he needs to pee 7w7

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SIeepyBears In reply to Deamonsin-7 [2016-03-08 21:59:52 +0000 UTC]

Wah I'm glad this could help!! It makes me happy ;v;
Ah don't worry! Eventually it becomes habit if you keep doing it ;v;

OMG YOURE RIGHT

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cyymin [2016-03-08 21:48:15 +0000 UTC]

Wow!! ;v; This is super helpful!

It's also nice to see another Photoshop user, esp. b/c most people use Sai. ^^"

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SIeepyBears In reply to cyymin [2016-03-08 21:58:47 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! I'm really happy I could help!!
Yeah! I'm afraid sai users will get confused ;-; I tried my best too keep things technical, not software based ;;

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cyymin In reply to SIeepyBears [2016-03-09 23:47:04 +0000 UTC]

NP!! ^w^ I'm sure that I'll be able to improve my shading soon! ;u;
And yeah, but I think you do a great job of doing that!

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SIeepyBears In reply to cyymin [2016-03-10 06:32:05 +0000 UTC]

yay!! I'm glad!
and ahh I'm glad you think so ;w;

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cyymin In reply to SIeepyBears [2016-03-12 03:48:48 +0000 UTC]

Aw, it's no problem. ^w^ Your tutorials are great~

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Makcake [2016-03-08 21:36:09 +0000 UTC]

thanks so much, this will be so useful <3
ahaha just a question, how does the smudging work? I cannot for the life of me figure out what to use for smudging and how to do it without making weird blurs :'D 

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SIeepyBears In reply to Makcake [2016-03-08 21:57:41 +0000 UTC]

I'm glad I could help!! <33
Sure! What program are you using? Photoshop?

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Makcake In reply to SIeepyBears [2016-03-08 22:02:37 +0000 UTC]

yup, CS6! 

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SIeepyBears In reply to Makcake [2016-03-08 22:22:39 +0000 UTC]

Ok! The effects of the smudge tool depend on the brush you set it as. On the top when you select it, you can change the brush! I would choose soft round. But to get the effect of the color blender, I did this! bhansith.deviantart.com/art/Wa…

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Makcake In reply to SIeepyBears [2016-03-09 06:24:56 +0000 UTC]

I see, thank you so much!

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SIeepyBears In reply to Makcake [2016-03-09 08:09:36 +0000 UTC]

You're most welcome!

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Super526 [2016-03-08 21:20:15 +0000 UTC]

nice!

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SIeepyBears In reply to Super526 [2016-03-08 21:56:09 +0000 UTC]

Ty!

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