Advice on shading

[Innermike]

So Ive done my first art with shading and i wondered if anyone here has advice on doing it , any techniques or something .
This is what i did - Base pic > shade layers using brush > highlighting with brush > background shading with brush > some filters to smoothen things > newgrounds streaks and back gradient
Ive provided the base pic that i started from
And heres the Shaded version
This is my first post on the art forum so go easy on me

[Innermike]

In case anyone doesnt want to press the link here it is

[Innermike]

another atempt at me working with light . Better ?

[megamagition]

FRIENDLY BUFF.
Because I like the expression.

[Lemmiwinks91]

your lighting is not bad at all, id sugest working on anatomy more, its a nice style you've got going there though.

[Innermike]

At 10/9/09 01:41 PM, Lemmiwinks91 wrote: your lighting is not bad at all, id sugest working on anatomy more, its a nice style you've got going there though.

Thank you . i thought al was lost for a minute there.
To be honest ive never tried to draw an anatomicaly correct figure in my life
I gave up drawing at the age of 6 because all i could do is stickmen and i picked it up 3 months ago when i got flash.

Also is there really a point in me changing to photoshop ? i find flash much more relaxed and loose and with a couple filters and a lot of brush work i think i could do fine.

MORE OPINIONS AND TIPS PLEASE :)

[Lemmiwinks91]

At 10/9/09 01:54 PM, hdxmike wrote:

At 10/9/09 01:41 PM, Lemmiwinks91 wrote: your lighting is not bad at all, id sugest working on anatomy more, its a nice style you've got going there though.

Thank you . i thought al was lost for a minute there.
To be honest ive never tried to draw an anatomicaly correct figure in my life
I gave up drawing at the age of 6 because all i could do is stickmen and i picked it up 3 months ago when i got flash.

Also is there really a point in me changing to photoshop ? i find flash much more relaxed and loose and with a couple filters and a lot of brush work i think i could do fine.

MORE OPINIONS AND TIPS PLEASE :)

Photoshop is more for realistic shading and completly different to flash.

Photoshop is pixel, and flash is vector. You cant blend together in flash btu you can use gradients. In photoshop its about you blending the colours and shades. its up to you really, why not try both if you have the option too. Trust me, even looking at basic anatomy and tips and tricks to help you in character/figure drawing helps dramatically, dont label it a lost cause because you could only draw stickmen and 6, i dont think there's any 6 year old with great anatomical skill, let alone knowing how to do it.

[Knocturne]

I'd suggest using illustrator for the line work, it's vector based and has some of the features photoshop has, so you can make the shading/lighting/values/masks pixelized images, and the lines could be vectors.

Or just play around with photoshop. I just like illustrator.

[Innermike]

At 10/9/09 02:04 PM, Lemmiwinks91 wrote: Photoshop is more for realistic shading and completly different to flash.

Photoshop is pixel, and flash is vector. You cant blend together in flash btu you can use gradients. In photoshop its about you blending the colours and shades. its up to you really, why not try both if you have the option too. Trust me, even looking at basic anatomy and tips and tricks to help you in character/figure drawing helps dramatically, dont label it a lost cause because you could only draw stickmen and 6, i dont think there's any 6 year old with great anatomical skill, let alone knowing how to do it.

Ive know the difference between vector and bitmap. any game designer know that ;)
But is it necceesary? could i do the initial stuff in flash in raster it in PS ?
thanks for the feedback so far

[Innermike]

At 10/9/09 02:10 PM, Knocturne wrote: I'd suggest using illustrator for the line work, it's vector based and has some of the features photoshop has, so you can make the shading/lighting/values/masks pixelized images, and the lines could be vectors.

Or just play around with photoshop. I just like illustrator.

I also have illustrator and its a good mix of flash and illustrator . vector but made for drawing
I used it before but using brushes and filling is a pain

[Knocturne]

True, but then doing the vector work and rasterizing in the same program would be a lot easier than working from flash and then rasterizing and working from photoshop.

[Innermike]

At 10/9/09 02:41 PM, Knocturne wrote: True, but then doing the vector work and rasterizing in the same program would be a lot easier than working from flash and then rasterizing and working from photoshop.

Ill give it a try tonight and post it something here . any idea what i should do for practice ?

[Knocturne]

Maybe you should do what someone suggested and try drawing from life.

I think you have a good understanding of shading and light, maybe draw something that requires using perspective, and proportions and when you colours, try to use the colours to evoke a mood nstead of portraying reality like you've done before.

[leo967846]

I like your style of drawing. And your shading? Pretty good, but I don't suggest including a source of light in every picture, but thats just me.

[Innermike]

At 10/9/09 07:12 PM, leo967846 wrote: I like your style of drawing. And your shading? Pretty good, but I don't suggest including a source of light in every picture, but thats just me.

I apreciate that but since im not a good background filler i need to exentuate the characters properties as much as possible

[Innermike]

Ok im doing some figure as my first 'more human' drawing and i just started it like 10 mins ago and i just want to know how ( without any real source of light) should i do/angle the shading.

Any advice

Here it is , 2 % done

[J-qb]

At 10/10/09 01:10 PM, hdxmike wrote: Ok im doing some figure as my first 'more human' drawing and i just started it like 10 mins ago and i just want to know how ( without any real source of light) should i do/angle the shading.

Any advice

Here it is , 2 % done

If you have no source of light.... you have no light? Dont try to shade it then...
I mean, every light must hast its source.

[Ksmittlez]

...if you have no light then should this picture be compleatly dark?

[Innermike]

At 10/10/09 01:20 PM, J-qb wrote: If you have no source of light.... you have no light? Dont try to shade it then...
I mean, every light must hast its source.

Sorry i meant without a source of light in the picture because i mostly do that and i can do diractional lighting

[J-qb]

At 10/10/09 01:45 PM, hdxmike wrote:

At 10/10/09 01:20 PM, J-qb wrote: If you have no source of light.... you have no light? Dont try to shade it then...
I mean, every light must hast its source.

Sorry i meant without a source of light in the picture because i mostly do that and i can do diractional lighting

so you want to know how it would be with normal sunlight?
well, basically the same, only now all lightrays are parallel. every part of the drawing is lighted from the same angle, so on everything, top right (forexample) is light, and bottom left is dark.

[Innermike]

At 10/10/09 01:51 PM, J-qb wrote: so you want to know how it would be with normal sunlight?
well, basically the same, only now all lightrays are parallel. every part of the drawing is lighted from the same angle, so on everything, top right (forexample) is light, and bottom left is dark.

Why did i need someone to tell me that

THANK YOU

[UNDERNATION]

try introducing more than just gradients of the same color to describe the transition from light to dark (ex. tan to burnt umber to dark brown on the face.) If your using photoshop you can multiply cool colors into your darks, which will describe the form better and the color less saturated. also you don't have to use gradients when making shadows. considering your style you probably use less naturalistic coloring choices. I like to block my colors using angular shapes.
ie:

franky

[Innermike]

At 10/10/09 03:14 PM, UNDERNATION wrote: try introducing more than just gradients of the same color to describe the transition from light to dark (ex. tan to burnt umber to dark brown on the face.) If your using photoshop you can multiply cool colors into your darks

Thanks man good advice
I dont use photoshop , yet.. just flash.