Designing with mild and shadow is likely one of the strongest instruments I take advantage of to carry my figures to life. It’s extra than simply copying what I see. I take advantage of mild and shadow to form the shape, information the viewer’s eye, and create temper and feeling. When used with function, in addition they assist design the composition by including construction, motion and readability to the drawing.There are two points to the method of designing mild. First, I take a second to watch quietly and with function. I have a look at the sunshine, the pose, the background and anything that sparks an concept or conjures up me. Then, as soon as I’ve a transparent image in my thoughts, I transfer on to the following section: crafting and shading.Shading is not only about copying values. It’s about displaying kind, main the attention and telling a narrative. Whether or not I’m drawing from life, a photograph or creativeness, I’m at all times desirous about how my values, shapes and shading methods assist the determine and the message I need to share.
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Right here, I’ll present a few of my favorite methods to design with mild and construct a robust, highly effective picture. They apply whether or not you are drawing with the perfect pencils for artists or on top-of-the-line drawing tablets. In case you’re on the lookout for a newbie introduction, see our breakdown of how to attract an individual.01. The place’s the sunshine?
(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)Step one in my remark course of is to easily observe the sunshine. The extra I do know and perceive concerning the mild, the extra readability I’ll have when designing the drawing. Understanding the sunshine will even make the shading course of smoother and extra environment friendly.The primary remark I make is the situation of the sunshine. This solutions the query: The place is the sunshine? The most typical places are above, aspect or in entrance. In search of clues equivalent to solid shadows (A) and highlights (B) assist me to precisely outline the sunshine.02. What is the nature of the sunshine?
(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)As soon as I establish the situation of the sunshine, I then observe and consider the character of the sunshine. This solutions the query: What sort of mild is it? Totally different mild sources create totally different and distinctive appears, so the character of the sunshine will have an effect on how I design the ultimate drawing.Every day design information, opinions, how-tos and extra, as picked by the editors.Some widespread kinds of mild are direct, tender and subtle, ambient, and a number of lights. To assist me establish the sunshine’s nature, I search for the shadow shapes (A), distinction and even color (B).03. Perceive the pose
(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)Subsequent, I observe the mannequin and their pose. The query in my thoughts is: What’s the mannequin doing? Answering this query helps me to outline the gesture, motion and crucially the first motion of the pose, which turns into the muse of my design (A).After that, I search for key landmarks and varieties. First, I outline the shoulder line and hip line, then the motion and place of the limbs (B). Lastly, I outline the place of the physique’s varieties in 3D house, particularly large varieties just like the ribcage and hips
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04. Resolve what you need to say
(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)Mild and shadow is extra than simply 3D kind and shading methods. It’s a strategy to inform a narrative or convey one thing significant. One query I ask myself is: What do I need to say? Imagining and defining a narrative helps me make selections in the course of the shading and ending course of.To work out story concepts, I create a number of composition thumbnails, which helps me to shortly iterate, refine and check varied compositions, lighting, environment and mood05. Simplify varieties and tone washes
(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)To create the phantasm of realism, I deal with first describing kind. I prepare my eye to see the easy, main types of the determine (A). Then, once I begin to apply tone and shading, I take advantage of massive washes and tender, gradient model marks.I apply this tone as if I had been shading quite simple, geometric varieties equivalent to cylinders (B) and eggs (C). As soon as I’ve these main varieties established, I can simply add secondary varieties, and smaller shapes and particulars (D) whereas sustaining a strong, plausible construction.06. Good tone plenty with high quality marks
(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)One strategy to simply destroy a drawing is to make careless, ugly, low-quality ‘spotty’ marks and tones (A). Conversely, one strategy to dramatically enhance a drawing with little or no effort is to create high-quality marks, strains and tones.To enhance my marks and tones, I practise filling packing containers with varied strokes, hatching methods and gradients. I practise till my tone packing containers are clear and easy (B). Evaluating the 2 units of marks, it’s straightforward to see which is extra enticing, pleasing and can add to the standard of the drawing relatively than detracting from it.07. Simplify and restrict valuesImage 1 of two(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)To assist me management values, I first observe the pose and the sunshine. Squinting helps me to see much less color and element info, and extra of the worth info. The objective right here is to simplify the values into two or three-value shapes and lots more and plenty. To start out the drawing, I start with a easy two-value design (A).Subsequent, to attain extra kind and realism, I add the half-tones to create a three-value design (B). Three values are sufficient for me to counsel kind, particularly once I simplify the varieties into geometric volumes equivalent to packing containers, cylinders and spheres (C).08. Design the contour
(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)Though shading and a 3D-looking kind are my objectives, one in every of my favorite instruments to create the look of practical determine and kind is with the contour. I take advantage of easy contour design methods equivalent to thick or skinny (A) and darkish accents (B) to counsel mild and shadow.Refined straights (C) and corners (D) create distinction and counsel more durable elements of the physique (bone or muscle). Contour design may also outline intersecting areas and counsel weight, equivalent to when the mannequin is seated or in touch with a floor.09. Do not copy particulars – design as an alternative
(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)When drawing a pose with lovely mild and shadow, it’s straightforward to fall into the behavior of ‘see-copy’ – blindly copying particulars with out design or intention. To assist me correctly design a sensible drawing I deal with describing easy, geometric varieties.For instance, I shade the higher physique with egg-like and boxy varieties (A). With easy cylinder varieties I can talk each the massive plenty of the torso, and secondary muscle groups and varieties (B). Together with shading and tone, I emphasise contour strains that each lead the attention and reinforce the sensation of 3D form10. Management distinction for the win
(Picture credit score: Chris Legaspi)To make the drawing really feel each completed and ‘actual’, I thoughtfully and thoroughly design and management the distinction. For instance, I direct the distinction of core shadows (A) to assist emphasise mild and shadow. Controlling the worth and distinction within the highlights (B) helps to outline kind, set the route of the sunshine and create a way of environment.To actually make a drawing really feel ‘completed’ I introduce a variety of distinction in key areas, particularly round point of interest areas (C) and elements of the background (D). This additionally suggests depth, environment and develops a dynamic eye stream.For extra recommendation, see our suggestions for drawing the physique. We even have a breakdown of how to attract a feminine determine.This text initially appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to by no means miss a problem. Print and digital subscriptions out there.
