How to make my shading/values look more interesting

Lordly 2016-12-01 08:36:03 UTC #1

So I started a new comic here, it's not my first comic, but it is my first original work and characters. Currently, i haven't quite figured out what sort of style of colouring I want to use in it just yet. So here's an example of a panel in the next page, I'd like to keep it grayscale or at least minimal colours. I'd just like to know if there's anyway you lovely people know to make it more interesting (?).

It's a little fuzzy because it's a zoomed in of a smaller panel

And here's the comic itself
My Days With You

AnnaLandin 2016-12-01 08:57:54 UTC #2

Well, you've got some fairly heavy shadows in there, but there are a few shapes that could do with more definition. Considering the direction of the light, and the actual shape of a human face, I did a quick draw-over to show you where you could push the shadows a bit more (I'd upload it straight to the forums, but Tapastic is being grumpy and not letting me do that today).

You've got the solid shadows beneath the chin and over the eyes, but there's a lot of shapes you're leaving out. Considering the direction of the light, there should be a fairly heavy shadow on the underside of the nose, for example, and the top lip would fall in shadow as well. Right now, they've only got a kind of grey blush to them, and considering your use of sharp shadows around the eyes/cheekbones, it ends up looking a bit flat. Those are 3-dimensional shapes, and need some definition.

Also, you could probably push some darker shadows within the shadow over the eyes; that's not just a flat area of the face either. There are brow-ridges and eyelids and the bridge of the nose and the forehead and everything; parts of them should fall into deeper shadow than others.

Oh, and consider that the strands of hair are also blocking the light, and should result in shadows on the face as well.

All in all, it helps to really consider the 3-dimensional shape of the face in the sketch-stage, and know that you aren't just plopping areas of grey onto a flat surface; there's a whole bunch of complex shapes in there!

monotone_ink 2016-12-01 09:03:50 UTC #3

Try to put more contrast in your shading. Make dark shades darker and light shades lighter. It makes the composition look a lot more dynamic, and can be used to your advantage if you want to make certain features pop out. For example, the hair could look more full if some darker shading were applied to some areas. Dark shades could also be applied to maybe under the jaw.

Also, be wary of using gradients to fill backgrounds. Gradients can be useful in shading certain parts or making objects look metallic, but it can look a bit strange when used to fill blank spaces. If you do use gradients for blank spaces though, just be subtle and careful with it.

Lordly 2016-12-01 09:12:53 UTC #4

Gah I guess it's mostly laziness on my part but yeap those are things that I should do. Thanks for your feedback!

Lordly 2016-12-01 09:14:34 UTC #5

What do you mean when you say 'be subtle and careful with [gradients]'? Honestly, backgrounds are the bane of my existence when it comes to art and comics so I have just left the panels with backgrounds in them for last.

AnnaLandin 2016-12-01 09:28:32 UTC #6

I can't speak for monotone_ink here, but when you use gradients, it is VERY easy to end up with a background that looks kind of artificial and plastic, in a way? In this example here, you've just got a straight gradient from left to right that looks very flat.

Gradients aren't evil, and you should use them where appropriate, but just doing a fade from grey to black as a background can end up making the characters look as though they're pasted onto a flat board.

Draw a lot of backgrounds - it's good for you.

It doesn't matter if they come out looking bad or sloppy or lopsided - you draw them anyway, and you keep drawing them until they feel natural. They're an acquired skill, the same way drawing characters is.

When I started my comic, I HATED drawing architecture. It's still not my favourite activity, but nearly 2 years into drawing it regularly, I now do it without thinking first. You only acquire a skill by repetition and practise.

Lordly 2016-12-01 09:33:18 UTC #7

Ahah, very true, I'll keep that in mind, it's all practice in the art game. Thank you for your feedback!

mikeampao 2016-12-02 11:00:36 UTC #8

Yeah! for me drawing background is really frustrating but i can still hang of it and thanks that good advice i hope can make it better instead full of dull white backgrounds

Mharz 2016-12-02 15:58:50 UTC #9

Reference always helps. Just google some real face and study where the shadows fall. If you see something interesting online, save it on your computer and try applying it to your art. Don't use anime refs in shading. It doesn't help. Use real life people.

Consider where light is when shading. Where is it located in relation to the character? How strong is the light? How far is the range of the light? Those factors affect the shading entirely.

Also you can use your hands to feel your own face so that you'll get a grasp which parts are defined.

The posts before me explained it properly so I won't walk through on this but here's a couple of faces from my library-of-refs-that-I-googled that might help you get an idea of how to shade that panel: http://sta.sh/01p5kc3pipvb

I would like to add that you should be careful in shading the cheekbone area because you might accidentally make the character look old or malnourished.

Michelle 2016-12-02 18:59:46 UTC #10

Regarding your dislike for environments-- those can actually be a huge asset for creating interesting lighting situations! There are a ton of different lighting setups that can create diverse and interesting effects, and you can use lighting to create a specific mood for a panel or page. It's especially interesting when you can use objects in the environment to make interesting shapes with the light and shadows. Here are a few lighting examples from my comic:

All of these panels have lighting informed by the environment (filtering through windows, from phones, blinds, etc). So rather than just going for a gradient background, think of how you can make cool shapes on the page with the lighting and shading. :>