Looking for coloring advice

[grovylegirl]

I started a new style of coloring and I can't decide on what to improve and/or change. I was wondering if anyone had some advice.

This is the coloring style i am talking about.

It seems a bit waxy to me, Idk.

But by no means that it's done I just want to some advice.
I use Medibang so some techniques you suggest might not work in it.

Thank you!

[Zpreader]

A layer of highlights might help you to get the feel you're looking for. Just a few thin white lines to indicate where in the hair light should reflect the most.

[grovylegirl]

i did add the whitelights even though it is a bit hard to see, i guess that's what makes it look kind of waxy but thanks for the advice

[Zpreader]

Oh I'm sorry, I don't think I was quite clear

I did see the highlights that you left. I meant that you should try using thinner lines with a higher contrast.

Here's and example from my work

I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for, but that's generally how I've gotten my best results.

[Mharz]

Based on the image, I totally suggest using a hard-edged brush with 70-80% opacity in shading the hair so that the strands show and it doesn't look waxy (like action figures) either use Pen brush on Medibang instead of watercolor brush.

Also don't be afraid to use dark colors on shading (but avoid using black and white for shading and highlights). It'll look more effective if you add an extra shading on areas where the shadow falls.

Well that's just me anyway. Just keep on experimenting.

[shazzbaa]

I don't think it's the colouring style, I think it's just that light doesn't really hit hair that way, so it doesn't quite look like hair.

Using the same colours and the same shape but just changing where the light hits makes a big difference!

[UrMom]

To add to everyone else's advise. Trying to also use other colours outside of the base when shading, hair in itself has many different colours in it. Shazzbaa's photo examples for... example, the hair shown has different reds, purples, oranges, yellows. It could even have a bit of blue in the shadows. Don't be afraid to experiment with your shading.

The basic thing I was always taught was to trying using colours around the opposite side of the colour wheel (it would be more brown since it's darker), a colour in between for the midtone, and the next colour over for the highlights. The highlight and midtone can be on whichever side depending on how warn our cool the overall base colour looks.

But mess around, have fun with it. Figure out which colours fit best for you.

I should make a drinking game out of how many times I said 'colour'.

[69Michi]

Echoing everyone's advice. When you work on shading it's always good to keep an eye on where the light source is hitting.

Don't afraid to use another layer for lighting effect. You are not restricted to be coloring and shading on only 1 layer!

[grovylegirl]

thanks so much for the advice everyone!!

[Ringarune]

I would also recommend playing around with hues. Like for example, the highlights on her hair would be more of a reddish/pinkish purple, the midtone would be the blueish purple you have, and then the shadows would have some more blue added. Just a suggestion though ^^

[Wandercreature]

Also, an 'Overlay' layer will let you add subtle colors - a reddish or bluish tint, for instant, depending on where she is or what the lighting around her happens to be. It's a simple way to add complexity in color to a drawing.

[Rabbit]

I actually spent most of yesterday trying to learn a new way to color hair XD I decided that the way I was currently coloring it was too bland, and I wanted a style that shows the light source better.
These are my results; the ones of the left are the before, and the ones on the right are after about 2 hours of messing around to see what I thought looked good
I've found that drawing white highlights on the hair (including one band of white going across the head) on a layer with the opacity down to about 45%, works well. Better than blending in the highlights, in my opinion.
(sorry for how scribbled out the lines are btw, I didn't think I would be showing this to anyone XO)

[grovylegirl]

so i took your guys advice and this is what i came up

anymore advice would be great thank you!!

[scythe]

This is really nice. OP, just do what this person did. The cleaner lines work better than your 'blurred' version.

[grovylegirl]

i didn't actually blur the first picture i used a watercolor brush for this one i used a different brush