After you’ve got you linework picture perfect you can begin coloring. While this might sound difficult I make it easy by dividing the task into different steps. These steps correlate to separate layers in your image (this is a simplification; each layer is actually a group of multiple layers).
The basic process I work by is:
- Create your linework.
- Create a layer for the base color; this is the local color, or actual color of an object.
- Create a layer for shadows, depending on the lighting you will probably want another layer for very dark shadows as well.
- Create a layer for highlights.
- Create a layer for lighting and atmospheric effects. Finish off your image by tweaking colors, layer opacity etc until you’re satisfied.
Everything after Step 1 can be considered “coloring”, depending on how you define it, since each of those steps individually don’t really produce anything. It’s only when you see all the layers on top of each other that you get that magical ‘Tada!” moment when you see the full effect.
So let’s get started on Step 2.
