Shading Lighter Regions

I've been doing some practice lately with this whole PS thing, and I've been having trouble in a few places.

Particularly, I'm having a hard time shading lighter colors into the mix and creating light sources, if you will.
I can't seem to make the light focus and gradually fade out from a point.

Like, let me post a quickie I was trying tonight --

As you can see, the lighter part is like, really bad.
That's been my focus lately, to try to get that light area better.

I realize the other areas need lots of work, but all in due time.
I want to try to get decent at one thing at a time rather than try and fail to get decent at everything at once.

I was using a 60% opacity brush size 30 for most of it.
I dropped it to 20% to try the lighter stuff, but it just wasn't working.
Anyways, suggestions?

If you change the color you are painting with more often you can still use a high opacity brush. If you want it to blend in more I suggest using a tad bit smaller brush. Also don't use that icky pale color. I did a quick, 30 second paintover to show what I mean. I used about a 17 pixel brush at 45% opacity. I always do 45% with this type of stuff.

I see you used some orange in there... Hrmm alright.
Let me practice it a bit more and then I'll probably poke this thread again.

Lowering the brush size probably would help the most in this case.
And I'll try the 45%, it'll likely help out.

Thanks a lot!

Also, make the brush strokes flow with the shape of the object. See how CH's strokes flow with the shape there abit. Your strokes are kinda random and make the ball look flater. This helps define the shape of what your shading more.

Yeah, I did some quick sketchies just now to try to work on color and the lighter side of shading.
I tried to go with the shape a bit more, but it's rather hard to do it with a mouse.
I just can't control the damned thing the way I want to sometimes. >_<

I used the 45% opacity (Which I like a lot more) and a 20 brush size.
Here, see what you think.


I was really focusing on the blend from the light to dark, so it might look weird elsewhere.
It's really just a quickie to test colors, it isn't exactly 100% fluid. xD

Ahh, I see you use pretty big brushes... First of all, you fill the shape with the darkest color, then start to shade it with lighter red colors gradually, following the shape and structure of the object.
GIMP is perfect for shading, because it automatically blends colors and lightings.

Indeed using the mouse is very hard, but whoever said making good graphics was easy? The first time I skinned, it took me nearly 2 hours to finish the head. You will get used to the mouse I can guarantee you.

I strongly recommend using GIMP 2, if you're not using it yet. Oh and when you're shading, you really have to use a 1x1 pixel brush.

First you fill the shape with a darker version of a color. Then gradually lighten some regions with lighter versions of the color. If you're using red colors, do not use pink, just jump to gray or white to shade the lightest part.

Basically, you're filling the shape with a dark color, adding a slightly lighter "layer" ontop repeatedly until you get the desired effects. You have to use common sense when shading.

In your green apple, you used super big brushes. Big brushes are a no no for shading. Use the 1x1 pixel brush, even though it takes a long time, it gives the best effects. Patience is a virtue.

Here is a crappy-shaped apple, freehanded in 7-9 minutes. I did not focus on the shading on this one. If you want to learn about shading, you can always PM me and I'll arrange a tutorial session for you.

I'm not a fan of the GIMP, plus I'm practicing in PS so I'd rather stick to that.
Oh, and I'm using a 500x500 canvas, and shading 1x1 would be tedious and probably unsuccessful.

And actually, I started in all three cases with a very mid-range color and then darkened one area and lightened the other.
I think it works better for these little practice dummies.

Here's one I did this morning --

I was aiming to try multiple shading areas here.
Still working on blending colors, the middle area is a bit too dark, but I really didn't have lots of time to work on perfecting it.
Took about 5 minutes, 20 brush stroke size, 45% opacity.
I lowered to 10 size strokes as I gradually got higher.

Anyways, thoughts?

I find that an easy way to fix those color changes like what you have in the last picture are to use the color picking tool and make a stroke, then use the color picker again, make a stroke, and so on.

For this picture it wouldn't be the same brightness from one side to another unless there was an extremely even light source all around the object. Might want to fix this.

Also don't use a white background, noob:P

Patience is a virtue, plus it gives out the best effects. It's pretty obvious to see what's dividing the lighter region from the darker regions. Making graphics was never an easy thing, it takes time and concentration. Try making that bottle again and shade it using a 1x1 pixel and gradually work your way up from the darkest to lightest area, it will look better.

Shading with a 1 pixel brush is pointless and has many disadvantages. It's best to use big brushes on less detailed shading like these, and then go in with smaller brushes for the fine details. The only time I use a 1 pixel brush is to highlight edges.

Well I usually shade it and make it look like hair, then smudge with a small brush then voila!

Smudge sucks.

Really? No white background?
Haha, shows what I know.

I probably won't fix it, but instead just do another quickie sketch thing.
Let's see... Different.. Hrmm...

Anyways, ten minutes after I wrote the above words...


It's a pokeball!
I think I did a lot better with this one anyways.
Have a looksie.

Done on a 20 brush size over most, with minor size differences on lesser areas, 500x500, 45% opacity.
Personally, I would never draw if I needed to shade stuff with a 1 brush size.
These kinds of things don't need that kind of detail.

It's better but your lighting is off. Look at attached picture.

I noticed that too in making it, but I honestly was not sure, lol.
And yes, I have heard of a circle --

Have you ever heard of a sphere? <3

I'll do some more practice later.