Light and shadow: one light source, two shadows, and volume appears

A single light source

1. Step 1Decide where it comes from

   Before the first shadow, choose where the light comes from: top left, for example. Mark it with a small arrow in a corner.

2. Step 2What faces it is lit

   Surfaces turned toward the light stay light. Those turning away from it go into shadow.

3. Step 3The border follows the form

   The border between light and shadow hugs the volume: curved on a sphere, straight on a box, a band on a cylinder.

4. Step 4Test on simple volumes

   Before a character, shade a sphere, a box and a cylinder with the same light. A body is just these shapes put together.

Form shadow and cast shadow

• The form shadow is on the object itself: the side that doesn't see the light.
• The cast shadow is the one the object throws onto something else: the ground, a wall, another character.
• The cast shadow starts at the object, on the side away from the light. The lower the light, the longer it gets.
• On a character, the most useful cast shadows: the head on the neck, the bangs on the forehead, the arm on the torso, the nose on the cheek.
• A cast shadow under the feet is enough to put a character on the ground.

Two-tone anime shading

1. Step 1A single shadow tone

   Anime often uses a single shadow tone with a crisp edge. No gradient: the shape of the shadow is enough to show the volume.

2. Step 2Simple shapes

   Draw the shadow as a graphic shape: a crescent on the cheek, a triangle under the nose, a band under the chin.

3. Step 3Folds and hollows

   Add shadows in the hollows: under the bangs, in the folds of the clothes, under the arms. Light never reaches these places.

4. Step 4A highlight if needed

   To finish, a small light spot on the hair or the eyes makes them shine.

Backlight and mood lighting

Changing the light changes the mood of a panel without touching the drawing.

1. Step 1Backlight

   The light comes from behind: the character is almost all in shadow, and only a thin bright rim outlines them. Perfect for a mysterious entrance.

2. Step 2Light from below

   Light coming from below, like a flashlight, flips the shadows of the face. A sure effect for a menacing character.

3. Step 3Two lights

   A strong main light and a weaker one on the other side, in another color: the scene gains depth. Always keep one dominant light.

4. Step 4Night

   Darken the whole drawing, then add the lights: a window, a street lamp, a phone screen. They are what guides the eye.

The coach's tips

• Light a simple object with your phone's flashlight in a dark room and move the light around: you'll see the shadows move.
• Squint at a reference: details disappear and only the big masses of light and shadow remain.
• A few well-placed shadows beat many shadows everywhere.
• Keep the face mostly in the light: that's where the reader looks.
• In the app, pick a character and guess where the light would come from, based on their shadows, before tracing them.

Practice right now

Once the lesson is read, draw this exercise: it takes about 10 minutes.