Introduction
Drawing shadows of people can be an intimidating task, but with the right techniques, it’s totally achievable. If you’re looking to learn how to unleash your creative side and draw amazing shadows of people, then you came to the right place. By learning a few simple techniques and taking a few steps, you’ll be well on your way to creating a perfectly shaded figure. Remember, shadows are like fingerprints; how you draw one will be unique and personal. So let’s get started and discover the dazzling results you can create!
Choose the Right Colors
The sensible place to start is by getting familiar with color. You’ll need a variety of several hues to get the variation that best captures the feel of your intended shadow. A tip worth remembering: the darker the color call for a larger shade amount, and for a lighter feel you’d use less. That’s why it’s important to find the right balance, like one color too dark and it’ll cloud your figure’s presence, one too light and it won’t feel like a shadow at all!
Sketch the Figure
Now comes the fun part – sketching the main figure. It doesn’t need to be perfect – shadow art is all about feel. Just make sure it captures the idea of what you’re going for and move on to the next step. When sketching it never hurts to use an image for reference to get the essence of your vision down.
Add Some Shadows
The shadows in your drawing will be the key to any successful drawing of a figure. Use a medium tone to bring the shadows in. Remember our tip from before – lighter colors will keep the figure from looking too harsh and dark colors will make the shadow really stand out and be noticeable. You can apply pressure using a range of mediums, like a charcoal pencil or the side of a graphite pencil.
Finesse It
With a few soft layers of mediums, you can easily make parts of the already drawn shadow softer or darker but controlling the pressure and the techniques used, you should depend on the proportion of the figure and the shadow being drawn. If needed, you can darken some parts to deepen the shadows, this will help to make the figure fit better with the surrounding setting.
Enhance with Highlighting
Adding highlights is all about making the details in the drawing stand out and pop. Adding highlights to the figure or shadow that you have drawn can be done with a few lines and dots, or by gently shading the drawing with a white chalk, crayon or pencil. You can make the drawing really stand out, by using highlights in the darkest areas of the figure or the shadow and with a light shade in the brighter spots.
Blend and Balance
By blending and balancing the lines it can tone out any tough imperfections that you have and also even out any sharp edges. The key here is to use a light pressure to delicately blend each color so it all works together. Once you’re done, you’ll have a perfectly shaded figure that you can be proud of.
Contrast and Shade
To add the finishing touches to your figure, you’ll need a bit of shading and highlighting. Start with a dark-ish color and then layer with a lighter one to give definition and make sure to use the dark color sparingly to avoid overshading. Different angles catch different light and also show different shadows, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques. Use the darker tone for shading around the edges and in the crevices, add a subtle bit of light to the top of an area, and don’t forget to add a few details to give the illusion of a real figure.
Conclusion
By following a few simple steps, you can easily learn how to draw an eye-catching shadow of a person. You’ll need to choose the right colors, sketch the figure, add shadows, finesse it, enhance it with highlighting, blend and balance, and lastly, contrast and shade. With a few tips and tricks, even the most novice artist will be creating incredible shadow drawings in no time. Enjoy exploring and experimenting with the beautiful world of shadow art!
