Today we'll be coloring this line art of flowers and a girl. I'll show you how to get a cute finished result using only basic coloring techniques — perfect for beginners.
Line art used: Flowers and a Girl
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Let's start by reviewing the basic coloring method.
If you color without thinking about it, it ends up looking sloppy, but by keeping the pressure consistent and coloring carefully, little by little with no gaps, you'll get a clean finish. Let's keep this basic principle in mind as we color
today.
Let me explain the color names shown in the video.
What's displayed is the maker name and color name of the colored pencil being used. I've also noted the closest equivalent colors, so please use a similar color from your own set. In the explanation and captions, I'll refer to colors by these reference names.
How to color skin
Prepare a pink shade and a pale shade. Start with pink. Focusing mainly on the shadowed areas, tilt the pencil slightly and use the side of the lead, moving it in small strokes as you color. The key is to color with a gentle touch so the color doesn't get too dark.
It's tempting to use large motions on wide areas, but color with smaller movements so no gaps appear. If you're unsure, coloring close to the line art's lines tends to work out well. Adding shadow under the bangs, under the nose, and under the lips creates a natural sense of depth.
Next, layer the pale shade broadly over the pink from before. Layering lets you achieve complex, natural-looking colors even with just a few shades. Coloring so no white paper is left showing makes the skin look even cleaner. Add more pink, then add red-purple to the areas you want darker to increase depth and dimension.
Color the eyes and eyebrows carefully too. Color the eyebrows gently along the direction the hair grows, and add a light shadow to the inner corner of the eye and the whites of the eyes to express the roundness of the eyeball and natural shading. Coloring the top half of the iris dark and the bottom half lighter creates the shadow and shine of the eyelashes.
How to color hair
We'll use three colors for the hair. First, lightly color the whole area with the mid-tone color. Work carefully from the edges, using the basic coloring method without pressing too hard.
Next, color with an awareness of which strands of hair should be darker and which should look lighter. Even with the same color, simply changing the pressure creates variation in shade, giving the appearance of overlapping strands of hair. Finally, layer the second and third colors to add depth and shine.
How to color the flowers
For the petals, coloring the parts underneath an overlap darker and the parts on top lighter creates a natural sense of depth. Layer pink and red-purple, and retrace the lines as needed to tidy up the outlines. Finish the center of the flower in brown or black, and layering light blue on top gives it a softer impression.
Even with the same color combination, the impression changes depending on the order you color in. The color comes out differently depending on whether you color purple first or red-purple first, so experiment with the layering order. For the leaves, use green as a base and layer yellow-green on top to create a natural gradient.
Finishing touches
Keeping the earrings and clothes in matching tones creates a unified look. Color the clothes solidly in blue tones, and layer purple over the shadowed areas. Color the nails in red-purple, leaving the shine areas uncolored, then layer pink over them for a natural glow.
Finished
And it's finished! Just by using the basic method of "coloring carefully with no gaps," you can achieve results this clean. No matter what subject you're coloring, keeping this basic principle in mind will help you color beautifully.
Thank you for watching today. Look forward to the next video.