How to Shade in Procreate: The Ultimate Guide

Shading is one of the most important techniques to master as a digital artist. Effective shading adds depth, dimension and realism to your work. It‘s how you transform a flat image into something that looks three-dimensional and pops off the screen. While shading can be challenging to learn at first, Procreate offers several powerful tools to help you shade like a pro.

In this ultimate guide, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to create beautiful, natural-looking shading in Procreate. You‘ll learn the three key methods for adding shading, complete with step-by-step tutorials. I‘ll also share pro tips for choosing colors, troubleshooting mistakes, and shading for specific use cases like skin tones and tattoos. By the end of this guide, you‘ll have all the knowledge you need to take your digital art to the next level with professional shading.

Let‘s get started!

The 3 Essential Shading Methods in Procreate

There are three primary methods for adding shading to your art in Procreate:

1. Airbrushing
2. Smudge Tool
3. Gaussian Blur

Each of these techniques is useful in different scenarios. I‘ll walk through how and when to use each one in more detail below. But in general, Airbrushing gives you the most hands-on control and is best for initial shading. The Smudge Tool is great for blending and refining edges. And Gaussian Blur provides a quick way to soften shading.

For best results, you‘ll likely use a combination of these shading methods. It‘s all about experimenting to achieve your desired look and style.

Method 1: Airbrushing

Airbrushing is usually the first tool I turn to when I start shading. It allows you to precisely apply semi-transparent "paint" to your canvas, which makes it perfect for building up subtle shadows and highlights. Here‘s how to shade with the Airbrush:

Step 1: Set up your layers

Before you begin shading, it‘s a good idea to create a new layer on top of your line art or base colors. This allows you to shade non-destructively. If you make any mistakes or want to tweak your shading later, you can simply edit or delete the shading layer without messing up the underlying artwork.

To add a new layer, tap the Layers icon, then tap the + button. You can also swipe left on your artwork layer and choose "Duplicate" to create a copy to work on.

Step 2: Choose an Airbrush

Open the Brush Library by tapping the paintbrush icon in the top-right corner. Under the "Airbrushing" category, you‘ll find a variety of airbrush tools to choose from.

For beginners, I recommend starting with the "Soft Brush." It has a smooth, fuzzy texture that works well for most shading situations. The "Medium Brush" and "Spatter Brush" are also useful for adding texture.

Step 3: Configure brush settings

Before you start shading, take a moment to customize your brush settings:

• Size: Use the size slider to control the diameter of your brush tip. For broad shading, use a larger brush. For detail work, use a smaller tip.
• Opacity: This controls the transparency of the "paint" applied with each brushstroke. Lower opacity creates subtler shading that you can build up gradually, while higher opacity will lay down bolder shadows.
• Color: Choose a color that‘s slightly darker than your base color for shadows, or slightly lighter for highlights. More on color selection later!

Step 4: Apply your shading

Now you‘re ready to start shading! Imagine a light source shining on your subject from a particular angle. The parts of the surface that the light hits directly will be brightest (highlights), while the sides facing away from the light will be darker (shadows).

Using your airbrush, build up shadows on the parts of your subject farthest from the imagined light source. Apply gentle pressure with your Apple Pencil and use short, overlapping strokes to create an even application of color. Reduce brush opacity as you blend the shadows into the midtones and highlights.

Pro tip: Zoom in for better control while shading small details and tricky areas like facial features.

Method 2: Smudge Tool

The Smudge Tool allows you to blend colors on your canvas as if you were smudging pencil or charcoal on paper. It‘s incredibly useful for softening the edges of your airbrush shading and creating smooth gradients between colors.

Here‘s how to use the Smudge Tool for shading:

Step 1: Shade with the Airbrush

Start by laying down some rough shading with the Airbrush as described above. Don‘t worry about getting it perfect, as you‘ll refine it with the Smudge Tool.

Step 2: Select the Smudge Tool

Tap the finger icon in the top-left corner of the toolbar to switch to the Smudge Tool.

Step 3: Configure brush settings

Just like with Airbrushing, you can customize the brush you use with the Smudge Tool. Open the Brush Library and choose from the available options under "Touch-ups" or "Blenders."

I like using the "Soft Blender" brush to start. Play with the size and opacity sliders until you find a setting that works for your artwork.

Step 4: Blend your shading

Gently drag your brush over the edges where colors meet – for instance, where shadows blend into midtones and highlights. Use short strokes and light pressure. Smudging too much can create muddiness, so use a delicate touch.

Pay attention to the direction of your smudging. For best results, follow the contours of the surface you‘re shading. Smudge in a curve beneath the cheekbones when shading a face, for example.

Method 3: Gaussian Blur

Gaussian Blur is a quick way to soften your shading without manually blending with the Smudge Tool. This is especially helpful when you need to apply shading to a large area. Here‘s how it works:

Step 1: Add your shading

Use the Airbrush or another tool to add some shading to your artwork on a separate layer.

Step 2: Apply Gaussian Blur

With your shading layer selected, tap the magic wand icon to open the Adjustments menu, then choose "Gaussian Blur."

Step 3: Adjust the blur amount

Drag the slider to control the strength of the blur effect. For subtle shading, use a low amount – usually between 2% and 15%. Make sure the "Layer" button is selected so it only affects your active layer.

You can experiment with masking and different layer blending modes for more advanced blurring effects. But in general, this method works best for adding quick, all-over shading to an image.

Pro Tips for Choosing Shading Colors

Choosing the right colors is crucial for creating realistic shading. Here are some guidelines:

• Shadows are typically darker and cooler in color temperature than the base color of the object. A dark blue or purple undertone works well.
• Highlights are lighter and warmer than the base color. Try adding a bit of pale yellow or orange.
• Avoid using pure black or white for shading, as this looks artificial. Aim for a range of desaturated colors.
• When shading skin, observe the undertones. Fair skin often has cool, pink undertones, while darker skin may have warm, golden, or olive undertones.
• Choose colors adjacent to your base color on the color wheel for the most natural look.

Shading for Specific Use Cases

Shading Skin and Faces

– Use the Airbrush to add shadows beneath the browbone, cheekbones, jawline and nose. Smudge the edges.
– Add highlights to the bridge of the nose, cupid‘s bow, browbone and cheekbones.
– Be subtle when shading skin. Build up color gradually in thin layers.

Shading Tattoos

– Tattoos typically have bold outlines, so use a hard brush like the Studio Pen to shade.
– Fill in black areas on a separate layer, then reduce the opacity to make the tattoo look faded into the skin.
– For color tattoos, use the Smudge Tool to create a "bleeding" effect around the edges as if the ink has spread slightly beneath the skin.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Help! My shading looks patchy and uneven.

Make sure you‘re using a soft brush with a low opacity. Build up your shadows slowly in multiple layers. Zoom in to shade small details.

My shading is muddy and lacks definition.

You may be smudging too much. Try using the Smudge Tool with a lighter touch. If you lose definition, go back in with the Airbrush to add more deliberate shadows and highlights.

Should I use black for shadows?

In general, no. Black shadows tend to look artificial and flat. Instead, choose a dark color that relates to your base color, like dark blue for cool tones or deep purple for warm tones.

How can I improve my shading skills?

The best way to improve is to practice! Try shading simple geometric forms like spheres and cylinders before moving on to complex subjects. Observe how light and shadow work on real-world objects. And don‘t be afraid to experiment with different tools and techniques to find what works best for you.

Additional Resources

– 10 Best Shading Brushes for Procreate
– How to Choose Colors for Shading
– Mastering Facial Features in Procreate
– 5 Exercises to Improve Your Shading Skills

Conclusion

Learning to shade is a key skill for any digital artist. While it can feel intimidating at first, Procreate gives you all the tools you need to create professional-looking shading. Airbrushing, the Smudge Tool, and Gaussian Blur are your secret weapons.

To recap, here are the key steps for shading in Procreate:

1. Set up your layers
2. Choose an appropriate brush
3. Configure your brush settings
4. Use light and dark colors to build up shadows and highlights
5. Blend and soften edges with the Smudge Tool
6. Refine and tweak until you‘re happy with the results

The most important thing is to practice and don‘t be afraid to experiment. The more you shade, the more comfortable and confident you‘ll become. Before you know it, you‘ll be shading like a pro!

Do you have any other questions about shading in Procreate? Let me know in the comments below. Happy shading!