Add Glowing Effects to Your Drawings: A Step-by-Step Guide

Want to add a touch of magic to your drawings? This step-by-step guide reveals how to create stunning glowing effects, transforming ordinary sketches into captivating masterpieces. Learn various techniques, from simple highlights to complex light sources, using readily available materials. Whether you're a beginner or experienced artist, unlock the secrets to adding luminous depth and dimension to your artwork. Let's get started!

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the Drawing

   • Draw your character outline. The video uses the Loomis method to draw Gojo as an example. Start with basic shapes, refine the outline, and then lighten the initial sketch.
   • Color or shade your drawing. The video uses hatching and brush pens for coloring and shading.
   • Take a high-quality photo of your finished artwork.

   

2. Set up Ibis Paint X

   • Open Ibis Paint X. Create a new canvas (3:4 ratio recommended). Import your photo as a layer, then create a new layer above it.
   • Fill the new layer with black and set the opacity to 60%. Make the photo layer visible. This darkens your drawing.

   

3. Initial Glow Layer

   • Add a new layer. Set the blending mode to 'Add'. Choose a soft brush. Using light colors, begin painting the glow around the light source(s). Darker colors will be placed further from the light source.

   

4. Build Glow Intensity

   • Create additional layers (set to 'Add' blending mode) to build up the glow intensity. Use lighter colors near the light source and gradually darker colors further away. Experiment with opacity to achieve the desired effect.

   

5. Create Bright Light Source

   • To create a bright light source, use a circle drawing tool with a pen fade brush. Set opacity to around 50 and thickness to 70. Draw a small circle above your light source for added brightness.

   

6. Add Eye Glow

   • Add another layer (set to 'Add' blending mode). Select a soft brush and use neon blue and sky blue to add glow to the eyes. Vary brush thickness and opacity as needed.

   

7. Refine and Add Highlights

   • Add additional layers to refine the glowing effect. Use a soft brush to add highlights to areas where the glow would naturally reflect, such as the goggles and hair.
   • Use alpha lock on layers to easily add gradients and control highlight placement. This allows you to work on specific areas within a layer without affecting other parts of the image.

   

8. Add Swirling Effect

   • Add a final layer. Use a stylus pen (full thickness and opacity) to create a swirling effect around the glow.

   

Tips

• Use multiple layers for better control and easier editing.
• Experiment with different blending modes, brush types, and opacity settings to find what works best for your style.
• Use alpha lock to easily create gradients and control where the glow effects are applied.

Common Mistakes to Avoid