Krita for Beginners: Shading Fundamentals Using Multiply, Gradients, and Form

Shading as “Form First” (Not Detail First)

Beginner shading becomes much easier when you treat it as a value problem: you are describing the turning of forms under a single light. Before adding texture, small folds, or highlights, decide what is lit and what is not. Your goal in the first pass is readability: the viewer should understand the volume even if you zoom out.

Pick one light direction and stick to it

Choose a simple light direction (for example: “top-left, slightly in front”). Keep it consistent across the entire illustration. If you change the light direction mid-way, shadows will contradict each other and the image will feel unstable.

• Light side: planes facing the light.
• Shadow side: planes turned away from the light.
• Terminator: the boundary where the form turns from light into shadow.

Identify the three shadow types you will paint

Think of shadows in three categories so you know what you are painting and why:

• Core shadow: the darker band on the form itself, just past the terminator. It describes curvature (sphere, cylinder, cheek, arm).
• Cast shadow: the shadow a form throws onto another surface (a chin onto a neck, a hand onto a shirt, a character onto the ground). It helps “ground” objects.
• Ambient light (bounce): softer, lighter influence inside the shadow area caused by surrounding surfaces. This prevents shadows from becoming flat black.

A Simple, Beginner-Friendly Shading Stack

This chapter uses a minimal layer stack so you can iterate without repainting your flats. The idea is to separate “broad shadow decisions” from “tight contact shadows.”

Recommended layer setup

• Shadow layer: set to Multiply, placed above your flat colors (and below lineart if you want lineart to stay crisp).
• Occlusion layer (optional): also Multiply, above the Shadow layer, used only for tight contact darkening.
• Cast Shadows layer (optional): Multiply, for clearer shape design of shadows that fall onto other objects/surfaces.

Why Multiply? Multiply darkens while preserving the underlying hue relationships. It is forgiving for beginners because you can paint with a neutral shadow color and still keep local color differences visible.

Continue in our app.

• Listen to the audio with the screen off.
• Earn a certificate upon completion.
• Over 5000 courses for you to explore!

Or continue reading below...

Download the app

Choose a shadow color that won’t turn everything muddy

A common beginner mistake is using pure black on Multiply and then over-painting until everything looks dirty. Instead, pick a shadow color that is slightly cool or slightly warm depending on your scene, and keep it moderately saturated.

• For daylight: try a slightly cool, desaturated blue-purple shadow.
• For warm indoor light: try a slightly warm, desaturated reddish-brown shadow.

Keep your shadow layer opacity adjustable. If your shadows feel too heavy, lower the layer opacity instead of repainting everything.

Edge Control: Hard vs Soft (Where to Blur and Where Not To)

Shading quality is often about edges more than detail. Use edge softness to communicate distance, material, and contact.

Rule of thumb for edges

• Hard edges: contact points and cast shadows near the object (shoe on ground, chin shadow right under the chin, overlap between two forms).
• Soft edges: gradual turning of form (cheek, round arm, belly), and cast shadows that get softer as they travel away from the object casting them.

In practice: block in shadows with a larger brush, then selectively sharpen only the edges that need clarity. Avoid blurring everything equally.

Controlled softness methods

• Paint soft: use a soft brush at low opacity for gradual transitions on the Shadow layer.
• Paint hard then soften locally: block a clear shadow shape, then lightly soften only parts of the edge with a soft eraser or low-opacity brush.

Gradient Techniques for Clean, Readable Form

Gradients are a beginner-friendly way to show form turning without over-rendering. Use them as broad value structure, not as a final “polish effect.”

Manual gradients (brush-based)

This is the most controllable method and works well on Multiply layers.

• Start with a large soft brush at low opacity (10–30%).
• Build the gradient with multiple passes rather than one heavy stroke.
• Keep the gradient simple: one direction that matches the form (around a cylinder, across a sphere, down a cone).

Gradient Tool (fast and clean)

The Gradient Tool is useful for big, simple transitions (a round head, a torso, a background object). Use it when you want a clean, even fade.

• Apply it on the Shadow (Multiply) layer for a broad shadow falloff.
• Use it on a clipped layer (if you are using clipping in your workflow) or within a selection so it stays inside the shape.
• After applying, refine edges manually so the gradient supports the form rather than flattening it.

Tip: If the gradient makes the form look like a sticker, reduce its strength (lower opacity) and reintroduce a clearer terminator (a slightly darker band for the core shadow).

Workflow Priorities: Big Shapes First, Details Last

To avoid muddy over-rendering, follow this order:

• 1) Big shadow families: decide what is in shadow vs light across the whole character/object.
• 2) Core shadow clarity: strengthen the terminator/core shadow where the form turns.
• 3) Cast shadows: add shadows that anchor forms to each other and to the ground.
• 4) Occlusion: add only the tightest dark accents at contact points.

If you find yourself painting tiny strokes early, zoom out and return to step 1. A readable value structure beats detailed noise.

Guided Exercise: Shade a Flat-Colored Illustration with One Light Source

This exercise assumes you already have a flat-colored illustration. You will do two passes: (1) broad shadows with one light source, (2) occlusion and cast shadows for depth while keeping values readable.

Exercise setup (1–2 minutes)

• Decide: Light direction (example: top-left).
• On a new layer above flats, set blending mode to Multiply and name it Shadow.
• Pick a shadow color (not pure black). Use a medium value so you can build darker areas later.
• Choose a large brush first (bigger than you think you need).

Pass 1: One-light shading (broad, readable)

Goal: clearly separate light side vs shadow side across the whole illustration.

1. Block the shadow family: On the Shadow (Multiply) layer, paint the areas turned away from the light. Keep it simple: one clear decision per form (head, torso, arm, leg).

2. Add core shadow bands: Slightly darken just inside the shadow side near the terminator to show curvature. Do this on round forms (cheeks, arms, thighs) with a gentle gradient.

3. Introduce ambient lift (optional): If the shadow side looks too flat, lightly erase or paint less in the deepest interior of the shadow to suggest bounce light. Keep it subtle; the shadow side should still read as shadow.

4. Check readability: Zoom out. If the character’s silhouette and major forms are not clear, simplify. Reduce noisy edges and keep the shadow shapes larger.

Pass 2: Occlusion and cast shadows (depth without losing clarity)

Goal: add depth cues at contact points and overlaps while keeping the overall value structure clean.

1. Create an Occlusion layer: Add a new layer above Shadow, set to Multiply, name it Occlusion. Use a smaller brush than in Pass 1, but still avoid tiny detailing.

2. Paint contact darkening: Add darker accents where forms touch or nearly touch. Examples: under hair clumps against the forehead, under the chin at the neck contact, where sleeves meet arms, fingers against palm, belt against shirt.

   Keep occlusion shapes tight and localized. This is not a second general shadow pass.

3. Create a Cast Shadows layer (optional): Add another Multiply layer for cast shadows if you want them separate for easy adjustment.

4. Design cast shadow shapes: Paint the shadow that one form throws onto another (nose onto cheek, hand onto torso). Make the edge harder near the casting object and softer as it falls away.

5. Keep values readable: If the image starts to look too dark overall, lower the opacity of Occlusion and/or Cast Shadows layers. The first pass should still be the main read.

Common fixes (quick troubleshooting)

Mini Checklist While You Shade

• Is the light direction consistent everywhere?
• Can you point to the core shadow, cast shadow, and ambient lift areas?
• Are you using big brushes first and refining later?
• Are hard edges reserved for contact/cast shadows and soft edges for turning form?
• Do the values still read clearly when zoomed out?