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saphiremomo — Using the GIMP : Soft-Shading
Published: 2007-03-17 15:46:20 +0000 UTC; Views: 56996; Favourites: 406; Downloads: 777
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Description
I'm so very sorry to those with slow connections - this file is huge, and I didn't feel like breaking it up into to separate files because then I would probably never get finished with the second part, just like with the lineart tutorial. I swear, I will get that done, someday!Anyway, this is mainly a tutorial for those who are beginners to soft-shading. I show two of my different styles of soft-shading in this tutorial, and I hope I wrote it helpfully.
If you have any questions or concerns, please tell me! I always want to be as helpful as possible.
I reference several of my other tutorials in this tutorial, so here are some links to them.
Layers Tutorial *Very Important* -> [link]
Lineart Tutorial -> [link]
Cell-Shading Tutorial *Very Important* -> [link]
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Comments: 47
I really like this tutorial, i will test this technique as i am very new to digital art^^ Thank you!
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Looks promising. Are you going to make an "advanced" guide to get a little more in-depth?
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Thank you so much for this :3
I stink at shading but now I found this I think I've gotten better! :3
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thank oyu you REEEEALy go into detail on this its nice to have some thoughrough instruction thank you! X3
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This helped sooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!! Exactly what I needed!!!! I am soooo happy now!!!! And your layers tutorial helped a lot too!!!
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I'm glad it helped you so much!
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Thank you! I really needed help with shading! approves!
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I am so lost o.o
I don't see the window that shows the layers! o-o
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In your menu, go to windows > dockable dialogs > layers, and that should pop it up. I dont' think it's up by default anymore (as it was when I made this tutorial)
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Also now that I read it for the like 5th time? I think i finnaly got it on how to do the smudging one (wasnt understanding whenr eading it now I do!!!) thanks again very easy to follow
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Thanks this helped me create this [link]
So thanks so much!
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One question, just how exactly do you turn Grayscale to RGB?
My scanner doesn't seem to want to scan in RGB and I don't know how to change it from grayscale. D:
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I have this problem all the time too.
Image>Mode>RGB
That should help.
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Image>Mode>RBG.
Nice tutorial, Helped me a fair bit.
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um..how do I soft shade the hair and skin? Do I just do the same thing, except on a different layer?
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I'm not good at using layers. If you could explain the second version a little better, you know i blinde terms, then maybe I'd be able to do it. I need to learn to color better asap. Whoever is good at explaining and knows how to do this, please message me immeditely. Thanks.
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this was REALLY helpful! thankyou so much! the lineart tutorial was really good too!
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Thank you so much for this tutorial! It's my new favorite way to shade :]
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i got stuck at put a white layer below both transparent...could you explain that better?
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Good stuff!
but the smudge tool and the airbrush tool give a similar effect with less effort.
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Interesting! I haven't tried the masking method, but smudging is my favourite. I use selections for colouring instead of coloring over the lines, and then lock opacity, that works well too. 
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I have a question...
What exactly does the mask do?
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You can't make the background copy transparent.
That's one of the special attributes of the Background layer.
Oh wait. ._.
You said background COPY? My bad. It explains it in the tutorial, the bit with the "colour to alpha".
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I have been trying to find the RBG thing on my GIMP program but I can't find it. Could you please help me? But other than this, your a great help to me.
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The RGB or RBG or whatever it's called is found under Image -> Mode -> RGB.
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LOL unlike most other tutorials, i actually wanted to read every word you wrote (; very good
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You are the most awsome person I swear! I AM BEYOND HAPPY! THANK YOU!!
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Thanks for this tutiorial! ^0^ I use the smudge method but I didn't know about the masking way of doing it <.>;; Also, I never got my lineart with a transparent bg, and so the colours always went over the lines - but that really helps!
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Schweet. :3
I prefer the second, because the first method doesn't give you a very good contrast between colors and ends up looking slightly flat.
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