Inkscape Tutorial: Add Simulated Shading To Characters

[@dwilliams21]

I appreciate that you repeat the shading/highlighting steps a few different times so we can follow along, then do timelapse...These tutorials are so well timed and well paced. You don't belabor points, but you still cover everything that's needed at an appropriate pace. Hearts to you!

[@paullovescoffee]

Everytime I watch any one of your tutorials, my brain muscles get stronger like that of the shark's muscles :)

[@ElectricEdje]

I wouldnt have some much fun with Inkscape if it wasnt for Nick! Your tuturials are very clear, and you manage to make quite complex techniques understandable. Thanks a lot!

[@posceve]

What you call "simple steps" is actually your professionalism, developed over years of work and experience.

[@LogosByNick]

Hopefully I've made it simple to learn!

[@IAmBejo]

@@LogosByNick Yep. The logic is simple enough to follow :)

[@GraphicDesignStudio]

Yes. Simple but useful.

[@biomcanx1]

Another great one Nick, just those little changes make a HUGE difference on the logo. Thanks!

[@dj4mc]

OK, I have been watching your tutorials and using Inkscape for years, I never knew you could grab the Edit Paths by Nodes tool and just move a line into a curve! Best 12 minutes and 58 seconds I spent yesterday!

[@davidvarga2916]

I get it now. Use shapes to start off without the outlines. Modify them into the picture you need. Then add the outline and shading. I was trying to draw shapes with outlines and I couldn't fathom how people add shades to that. Now I know they are separate. Thanks

[@onesyphorus]

tutorial on adding shading, not WHERE it's supposed to be placed, which you stated from the start. 10/10 tutorial

[@nahtesalinas1917]

Great. I've been working on an original character design for weeks now and this helps in my mission to take it from the page to the computer screen.

[@youssefbasiony3919]

I love how you make the tutorial ❤️

[@krisnaxda]

I love how you support each other with davies

[@SalPiazza-f4u]

Thanks Nick I am working on a project and this will help my illustrations pop! 😃

[@englischdude]

thanks for this. I also blurred the edges which gave the shadows and highlights a nice soft transition.

[@SciFidelity]

Great tutorial, you have a smooth, intuitive teaching style :)

[@HATL201]

Thanks a lot Nick for these precious tutorials! I've been having a lot of fun with Inkscape lately, I don't think there's literally anything that you can't achieve in this software in terms of vector design. The only functionality I'm desperately waiting for is the CMYK export feature and somewhat easy way to save files as .AI for clients. I hope these 2 features get addressed in future through the support of community. Keep up the good work 👍

[@LogosByNick]

There's workarounds for both saving AI files and working with CMYK. I have a couple of videos about them if you want to check that out.

[@dysb]

Using black & white fills with the opacity turned down can give you shadows & highlights, but lets you keep the effects when you change the base color. Playing with the blend modes (there are darken & lighten modes & others) can help you find just the right combination.

[@cesarrincon9033]

Awesome! Thank you so much. Greetings from Bogotá, Colombia.

[@ADSaaron]

Quality videos every time. Thank you 👍

[@jonsteensen7706]

Put your outlines on the top layer, the solid colour on the bottom layer, and make a shading layer inbetween. That way you don't need to move every shade down below the outlines, you just need to make sure that you are working on the right layer. It saves you a lot of time and clickd, and you'll work more efficiently.

[@GraphicDesignStudio]

Amazing Tutorial

[@luminrabbit9488]

Nick man, you are awesome and you make it look so easy 👍👍👍

[@bobbonham4823]

Wow. I learn something every time. Thanks!!

[@yusufoladunni]

Great video as usual Thank you, Nick

[@kctsp6631]

This is a great tutorial, it really helps to learn. Thank you for sharing.

[@AlexiHelligar]

Using the keyboard, you can Ctrl+C to copy an object to the clipboard. Then Shift+Ctrl+V to paste only the color and outline properties of the object on the clipboard to another object. This is the fastest way to duplicate the color and stroke on multiple shade or highlight objects.

[@humanbeing5529]

It's actually real close to real shadows. Can you please make a tutorial for making like animations using this illustrations?

[@thiagoguimaraes406]

Amazing tutorial. I have been looking for something like this. Seems to be simple but it's actually very useful. My shadows were terrible hahaha.

[@bim41337]

I'd be really interested in how you created this shark to begin with. It looks so smooth and well formed ... I'm doing some comic style characters with Inkscape to, but I'm struggling with getting my characters so smooth.

[@jacastevens5056]

Did you ever find a tutorial?

[@soullessleftover8427]

As much as i love Inkscape, it crashes a lot.

[@LogosByNick]

I think it's a version 1.0 problem. I'm getting a lot crashing myself and I rarely had this problem with 0.92.5. I have both installed and use 0.92.5 for my day-to-day design work, and then 1.0 for tutorials.

[@imyasharya]

Have you reported the bug?

[@soullessleftover8427]

Yash Arya Yes i did, but it just crashes on small workflow. Thank god for auto saves. But that's as useful as much as reporting bug to Microsoft with Windows Explorer crash or the famous KZbin app bug on iPad to Google. I report all of this, for months but still no fix.

[@soullessleftover8427]

@Logos By Nick I'll give it a try, I hope it won't crash as often. This has been a pain in the ass to deal with, and it's not like i got time to debug their software.

[@soullessleftover8427]

@Samuel Sarao Yeah i got that on, thank god. It's the only thing that keeps from getting compromised version of Illustrator, and that wouldn't work for me. Because Inkscape has much better features, and i'm used to using it.

[@anjaylo]

You are simply awesome!

[@あまね-y6t]

I really want this kind of content!!!!!!

[@finns]

Did you draw the outlines? How did you let it look like different pressure types at certain areas?

[@gaVraNN__]

That was the only problem that I had with logo design :D

[@ONEMusic801]

@logosbynick can you do a tutorial of making a character like this? Ive looked thru all your videos and on KZbin and havent found one that teaches how to do these kind of characters. Would be greatly appreciated by many of us.

[@camillo8575]

+1

[@MarcGameplays]

Can shading be put in objects with normal border? Because with normal border you can't lower the shading... EDIT: I think I've found the answer. I should use the "Stroke to path" tool.

[@thefacts9830]

Can you make a video showing us how to make an esports character, I have been having a lot of trouble making one, It would be great if you made a tutorial!!!!

[@jeonjungguk966]

dude I really love your channel because you really go in depth in your explanations, but I always find it really confusing because your interface is a lot better than mine. Even tough I already edited the interface on the preference tab. (I'm using 1.0 ver btw) The tool controls bar thingies on the top side of the interface and the docking areas on the left side are both really wide. I would be more than grateful if I could also make my interface look very similar to yours, that'll help me a lot in following your tutorials :)

[@81studio]

Gracias por el tutorial!

[@mondskiez309]

Always love your work Nick.. Can you do a tutorial on how to vector frontal noses and how to shade it? Like, if we try to trace a face and we would not want a black outline running thru the nose.. How would you approach solving that? Be soooo interested to see how you'll do it.. TIA..

[@ChristopherWanha]

Light source on the right, stomach is darker XD. I still enjoyed watching :)

[@brianswanke4639]

Another way to shade is group all the light blue areas together and use a gradient fill.

[@redthezero9659]

i like your tutorial, can i request all about photo retouching, specially for product photo retouching on gimp or similar FLOSS? what we must do, and what tools we must use..... thanks for sharing.

[@RandySnarsh]

Very nice. I was thinking abotu buying your master class but what version of Inkscape do you use in them. I got 1.0

[@jg7525]

Hey Nick can you do a tutorial on How to create an album cover in Inkscape

[@daulatraopatil8486]

Dude plz make some tutorial on how to make mascot logo (Beginner's to Pro) in Inkscape...... in like 3-5 vids ..... I mean like a playlist plz........ BTW Love ur tutorials !!! Most of GIMP is understood due to U !!!!

[@damaksaxena3450]

How do you edit your videos? I always wanted to start with video editing but I don't know which software is the best.... there are so many out there.. BTW, great vid once again!

[@jesusflota]

Good turotial 👌

[@ShaniOnSinai]

Honestly I’m just three weeks in subbing you and my artwork has gone from okay to actually pretty darn good and continues to get better. I do have a question about path to text in a circle, the bottom font doesn’t snap correctly to the bottom of the circle path. I’ve tried almost everything. Help anyone!

[@LogosByNick]

Could it be that you have a stroke added to the circle? Try holding shift and clicking the red X at the bottom left of the page.

[@softwarelivre2389]

You have to center your text before using the text along path function. Then, it will snap perfectly to the place you need.

[@DlnRyn94]

Is there a video making this shark - is this darker blue line work from the pre-shaded graphic ellipse line? Would love to learn the white and grey layers behind as well - maybe I gotta download the vector art to see haha

[@camillo8575]

+1

[@fraserhobbs24]

Hey love the vids! Seen a poll a while back about possibly doing affinity designer based videos? I could never find anything after that, just wondering if you’re planning that? Either way I’ll be watching your videos and learning. Keep up the great work!

[@LogosByNick]

I haven;t started making Affinity tutorials yet, but when I do they will be on my other channel "Design Made Simple"

[@cristiandiassarmento930]

Jogada de mestre! Parabéns pelo feito.

[@FaruqAbdillah]

It's amazing tutorial! Excuse me, Can i download your videos, so i can play it offline?

[@bonobobonobo2990]

useful! Can't you use clipping mask like with Adobe illustrator?

[@MzKitka]

Nick, can you please tell me if the shark you used is your own work or public domain, or someone else's art you paid for? I'd like to use it for personal use, but I don't want to steal it. Thanks so much!

[@Supercaculo]

I am a simple man. I see a logos by nick tutorial and I click on it.

[@luckyluck333]

Hello everyone, is there any video, which shows how to create „Nicks Logo“ (the logo of the Intro)? ☺️ Thank you very much!

[@xXLegitimateXx]

I came to this video looking for help and I had a feeling this was the technique he was gunna show. The thing is... I really don't feel like doing that on a cluster of 100 bubbles all meticulously. I can't understand what I've done to myself in terms of the amount of clicks I need to take to get the same effect. Is there a way that can auto cell shade light and shadow with just the line art?

[@WorldOFSebson]

Could you explain to me how to set up the panel that you have on top? It is on the right as default. + if u could tell how to customize it I would be very grateful :)

[@brandolfroyong3542]

Thank you but will it work in the newer version 1.2? I can't seem to do it

[@Ahmad-td4ck]

Thanks for the Tutorial But could you please give us some more samples to train with. Because the process varies from an Illustration to another. And thanks again

[@FineStudios]

Sir, Why you did not use the ctrl+L(for create corner cursp) in Pen(Beizer) tool Sir, how you create a website?if you use any plugin like elementor.please comment

[@eduardocuenca7695]

is there an option to do it with like in Illustrator using a light gray shape and the opacity effects? i've made a vinyl record and it has different colors separating the record parts, i just want to add a light effect over them

[@palangimiko]

Why do the clicks of your mouse and keyboard sound so different and satisfying to my ears?

[@LogosByNick]

It could be because I'm using a mechanical keyboard.

[@cheez982]

I love you bro

[@salamiolamide805]

Hi Nick. Love what you doing here. Please if I want to export a logo as a PNG format to use as my Instagram profile image, which size and DPI is most suitable

[@Dempsity115]

Is there a video showing up to make the image from scratch

[@EngineerDJ_Julius]

Vector is how it's done

[@MohamedOsama-hm9vo]

great tutorial as usual, What if there isnt any stroke of my object ? i should then to edit the shade borders so it match the edges of the object? or there is an easier way?

[@LogosByNick]

You could make the shade shapes extend beyond the subject's boundaries, then duplicate the subject and do a Path > Intersection with the shaded shape. Then it will sit flush against the edge of the subject.

[@MohamedOsama-hm9vo]

@@LogosByNick Thats a great idea, never thought of that. Thank you 😊❤️

[@nomeka6518]

Whats inkscape version do u had?? I got the white theme and looks old school lol..i want to update the version but dk how

[@remijoel1448]

Hello pls I need help, I followed what you did but it seems that when I try to move the shade back of the object, it just stays behind... Pls how do I fix this?... In your video it was easy and I don't know what I need to do to make the shade not move back entirely behind the object

[@hotgluegun6934]

When I lower down the shadow object, it is still above the stroke. If I lower it down again, it disappears absolutely. There is no middle way, it is above both the object and the stroke of object, or it is under both of them. How can I solve this issue? Could you please help me?

[@jawadahmed8956]

Make a tutorial how to create this illustration

[@viperzoid]

i cant find the enable snapping all the buttons at the top arent there just the file, edit, view, layer, object...

[@paulnavarro7747]

I could be doing something wrong but i follow your steps up until i try to lower the layer so it sits behind the stroke of the image and it doesn't work. Im sure someone on here can steer me in the right direction thank you.

[@yourrecommend525]

Super

[@FutureXXD]

one question, why can't i use the "step down" function? it would erase my color and went back to original picture?

[@simplecontent]

Hey, I used one of your videos, but I changed the language of the video to Arabic in order to benefit everyone, but KZbin deleted the video because somone reported it and my channel got Strike, I did not mean anything but I just wanted to spread the benefit to everyone and it take from me The video and our time until I translated it and recorded the sound and all of this and I wish you to allow me to use it and remove the reporting because I did not mean to steal your content or anything like that and thank you and I hope you allow me to use it Your video i using is : Best Free Alternatives To Adobe Creative Suite

[@j24games83]

I can't see through shapes eventho I turn the opacity down... What do I do?

[@imyasharya]

When you wrote 'Simulated Lighting', I thought shading will be automatic, kinda like a 3d object.

[@greatrespect1549]

Yes.... that's the reason I clicked it....

[@Rurike]

Is this program made for logos? Ive been using it to make ponies

[@piyush..]

can i give shadows in GIMP too like this? how?

[@velt8493]

i can't see file and edit on inkscape or view and all the others i need help

[@JohnBywaters]

F10 shows menu bar or Try pressing f11 (windows) toggles full screen / windows view which will fit inkscape to your screen size or back to the "window view" size if you see the top of the inkscape in fullscreen menu bar then the "window" in windows view has accidentally somehow been over dragged out of the screen

[@ardianfirmansyah3558]

More like create it with duplicate the shape and choose both, then intersection command

[@kurtisbatchler]

How do I create a character?

[@schatterjee9218]

is this adobe illustrator

[@hancigul5533]

Great vid, you gotta thumb.

[@JadeOart]

I was a wimp before I learned how to add simulated shading to characters in Inkscape, now I'm a jerk and everyone loves me!