Elena Rossi
Anime eyes are a distinctive feature of the art form, and colouring them effectively can bring them to life. In this tutorial, we will be using Paint Tool SAI to colour anime eyes, focusing on techniques such as smooth gradients, reflections, and glow to make the eyes shine. We will also explore the importance of choosing the right base colour, shading, and blending to create depth and dimension. By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to colour anime eyes with confidence and add that extra spark to your artwork.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Position | Near the eyelid, but not touching it |
| Eye shape | Vertical with elongated pupils, or round with a shadow on the top part of the eye |
| Base color | Not too light or too dark |
| Shading color | Dark, but not black |
| Shadow placement | On the upper part of the eye, with a curvy shape to follow the roundness of the eye |
| Shadow blending | Use the water tool to blend shadow colors |
| Layer mode | Luminosity to make colors appear bright and glowing |
| Gradient | Building towards the bottom center of the eyes, which is the brightest spot |
| Texture and light | Use the pen tool with a bright color to add dashes and strokes to the brightest area of the eye |
| Reflections | Use the pen tool and a white color to create circular or elliptical shapes on one side of the eye, then add a thin, horizontal line on the opposite side |
| Outer glow | Use the airbrush tool with a bright version of the base color to create a soft glow around the eye reflections |
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What You'll Learn
- Create a new layer underneath the inked eyes and fill in the base colour
- Make a new layer for the pupil and choose a darker shading colour
- Add a shadow to the upper part of the eye using the airbrush tool
- Make the eyes pop with light by using the pen tool and adding a soft stroke to the bottom part of the eye
- Use the water tool to blend the colours of the shadow
Create a new layer underneath the inked eyes and fill in the base colour
To create a new layer underneath the inked eyes and fill in the base colour, start by making a new layer under the inked eyes. Then, choose your base colour. It's important that the base colour isn't too light or too dark. Fill in the base colour for both eyes.
Next, create another layer above the base colour layer. In the layer settings, tick the box next to 'clipping group'. Choose a darker shading colour—but not black—and draw the shape of the pupil, adding a thin border around the eye.
Now, make a new layer underneath the coloured pupil and clip it. Using a pencil or ink pen, draw in the shadow in the upper part of the eye. It's recommended to use more than one colour for this step. Take the water tool and blend the colours of the shadow.
Finally, make one more layer above the shadow layer and clip it. Set the layer mode to luminosity, which will make the colours appear bright and glowing.
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Make a new layer for the pupil and choose a darker shading colour
When colouring anime eyes in Paint Tool SAI, it's important to remember that the eyes are a key feature in anime. You can make them as realistic or as creative as you like.
To begin, make a new layer for the pupil and choose a darker shading colour. The base colour should not be too light or too dark. You can make the pupils more elongated and vertical, or follow the shape of the eye if it is more rounded. You can also add a thin border around the eye.
It's a good idea to use a colour that is not completely black for the pupil, as this will give the eye more depth and make it appear more realistic. You can then add a shadow to the upper part of the eye, using a darker, more saturated hue of your base colour. This shadow should follow the round shape of the eye and can be blended with the water tool to create a smooth gradient.
You can also add a bright, shiny reflection to the pupil by using a bright colour and painting over the pupil, leaving some room on the sides. This will make the eyes pop and give them a sci-fi touch.
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Add a shadow to the upper part of the eye using the airbrush tool
To add a shadow to the upper part of the eye, you should first create a new layer above the base colour layer. Then, select a darker shading colour—but not black—and draw the shape of the pupil, adding a thin border around the eye.
Next, create a new layer underneath the coloured pupil and clip it. Using the pencil or ink pen tool, draw in the shadow in the upper part of the eye. It is suggested to use more than one colour for this step. Take the water tool—or the watercolour tool with the right settings—and blend the colours of the shadow. The shadow should follow the round shape of the eye, so it is recommended to make it slightly curved.
You can now make a new layer above the shadow layer and clip it. Set the layer mode to luminosity, which will make the colours appear bright and glowing.
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Make the eyes pop with light by using the pen tool and adding a soft stroke to the bottom part of the eye
To make anime eyes pop with light, follow these steps using the pen tool in Paint Tool SAI:
Firstly, it is important to choose a colour that is not too bright or too dark. You will be adding shading and highlights later, so you don't want to start with an extreme tone. Next, use the pen tool and select a bright colour, more saturated than the base colour. Add a soft stroke to the bottom part of the eye to make that area pop with light. Choose a brighter colour or white and add dashes to the brightest area of the eye to make it stand out even more. These shapes will give the eye more texture, light and appeal.
Now, use the pen tool and a white colour to create circular or elliptical shapes on one side of the eye. This is for the well-known anime eye reflections. Then, add a thin, horizontal line on the opposite side of the eye. Remember that the light is coming from a single source, so the reflections should be on the same side. To make the eyes look even more lively, create a layer underneath the white reflections and set it to 'Luminosity' mode. On the same layer, use the pen tool with a bright colour and paint over the pupils, leaving some room on the sides.
You can also use the airbrush tool to create a soft glow around the eye reflections. This will make the eyes look even more vibrant and full of life. This glow should be a similar colour to the eye for the best results. You can also add highlights to the eyeball and iris on a Luminosity layer. First, draw them with an orange airbrush, then top their centre with white.
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Use the water tool to blend the colours of the shadow
When colouring anime eyes in Paint Tool SAI, you can use the Water tool to blend the colours of the shadow. This is one of several shading methods available in the software.
To start, you can use the Pen tool with a lower Density setting (around 50%) to draw some rough shadows. These initial shadows do not need to be precise. Next, switch to the Brush tool, with the colour swatches set to white and the shadow colour. Here, you can blend the edges of the shadows with the Water tool. You can adjust the Density and Colour blending settings to control the strength of the brush and how much the colours blend. Play around with these settings to achieve the desired effect.
The Water tool can help create a soft look for your shadows and give them a nice gradient effect. If you want to make certain areas darker, you can layer on top of this initial shading. Another method is to use a shadow mask and the Multiple Blend Mode. First, create a shadow mask, and use the Fill Bucket to fill this layer with white. Then, use the Brush tool to blend the colours, and the Water tool to soften the edges of the shadows.
Additionally, you can experiment with different colours for your shadows. Warmer colours like red, yellow, and orange create warmer shading, while cooler colours like blue, green, and purple create cooler shading. You can also use black and white for shadows, but keep in mind that shadows in real life are typically blue-based.
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