Although you need to be subtle, don’t be afraid to keep blending and adding layers until you reach an appropriately dark colour! If you look at shadows around you now, many of them may be almost as dark as black, even if the surface they’re on is actually lighter in colour.
Your lightest highlights may be almost white, while your darkest shadows will be very dark. This stark contrast between the highlights and the shadows is what will make your drawings look three dimensional. Don’t be afraid to go in with an eraser or white marker/paint to add that bright white highlight.
Colouring page by Kathe Louie from our Fantasy Figures Special issue.
But don’t use black!
You shouldn’t be afraid to go dark with your colours to create that lovely contrast, but we recommend staying away from true black, as it can really flatten a drawing and make it look heavy and dark. Instead, try dark browns, a touch of grey, or deep blues and purples.
Although we think of shadows as grey, they are actually usually a dark but subtle colour. Check out this article from Will Kemp Art School about drawing realistic shadows, especially the section on colour.
Go back to basics with your colouring pages
If you can’t master the subtle shading and blending needed for realistic colours in your drawings, it might be the colours getting in the way! Try going back to your first ever art class when all you were given was a 2B pencil, and see what you can do – you’ll find you can be so much more versatile and creative!
As a fun activity, why not photocopy a few colouring pages you really like and try colouring them three times – once without trying any of these techniques, secondly only using a 2B pencil, and thirdly using the tips and techniques picked up in this article to focus on realism.
Enjoyed this colouring guide? You’ll love our other how to colour guidesaboutcolouring pencilsandmarkers.
Coloured a beautiful page and want to share it with your friends and family? Take a look at this article abouthow to photograph colouring pages.
Think about your materials
There are so many amazing colouring supplies out there that can help you build realism in your colouring, from well-known tools like colouring pencils, erasers and markers, to more unusual items like blenders, brush pens and even watercolour.
We recommend experimenting and finding tools that work for you, but don’t feel like you have to splash the cash on the most expensive options – even a cheap set of watercolours can look beautiful when used in the right way, and in a squeeze, a cotton bud and Vaseline can be used in place of a proper blending tool!
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