Adding highlights to your drawings makes them pop! You can achieve this using a variety of techniques, depending on your medium. One effective method uses the inherent brightness of the paper itself.
Using the Paper's Whiteness for Highlights
This clever technique leverages the white space of your paper as your highlight. Instead of directly adding a bright color, you draw around the area you want to highlight. This method subtly emphasizes the shape and form of your subject.
- How it works: Think of the white paper as the brightest point of light reflecting off your subject. You're essentially defining the highlighted area by its absence of color or shading in the surrounding areas.
- Example: If you're drawing a sphere, leave the area where the light most directly hits the sphere completely white. Then, carefully shade around that area to create the illusion of light reflecting off the surface.
- Practical Tip: This is a great technique for beginners, as it requires minimal materials. Practice this with pencils, pastels, or even digital painting. This approach works exceptionally well with techniques that emphasize contrast between dark and light like chiaroscuro.
Other Methods for Adding Highlights
While using the paper's whiteness is a great starting point, other methods can enhance highlights depending on the medium:
- Pencils/Charcoal: Use a kneaded eraser to lift away graphite or charcoal from the paper to create bright spots, then you can use a white colored pencil for more control.
- Paints: Use a bright white or light-colored paint to directly add highlights.
- Digital Art: Utilize layer adjustments in software like Photoshop to brighten specific areas or add glowing effects.
Remember to practice with your chosen medium to find what works best for you! Experiment with different approaches to achieve the desired effect.
