Step 1: Open your document in PaintTool SAI and create a new layer.

Now, let’s get into it! How to Color Realistic Skin in PaintTool SAIįollow the steps below to color realistic skin. You can add texture to your skin using shadow, or a combination of various brushes and brush textures. Skin texture can vary greatly from freckles to wrinkles and more. Pay close attention to the shapes and colors of these shadows to ensure authenticity. In the face, these cast shadows can be caused by the nose, eyelids, lips, and hair. Cast shadows are “cast” by objects blocking light in front of them. The most common type of shadow you will find on your character’s face is a cast shadow. Observe your references closely to recreate this effect. Red, yellow, purple, and even green can be present as undertones on the skin. There are endless combinations of skin undertones, but most can be divided into warm or cool categories. Skin undertones also affect the color/hue of the skin greatly. The time of day, light temperature, and intensity of light will affect not only the color appearance of your skin but also the contrast.Ĭollect reference images before you begin rendering to get a good idea of how these factors impact your piece. Lighting is the single most important factor to consider before rendering any drawing, especially skin. Therefore before we start rendering, here are a few factors to consider before coloring skin. Things to Consider When Coloring Skin in PaintTool SAIĬoloring realistic skin in PaintTool SAI can be achieved with a variety of brushes, but it is truly the shadow and lighting techniques you use that will bring your character’s skin to life. Cel-shading is a rendering technique often used in anime, manga, and western cartoons in which flat colors and shadows create the illusion of depth in an image instead of a shading gradient.Anime skin often includes only two colors: base and shadow.Color pick straight from reference if you struggle with color.Gather reference images as a visual aid to ensure the best results.Consider the lighting, undertones, and texture of the skin you would like to render.How to Color Anime Skin in PaintTool SAI.How to Color Realistic Skin in PaintTool SAI.Things to Consider When Coloring Skin in PaintTool SAI.

Paint tool sai skin texture brush