Hi! I had a question about colored lineart! I know coloring the entirety of the lineart can make the image look flat (IMO and experience at least), but I'm not sure how to use black and colored lineart together coherently where it makes sense. Thank you!!

There’s quite a few ways to colour your lineart that can bring different aesthetics/moods to your piece. These are the two most common methods i’ve seen, and done myself - though there is certainly more ways to do it out there, if you go looking. 

Gradient

Gradienting your lineart is a very quick way to pump some colour into your lines. All it requires is a layer-mask and well, the gradient tool and you’re set. 
I typically go for a two-coloured gradient that captures the darkest colour in the pallette ( with shadow included ), and then fades into the lightest colour available. The lightest part of the gradient is drawn in the direction and position of the light, so that the gradient works cohesively with the shading, though flipping the two can also provide for a really interesting look of “rim-light”. 

This method maintains the solid, hard, look of your lineart, so it doesn’t compromise with the distinction between lines and colour, which some people prefer ( myself included, though i have been leaning more on the segmented method lately, if it wasn’t for how labour-intensive that method is ). You can of course use colours in your lineart that are closer to the colours in your pallette, and thusly make the lineart look a little less distinct.

Segmented

Colouring your lineart in segments is a much more time-consuming method, but the end result is usually a very vibrant piece. You typically segment your subject into “parts” based on their colours ( in this instance, hair and fur is one segment. All the jewelry is one segment. And the character’s dress is one segment ). Then, by grabbing the colour from the segment; ie. grabbing the pinkish-white from this character’s hair, and adjusting its value to a slightly darker, richer colour - and applying it around the sihlouette of the hair - you have added colour to that segment’s lineart. 

Rinse and repeat for other segments until your piece is fully decked out in coloured segments. 

You can also colour part of a segment lighter than the base colour to add a sense of ‘rim-light’ around the specific shape. This will jive really well with your light-source if you orientate the lightest parts of your segments to face the lightsource. 

Hope this can get you started on your coloured lineart! 

- Mod Wackart ( ko-fi ) 

from The Redline Station https://ift.tt/34TU9Uz
via IFTTT