Shading & Lighting
Adding Depth with Shadow & Light
Adding shadow and light to flat pixel art instantly creates depth and visual impact. This guide covers everything from light source setup to shadow color creation and material-specific shading.
Light Source Basics
The first step in shading is deciding where the light comes from. Once the light source is set, shadow positions follow naturally.
Top-Left (Standard)
Standard for games and illustrations. Default choice
Top Center
Natural for outdoor scenes. Shadow falls directly below
From Below
For horror or fire effects. Not for everyday scenes
Keep the light direction consistent within a single work (or game scene). Mismatched light sources on characters, backgrounds, and items create visual dissonance.
How to Create Shadow Colors
Shadows aren't just "darker." Attractive shadows have three elements.
| Element | Change | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness | Decrease | Gets darker (obviously) |
| Saturation | Slightly increase | Adds depth to shadows. Lowering saturation looks muddy |
| Hue | Shift toward cool | Looks natural. Warm light → shadows lean blue |
Hue Shift Example
From yellow base, shadows shift toward red → purple (hue shifting technique)
This "hue shifting" is the most important technique for attractive pixel art shadows. See the "Hue Shifting" section in our Color Guide for details.
See the Color Guide →
Shadow Stage Guidelines
Choose the appropriate number of shadow stages based on canvas size and art style.
| Size | Recommended Stages | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| 16x16 | 2 stages | Base + Shadow 1 |
| 32x32 | 3 stages | Highlight + Base + Shadow 1 |
| 48x48 | 3〜4 stages | Highlight + Base + Shadow 1 + Shadow 2 |
| 64x64+ | 4〜5 stages | Bright HL + Highlight + Base + Shadow 1 + Shadow 2 |
Avoid: Pillow Shading
Pillow shading is the most common beginner mistake. It's when shadows are placed uniformly along the outline, creating an unnatural look with no discernible light source.
Pillow Shading (Wrong)
- Uniformly darkening along the outline
- Center is brightest, edges are darkest
- No discernible light source
- Looks flat with no depth
Correct Shading (Right)
- Faces toward light are bright
- Shadows concentrate opposite the light
- Light source position is immediately clear
- Has depth and looks convincing
After drawing, ask yourself "where is the light coming from in this picture?" If you can't answer, you might be pillow shading.
Shading by Material
Different materials reflect light differently, so shading approaches vary.
Skin
- Soft gradients
- Shadows lean warm (slightly reddish)
- Subtle highlights
- Dithering can add smoothness
Metal (Armor / Swords)
- High contrast (large brightness difference)
- Sharp highlights (1-2 pixels)
- Consider environmental light reflection
- Surrounding colors reflect in shadows
Fabric / Clothing
- Soft shadow boundaries
- Shadows follow wrinkle lines
- Minimal highlights (matte material)
- Hue shifting works well here
Wood
- Moderate contrast
- Light/dark follows grain direction
- Add texture with dithering
- Almost no highlights
Gems / Crystals
- Very high contrast
- Strong highlights (near white)
- Light transmission through interior
- Use highly saturated colors
Water / Liquid
- Balance transparency and reflection
- Highlight lines for ripples
- Show background showing through
- Add movement with animation
Sel-Out (Selective Outlining)
Sel-out is the technique of changing outline colors to match surrounding tones. Lighter outlines where light hits, darker in shadows — this creates natural depth.
- Light-facing top/left → lighter outline color
- Shadow side bottom/right → darker outline color
- Inner outlines → darker version of adjacent color
Sel-out is especially effective for characters 32x32 and larger. At 16x16, outlines are just 1 pixel, so the effect is limited.
Practice Exercises
- Draw a sphere with top-left lighting (most fundamental exercise)
- Draw the same sphere with 3 different light positions
- Practice flat surface shading with a cube
- Practice curved surface gradients with a cylinder
- Shade a character. Start with just base + shadow (2 colors)
Three keys to shading: ①Set and maintain consistent light source ②Shift hue, not just brightness, for shadows ③Adjust contrast and highlights per material. Avoid pillow shading and always be conscious of light direction.