Colouring Anime Eyes (v1)

Colouring anime eyes (Version one)

by iDoNTeVenKnoW
 Program used is Paint Tool Sai paid full, and coloured with a wacom bamboo fun tablet on 300 resolution with the pen tool.

 This tutorial will only work for digital colouring, coloured pencils or crayons. In white will be the basic directions, in red digital colouring directions and in blue for coloured pencil / crayon directions.

Step 1.
 Prepare your lineart and get any necessary tools. Decide where your light source is coming from, mine will be coming from the top left.
 I'm going to use the pen tool but you can use any brush that is best suited for you.
 Decide what colours you want to use, you should use at least 3 different shades per colour.

Step 2.
 Add your base colour, this should be your lightest shade. Make sure to stay within your lineart, I chose a saturated green for my base. 
 When colouring traditionally make sure you colour the same direction the entire time so it looks smooth.

Step 3.
 Add a gradient. Choose a slightly darker shade and add it around the top, bottom and pupil area.
 Use the blend tool gradually to make it look smooth.
 It should look rough, to smooth it out add more shades of the same colour. You can also lightly use an eraser and smudge your paper to make it look smoother and glossy. (This works better with coloured pencils not crayons. )

Step 4.1
 Choose a shade darker than what you used for the gradient. Go around the outter edges of the eyes lightly and make the shading thicker than a line. Remember where your light source is coming from. ( I chose a completely different colour but it will still work. )
 Use the blend tool after you go around the eyes with your thickish shading.

Step 4.2
 Go around the outter edge again this time, make your lines thin and clean.

Step 5.
 Add highlights. Remember eyes are 3D and round, so you can use highlights to show this.
 In white add curved lines leading toward the pupil and then put a small dot in the pupil. After this go to where your layer settings are and find your opacity bar. It should be on 100%, play with this number to make the white become see through.
 To add highlighting over your colouring you could either use white paint, white  out or use your eraser. I prefer to just use white paint but if not, press on your eraser hard and make short curved lines coming in toward the pupil on both sides, both eyes. Then make a dot in the pupil.

Step 6. Decoration.
 In white I went back over the eyes and added shine. (The white dots.) If you do this make sure to remember where your light is coming from. And there you have it, my way of colouring eyes! Take what you've learned from this tutorial and add on to it to become a greater artist.

Protips

Digital art is art done with technology. ( In red.)Traditional art is art not done through technology. ( In blue.)