Build a Shading Ramp
Add light and shadow from one decided light source.
Your result
A shaded mushroom with a consistent upper-left light.
01What you will learn
- Pick one light direction and hold it for the whole image.
- Place a highlight on the lit side and a shadow on the far side.
- Darken the contact area where the stem meets the ground.
Start with: The flat-color version from lesson three.
02See the technique
Flat base colors
24 × 24 pixels
One light, applied consistently
24 × 24 pixels
Outline
#2A1B2E
Cap shadow
#6E2B4B
Cap base
#C0425F
Cap highlight
#E8748A
Stem & spots
#F6E7C8
Stem shadow
#C2A277
03Follow the steps
- 1
Decide the light source first
Upper-left, and it does not move for the rest of this study. Every highlight and every shadow in the image has to agree with that one decision.
A stated light direction you can check against.
- 2
Add the cap highlight
Place the lightest tone along the cap's upper-left curve, one pixel inside the outline. Keep it a thin band: a wide highlight reads as a different material.
A highlight that follows the cap's curve.
- 3
Add the shadow on the opposite side
Use the darkest interior tone along the cap's lower-right edge, and under the rim where the cap overhangs the stem.
A shadow that opposes the highlight.
- 4
Darken the stem from top to bottom
A cylinder catches less light near the ground. Run a vertical gradient down the stem instead of shading its sides, which would fight the cap's direction.
A stem that reads as round.
- 5
Check for a second light
Scan the whole image. Any highlight on the lower-right or shadow on the upper-left is a bug, even if it looks nice in isolation.
One light source, no exceptions.
04Practice in Pikanim
Light the mushroom from the upper left: a cap highlight, a lower-right shadow, and a stem that darkens toward the ground.
Opens a 24 × 24 canvas with the lesson's starting pixels. Your work saves in the Workspace.
05Check your result
Compare your own work with these checkpoints. Check each one when your result is ready.
Progress saves in this browser. No account needed.
06Continue learning
Keep these references handy
Pixel Art Shading Guide
Pixel art shading that reads: one light direction, connected shadow clusters, selective outlines and highlights placed where they tell a story.
Pixel Art Color Palette Guide
How to build a pixel art palette: how many colors you need, hue shifting instead of darkening, and how to keep every color pulling its weight.