15 Cel Shading Tutorials - Learning the Basics

Have you ever wished to master the anime coloring style? Cel shading, the coloring technique used for anime, is easy to learn if you have the right tools! Software like CLIP STUDIO or Photoshop will make coloring a breeze.

The cel shading technique comes from the era when the number of colors you could use in animation was limited. For this reason, gradients are replaced with flat tones and shadows, significantly simplifying the coloring process. The main characteristics of this technique are black, thick outlines and distinct shadowing patterns. A similar technique is called gyaruge coloring (or "gal-game coloring"), but the difference with cel shading is still quite visible since this second method uses a wider range of gradations and shades. Today we put together a collection of useful cel shading tutorials directly from the country that created anime - Japan! Enjoy.