DEMONSTRATION
ADDING A REFLECTIVE SHINE

Jewelry and trinkets are tricky to draw because without the proper sheen on the metal, they look flat and texture-less. To practice, try your hand at adding a metallic gleam to a simple shape.

1 PICK YOUR COLORS

First, select three colors—a midtone, a shadow and a highlight. With highly reflective surfaces, the highlight will almost be white, while the shadow is extremely dark. The sharp contrast between the two captures the feel of a reflective surface.

2 SELECT A LIGHT SOURCE

Decide where the light in your picture is coming from. In this example, the light comes from the right of the sphere, so the highlight is on the right and the shadow tone is on the left.

3 FILL IT IN

After setting in your three main colors, fill in the shift in hues between them. The transition between the different colors mimics the play of light on the metal.

4 MIND THE EDGES

The darkest shades on the sphere won’t go all the way to the edge. Since the sphere reflects all of the ambient light in addition to the light source, make sure to keep a lighter golden hue at the outer rim, even on the side in shadow.

5 REFLECT ANOTHER OBJECT

Objects with a high metallic sheen can also reflect colors that are in close proximity. If your sphere is near another object, add a hint of the same color in the direction of the object.

BLACK AND WHITE

You can suggest a metallic shine even with black and white ink. Try something similar to this dress. The dips and valleys offer a lot of opportunity for deep shadow, while the ridges have very bright highlights.

FIFTY SHADES OF GOLD

Not all shiny objects are created equal; different surfaces create different levels of sheen. For example, here the feathers are metallic but textured, the top is a worn-looking antique gold and the skirt has a high shine.

ALL THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW

You don’t have to limit your metallic hues to gold and silver. The same basic technique will allow you to give any color a metallic look.