Painting Dynamic Character Lighting: A Step-by-Step Guide in Clip Studio Paint

Have you ever stared at a dramatic cartoon illustration and wondered, How on earth did they get that glowing, almost cinematic lighting effect?

by Matthew R. Paden

Painting Dynamic Character Lighting

When I set out to create my lantern-holding character (the image you see above), my goal was more than just a cool pose—it was all about Painting Dynamic Character Lighting.

I wanted the scene to feel like he was stepping straight out of a darkened storybook, bathed in the eerie glow of a single flickering lantern, with every shadow and highlight pulling the viewer deeper into the moment.

The catch? I wanted to achieve it entirely inside Clip Studio Paint, and I challenged myself to build the whole piece with carefully stacked layers of light and shadow.

Thirteen layers later, I ended up with a glowing, moody scene that practically jumps off the screen.

In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how I did it—step by step—so you can achieve the same dynamic lighting in your own cartoon illustrations.

Along the way, you’ll find sidebars with my brush settings, layer-organization tips, color-theory notes, and even a bonus technique for adding a cast shadow behind your character.

1. Setting the Stage: Sketch, Composition, and Mood

Before touching a single lighting layer, I started with a simple question: What story am I telling?

Dynamic lighting is powerful only when it serves the narrative.

My character needed to look startled, mid-stride, holding a lantern high while peering into darkness. That meant an asymmetrical, slightly off-balance pose—something that felt alive and cinematic.

I began with a loose pencil sketch using the G-Pen at low opacity on a large canvas (around 4000 px on the long side).Here’s my personal checklist when planning lighting:

• Silhouette first – I blocked in the character’s pose with a dark shape on a neutral background to ensure it read clearly even without details.

• Light source placement – The lantern was obviously the key. I marked its location and imagined how light would spill outward.

• Mood board – I pulled references of old lanterns, late-night forests, and classic 2D animation stills to get that warm-versus-cool color balance in my head.

Getting these basics right saved me hours later because the lighting could then enhance the storytelling instead of fighting it.

Sidebar: My Favorite Clip Studio Sketch Setup

• Brush: G-Pen, Size 25 px, Opacity 100%, Stabilization 100.

• Canvas: 4000 px wide, 300. dpi (gives me crisp lines for print or web).

• Tip: Keep your sketch on a neutral mid-gray background; it helps you judge light and dark values early.

2. Building the Foundation Layers

Once my sketch felt solid, I moved into clean line art. For the final lines I used the Real G-Pen with a slightly textured setting to keep that hand-drawn feel.

Next came the “flats”—the base colors that act as the foundation for all shading. Each major element got its own layer:

• Skin

• Hair

• Shirt

• Pants

• Shoes

• Lantern body

• Lantern glow panels

This separation might feel tedious, but trust me—it’s the secret to controlled lighting.

Because each piece lived on its own layer, I could lock transparency and apply shading without worrying about coloring outside the lines.

For the background, I painted a simple gradient from deep navy to midnight blue. I purposely kept it plain so the character would pop once the glow effects came into play.

Pro Tip: Layer Management for Sanity

I group everything into folders labeled Line, Flats, Shadows, Glow, and Effects.

Color-coding each group (purple for shadows, yellow for glow) makes it easy to toggle visibility and keeps my layer list from turning into a nightmare.

3. Sculpting Shadows with Multiply Layers

Dynamic lighting isn’t just about adding bright highlights; it’s equally about carving out darkness. I created several shadow layers, each set to Multiply blending mode. Here’s how I organized them:

1. Primary Shadow Layer – A soft airbrush pass with a desaturated purple, following the folds of clothing and the underside of the arms and legs.

2. Secondary Shadow Accents – A darker, tighter shadow right under the chin, behind the lantern handle, and in the creases of the pants to add depth.

3. Ambient Occlusion Layer – For areas where light almost never reaches (like between fingers or under the belt), I used an even darker tone with a smaller brush.

To guide my brush strokes, I constantly imagined a 3D lantern hovering in the scene, mentally tracing how its warm light would fade as it wrapped around the character’s body.

A handy trick: I set a quick mask with a radial gradient from the lantern outward. This gave me a soft vignette so my shadows naturally grew darker the farther they were from the light source.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using pure black for shadows—it kills color richness. Stick to cool blues or purples.

• Forgetting to soften shadow edges—harsh lines can look like cutouts.

• Ignoring bounce light—add a touch of warm reflection to keep forms believable.

4. Painting the Glow: The Heart of the Effect

Here’s where the magic happened. To create that lantern’s vibrant glow, I stacked multiple additive layers—each playing a specific role.

Layer 1: Core Glow made a new layer above the lantern glass and set it to Add (Glow). Using a bright yellow-orange, I softly airbrushed inside the panels. Instantly, the lantern began to “light up.”

Layer 2: Rim Lighting on the Character Light doesn’t just sit inside the lantern—it spills outward. I created a new Add (Glow) layer clipped to the character group and brushed warm highlights along the edges of his face, shirt, and pant legs. Think of it as painting where the light kisses the form.

Layer 3: Secondary Bounce Realistic lighting often has subtle bounce from surrounding surfaces. I added a faint orange haze along the underside of his jaw and the inside of his arm, set to Overlay mode for a softer effect.

Layer 4: Atmospheric Glow Finally, I made a huge soft brush pass behind the character on a separate Add (Glow) layer. This created a gentle halo that suggested the lantern’s light diffusing through night air.

Each glow layer was carefully masked so the brightest areas stayed near the lantern, fading smoothly into the darkness. By tweaking opacity and using a low-flow brush, I could “sculpt” the intensity until it felt luminous but not cartoony.

Sidebar: Brush Settings for Glow

• Soft Airbrush: Size 150 px, Opacity 30%, Blend Mode Add (Glow).

• Edge Highlighter: Pencil brush, Size 20 px, Opacity 50%, Blend Mode Overlay. These settings let me build up light gradually instead of blasting it on in one pass.

5. Fine-Tuning with Special Effects and Layer Tweaks

With the major lights and shadows in place, I spent the final stretch adding subtle polish. These finishing touches are what elevate a drawing from “nice” to “whoa.”

• Color Balance Adjustment – I warmed the highlights slightly and cooled the shadows to push that cinematic contrast.

• Soft Particles Brush – On a new Add layer, I tapped in tiny specks near the lantern to mimic floating dust motes.

• Gradient Map Overlay – For a cohesive color grade, I applied a gradient map over the entire illustration set to Soft Light at about 20% opacity.

• Edge Cleanup – I zoomed in at 800% and erased any haloing where the glow had overspread.

By the end, I counted 13 layers in total—a mix of Multiply, Add (Glow), Overlay, and a few standard layers for line art and flats. That layered approach gave me incredible control:

I could nudge a single highlight or dial back a shadow without wrecking the rest of the painting.

Bonus Step: Casting a Bold Silhouette Shadow

Once everything else was finished, I wanted one last touch to ground the character: a cast shadow behind him. Here’s how I built it:

1. Duplicate the Entire Character GroupI selected all of my character layers, grouped them, duplicated the group, and merged the duplicate into a single flattened layer.

2. Fill with a Solid ColorI locked the layer’s transparency and filled it with pure black (or deep navy for a softer look) to create a solid silhouette.

3. Transform into Position Using Edit → Transform → Skew/Distort, I dragged the shape outward and downward, aiming for the direction opposite the lantern light.

4. Blur for Realism A quick Gaussian Blur (radius 10–20 px) softened the edges.

5. Lower the Opacity & BlendI dropped the layer’s opacity to around 40–60% and set the blend mode to Multiply. A soft layer mask let me fade the shadow where it met the glowing halo.

This quick silhouette technique is incredibly flexible—you can adjust its angle, soften it further, or even duplicate it for multiple overlapping shadows.

6. Color Theory Quick Hit

Dynamic lighting pops when warm and cool colors play against each other. Because my lantern glow was a warm yellow-orange, I pushed the shadows toward cool blues and purples.

This complementary contrast made the character feel illuminated and gave the background a chilly nighttime vibe.

Conclusion: Your Turn to Light It Up

Dynamic lighting might look intimidating, but as you can see, it’s really just a series of manageable steps.

Start with a strong pose and clear light source. Separate your flats. Layer shadows methodically.

Then slowly build your highlights, thinking of each layer as a physical slice of atmosphere. Whether you’re illuminating a lantern, a neon sign, or a glowing smartphone, the principle is the same.

The next time you open Clip Studio Paint, ask yourself:

Where is my light coming from, and how can I make it tell a story?

Give yourself permission to experiment with Multiply and Add (Glow) layers.

Before long, you’ll be painting scenes that practically flicker on the screen—just like the lantern-lit adventurer who started me down this glowing path.

Now it’s your turn: grab your stylus, turn down the room lights, and let your next illustration shine. If you found this article helpful, please like, share or comment below.