How to Add Shadows and Highlights for Beginners (Coloring)

If you’re new to cozy colouring and want to take your pages up a level without getting overwhelmed with anything complicated, shadows and highlights are the perfect place to start.

You don’t need advanced blending, complicated colour theory, or fancy art school knowledge. Just a few simple techniques can make your pages look richer, warmer, and more dimensional.

coloring shadows and highlights for beginners

I thought I’d show you the basic techniques using a page from Little Cuddles by Coco Wyo, and on this cute road trip page I used the new Ohuhu Honolulu S series markers, so I’ll walk you through exactly what I did and how you can try this too.

Before anything else, you can start by flat colouring everything on the page. This is where the new Honolulu S chisel nib really shines. Ohuhu completely redesigned the chisel tip for this series, and it is honestly brilliant. It covers big areas so quickly that it’s easy to keep up with the ink before it dries, which makes chasing the ink smooth and streak free.

But the surprise benefit is that, because of the shape of this new chisel, you can also get right into all the tiny corners without switching to another nib. It makes colouring so much faster and very satisfying. And these markers are so juicy that every stroke feels smooth and full, which is exactly what you want when you’re colouring large areas like skies, cars, or grass.

Once all the flat colour is down and the page looks neat and clean, that’s when I decide where the light is coming from. You only need to pick one side and imagine the light shining across the whole picture. Everything on the opposite side of the light gets a shadow. Think of it as the areas where the light can’t reach as easily. In this page, I added shadows to one side of the car, under the characters’ arms and faces, along the edges of the sheep, and even inside the trees.

For beginners, the easiest way to add shadows is simply to use the same marker colour again. Alcohol markers deepen beautifully with layers, so one extra layer instantly gives you a soft shadow. If you want a darker shadow, go over it one more time. This avoids complicated colour matching and keeps the whole page cohesive.

Once your shadows are in, you can start adding highlights. This is where the page starts to pop. A white pencil gives you soft, gentle highlights that work nicely for fluffy, matte, or delicate objects. For anything reflective or shiny, like metal, glass, water, or plastic, I prefer a white gel pen. It gives a crisp, bright highlight that mimics how those surfaces look in real life. Simple little lines or dots can make a huge difference.

Texture is another beginner friendly trick that adds interest without stress. For example, grass always looks better with little dots and speckles added on top of your base colour. You can use a darker green for depth, or even add subtle colour variations by dotting in some yellow with an acrylic marker. This creates a natural, lively texture with almost no effort.

What I love about this method is that it’s simple enough for beginners but satisfying enough for anyone who enjoys cozy colouring. It’s a nice middle ground where you can make your pages look special without spending ages on blending.

And of course, colouring is always more fun when your pens are working with you rather than against you. Good quality markers genuinely make a difference. There is nothing more annoying than trying to colour with dried out pens, streaky nibs, or patchy ink flow. If your markers are drying up or misbehaving, treat yourself to some new ones.

Fresh, juicy markers turn colouring into a soothing hobby rather than a frustrating one. I’ve been really enjoying the Ohuhu Honolulu S series for exactly that reason.

If you’re starting out with shadows and highlights, start simple, keep it consistent, and enjoy the process. Your pages will instantly look more dynamic, and you’ll build confidence with every picture.

About the Ohuhu Honolulu S Series Markers

The Honolulu S Series is one of Ohuhu’s newest and most impressive launches, and it’s designed to give artists a more flexible, comfortable, and vibrant colouring experience.

Ohuhu has always focused on making high-quality art supplies accessible and affordable, and this range really shows how far they’ve pushed their design. The Honolulu S markers feature a dual soft-tip system with a flexible 1 to 6 mm brush tip on one end and a redesigned 1 to 4 mm soft chisel on the other, which means you can switch from smooth shading to fine detail without changing pens.

The new soft chisel in particular is a huge upgrade, giving you broad coverage and easy corner control at the same time. They’re available in 24, 48, and 60 colour sets, and the colour palette has been updated to follow Ohuhu’s new colour system for a smoother, clearer experience. With vibrant, long-lasting colours and seamless layering, the Honolulu S Series has even won the 2024 Red Dot Design Award for its innovative, flexible nib design. And with sets starting from £28, it’s a very budget-friendly way to upgrade your colouring tools while still getting that professional feel.