NOOOOOOO YOU CAN ONLY REVEAL YOUR SECRETS TO ME.

@:

Well for my regular work, my canvas is usually 2500px both in width and height. Sometimes its bigger, like 'Friends' was 5000px across.
I lock and recolor my lineart.

@Cherryshock:

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

so, like thissss <- clicky

omg, i never knew i used a bit of airbrushing in my stuff XD

@FalseDelusion:

LOL that is an airbrush... for traditional coloring LOL.
And airbursh on photoshop is a really really soft brush.

@Cherryshock:

i never got what an airbrush is!! D=

i thought it's THIS <--clicky

@FalseDelusion:

Make hard solid shadows, then use a soft airbrush with your lightest shade over some of the edges (so you get that sharp,soft contrast)
Idk if there is another way LOL

@Cherryshock:

D:

sounds like.. it'd take a long time...........................

any way i can cheat and still get the same effects? XD
i'm guessing no

@FalseDelusion:

Ahhh, I'm not good at explaining how I do things SOB. In step 5, I use the select tool (looks like a lasso) and then I overlay very transparent gradients inside the selected area.(gradient are like...colors that fade into another color, but you can do it with a color--->transparent so it looks smooth) then I use a big soft brush, the softest the brushes will go, and I use the lightest ton I used for that area (say, for the skin, I picked my base skin tone used in step 3) and I lightly go over some of the edges of my sharp shadow areas. I repeat with the different shades I used, and I keep on adding gradients~

Does that help, or not make any sense >__< ?

@Milkshakess:

I KNOW SOB BUT I CLOSED OUT OF PHOTOSHOP AND I REALIZED IT WAS TOO BIG SO I HAD TO SAVE IT IN OC1.1 SOBODFBGV.

pffft!!
i'd have just stopped at step 3 and be done with it XD
<--- lazy

i still don't get parts 5 and 6
Q__Q
like, you explained it and stuff

but what are gradients? D=
and and
how'd you blue the shading so its like THAT? D=

-dies-