Shadow colors

[Arual]

What is your favorite go-to shadow color?

I use to use a medium grey for the past couple years... but I have recently discovered that, for my liking, this isn't the best color to use. I have been experimenting with colors and I am wondering what your favorite color to use is?

[cardinalskate]

I generally use some degree of brown.

[jessica31876]

It depends. I use dark grey or black on burn mode on dark colors. On light colors I will generally use brown. I change the opacity to my liking though.

[Jen22]

I usually use a brownish color - unless I'm on blue. I like using black if I'm on blue (but not always - sometimes I'm just too lazy to change the shadow color, lol)

[Lyd]

This is my color. I rarely change it. It's a shade of brown - quite dark.

2c1901

[SeattleSheri]

I almost always use dark brown.

[heathergw]

always a dark brown

[ayaandjudah]

I use a dark brown too. sometimes, I change it if it doesn't look right.

[YepBrook]

Dark brown... it seems to look the most natural.

[Darcy Baldwin]

I tend to go with a darkish brown unless I'm seeing weird, then I'll use a shade of the background paper it's on.

[LJSDesigns]

Going to have to try dark brown. Thanks for the number Lydia.

[*Celeste*]

jacinda did a blog post or tutorial on this and how she did it was interesting.

[JuliaM]

I generally use either a dark gray or black. I've tried other colors but didn't really like the way they looked so I've stuck with the gray or black.

[jacinda]

Originally Posted by Darcy Baldwin

I tend to go with a darkish brown unless I'm seeing weird, then I'll use a shade of the background paper it's on.

Me too

[origami]

Never really thought about this! I shall have to try and see what the difference is now!

[jacinda]

It makes a difference what blending mode you use too. I generally use linear burn on a low opacity.

[Arual]

I started using linear burn as well and then lowering the opacity. I like it better than multiply, which is what I was using. I just can't seem to get my color right though. I have been trying browns, but perhaps Im trying the wrong shades. I notice with some of my purchased shadows, the colors used are a very light orangy brown, some are an orangy gray.

I'll try the darker browns and see how that goes. I appreciate that you ladies help around here! Thank you!

[jacinda]

Here's the tutorial I did with the colour settings too. The tut is for lighter shadows, but the theory works the same for darker shadows - just increase the opacity.

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/t...ghten-up-baby/

At the bottom of the tutorial there's a link to Krystals shadow styles. I always use hers as a base, then tweak to suit.

[Arual]

Originally Posted by jacinda

Here's the tutorial I did with the colour settings too. The tut is for lighter shadows, but the theory works the same for darker shadows - just increase the opacity.

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/t...ghten-up-baby/

At the bottom of the tutorial there's a link to Krystals shadow styles. I always use hers as a base, then tweak to suit.

Terrific, thank you Jacinda!

Is it normal for shadowing to take sooooooo long, Im a slow scrapper anyways, but goodness sakes I seem to spend as much time on my shadowing as I do creating the layout itself. Eek!

[Lyd]

Originally Posted by Arual

Terrific, thank you Jacinda!

Is it normal for shadowing to take sooooooo long, Im a slow scrapper anyways, but goodness sakes I seem to spend as much time on my shadowing as I do creating the layout itself. Eek!

Shadowing used to take me forever! I have a pretty good system set up now with my own shadow styles and some actions as well. My shadowing process has gotten a lot faster since I did that, and I love watching my layout come to life as I add my shadows.

[Arual]

I haven't ever used an action for shadowing.... hmmm, maybe I need to try that.

Thats the part I enjoy so much Lydia, watching it come to life as I add the shadows! It's so fun to watch.

[kelley]

Well i'm interested now - I never thought to change the color - I just have a dark gray and set to linear burn. Going to try brown and see what difference it'll make for me.

[suze]

Originally Posted by SeattleSheri

I almost always use dark brown.

same here.

[twomoredays]

I use an orangey brown and linear burn. I think it makes a big difference. I'm pretty new to scrapping and I've already set up some styles for my own shadows. It saves me a lot of time and then I can just tweak. I'm still trying to figure out how to get that superealistic layered look, though. No matter how much I play with my shadows, it seems like I'm never quite there.

[origami]

Originally Posted by jacinda

Here's the tutorial I did with the colour settings too. The tut is for lighter shadows, but the theory works the same for darker shadows - just increase the opacity.

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/t...ghten-up-baby/

At the bottom of the tutorial there's a link to Krystals shadow styles. I always use hers as a base, then tweak to suit.

Fantastic tutorial and link! Thanks, Jacinda!!!

[Arual]

Originally Posted by twomoredays

I use an orangey brown and linear burn. I think it makes a big difference. I'm pretty new to scrapping and I've already set up some styles for my own shadows. It saves me a lot of time and then I can just tweak. I'm still trying to figure out how to get that superealistic layered look, though. No matter how much I play with my shadows, it seems like I'm never quite there.

I hear ya, I can't seem to really get quite there either. They are muuuuuch improved compared to my first layouts a few years ago... but I droooool over some of the gorgeous realistic looking layouts here!