Introduction
Mobile phones are so practical that they allow us to draw anywhere, only needing our fingers or a stylus. The only drawback is the size, but there are some methods to overcome this inconvenience. So, this time I bring you the process and tools I use if I want to draw on small devices. Without further ado...
Let's get started!! (o･ω･o)
1. Getting Started
First of all, if you are new to using the smartphone version, you can check out the following tutorial, where I cover the basics: Downloading the program, the free and paid formats, and an explanation of the Studio Mode and Simple Mode interfaces, 3D models, among others.
IMPORTANT: If you don't have a usage license, the smartphone version allows you to enjoy all functions for free for 30 hours a month.
2. The Hands
Using only your fingers to create illustrations is very tiring, especially at first, but here are some tips you can apply to minimize discomfort:
• Keeping your nails short will prevent overexertion and improve precision.
• Time is an important factor, take small breaks, relax your eyes.
• It would also be a good idea to use a stand that tilts your phone to avoid bending your back like a shrimp. We must take care of our back; a straight spine is a happy spine.
• Don't keep your hand floating for too long; you'll get tired quickly; rest it on a surface.
• Although we can draw with our finger, using a stylus is ideal to avoid injuring your hand by using only your fingers. There are many good and affordable ones on the market.
• Relaxing your hands: If you decide to use only your fingers, to ensure comfortable and injury-free working time, we have the option of using a stress ball or doing some hand relaxation exercises. In the Tai Chi classes I take, they have taught us some movements to relax the wrists; I'll share one of them, ideal for avoiding carpal tunnel problems. For this exercise, you need to:
➀ Interlace your fingers, leaving a space like a baseball between palm and palm.
➁ Now, rotate your wrists forward for one minute, then one more minute backward. Done, it's that easy.
3. Let's Draw Between Simple Mode and Studio Mode
✦ The Canvas
When starting the application, we will find a wide selection of resources, but to create a new canvas, you need to go to the «Draw» option. On the next screen, you will find templates with standard measurements for different works; the one we use will depend on the type of project. In my case, I will choose a custom 1000 x 1000 px one.
To change/choose the «DPI», you need to go to the «Advanced Settings» option.
Below are some considerations for the measurements that can be used for printing or digital.
PRINT: If we want to print the illustration, it is advisable to have a resolution of 300 DPI (DPI is the amount of information the canvas has; the more information it has, the sharper the print will be). For the canvas size, I recommend choosing between an A4 (21.00 x 29.70 cm) or an A5 (14.80 x 21.00 cm).
DIGITAL: To display illustrations on social media with good quality, it is recommended to have a resolution of 72 DPI. Regarding the size, it is recommended to have a base canvas of 2160 x 2700 px. An ideal size so that Instagram doesn't crop the illustration.
- ADJUST CANVAS -
If we later consider that the canvas is not the appropriate size, we can easily change it in the «Adjust Canvas» option from the three dots in the upper right part.
✦ The Sketch
We can do the sketch directly in the application as we normally would, but we also have the option to do it traditionally, and then take a photo or scan it. In this case, I will use photography. Well, let's see how to process a traditional sketch into digital.
- CAMERA ANGLE -
Avoid taking the photograph at inclined angles, thus preventing distortions. A parallel angle is ideal. To control the angle, you can use the camera stabilizer that most current phones have.
Another important consideration is to avoid projecting shadows on the image and to achieve the softest possible colors.
- IMPORT -
The CLIP STUDIO PAINT app has two interface models for drawing: Studio Mode (1) which has all the program's functions, and Simple Mode (2) which is a simplified interface with the most essential functions for illustration, ideal for small screens. Throughout the illustration, I will use both modes, but mostly Simple Mode.
To import an image from Simple Mode, you need to long-press the «New Layer» symbol; doing so will unfold a series of options. Among them, we have «Gallery», which is what we will select. This option will take us to the file explorer where we will choose the drawing photograph.
The imported image will be added as a preview with the corresponding nodes that will allow us to fit it better to the canvas. Once everything is adjusted, we will click «OK».
- EXTRACT LINE -
Once imported, a message will automatically appear asking if we want to extract the line; we will accept it. In the next step, the line filter adjuster will open. The line density will be at each person's discretion. Finally, we complete the action with «OK».
If we deactivate the background, we will be able to notice the image's transparency.
✦ Touch Gestures and Keyboard Shortcuts
TOUCH GESTURES: Before starting to draw, let's learn some functions that will help us have a more comfortable workflow. Touch gestures will save a lot of time by minimizing the number of actions and movements on the canvas. By default, these are activated, but if you want to deactivate any, you can do so from the option: Preferences and Help > Touch Gestures.
The gestures available in the program are:
● Draw with finger: If this option is deactivated, the application will only recognize actions made with the stylus; it does not work with optical pens.
● Redo with three fingers and undo by tapping with two fingers. Additionally, you can also undo and redo using the arrows at the top.
● Move canvas by swiping with two fingers / rotate canvas with two fingers.
● Eyedropper by long-pressing: If we keep a finger pressed on the part of the canvas where we want to obtain the color, the eyedropper circle will appear; we can move it around the canvas without lifting our finger from the screen.
Note: Here, we can also find the option to switch from light to dark mode. Dark mode is ideal during the nights when there is low light or when we feel our eyes are tired.
KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS: If we have a keyboard that can connect to our phone, either via Bluetooth or an adapter, we can use it for an efficient and comfortable workflow. The program's tools and windows have default keyboard shortcuts that allow extremely easy access to them, thus allowing one hand for gestures and shortcuts while drawing with the other; this provides a lot of speed.
The default list of commands for Simple Mode can be viewed from: Preferences and Help > Keyboard Shortcuts.
For example, you can switch between tools without having to manually open the tool menu.
Note: Unfortunately, commands in Simple Mode cannot yet be edited; let's hope they become more customizable in future updates.
✦ Line Art
Tool Menu: Clicking the brush icon at the bottom unfolds the tool menu. Here you'll find essential tools such as: Transform, Eyedropper, Brush, Lasso, Liquify, Eraser, Fill, Figure, Filter, and Effect.
Layer Palette: Clicking the icon in the bottom right will display the layer palette. If you slide the palette to the left, you can see the name details. Clicking a layer thumbnail will bring up a menu controlling layer visibility, erase options, opacity, etc. Clicking the three dots at the end of the floating menu will display the full options for editing the layer, such as: blending mode, border, clip to layer below, etc. Also, to rename a layer, click on the name in the dropdown menu.
- SKETCH COLOR -
As a first step, I'm going to change the color of the sketch to make it easier to differentiate the sketch from the line art.
➀ I will activate the «Lock transparent pixels» function on the sketch layer. Then I will change the color to blue and paint the line with my trusted brush.
To improve the distinction between both layers (sketch and line art), I recommend lowering the sketch's opacity.
- STABILIZATION -
Now, on a new layer above the sketch, we need to start cleaning up, but first, the stroke. To achieve firm strokes and avoid hand trembling, we can use the stabilizer. Within the brush list, in the upper right part, there are three dots. Pressing them brings up a box with the following text: Change all stabilization settings / start and end. If we press it, the stabilizer menu will open.
Stability is measured on a bar from 0 to 100, with zero being null and one hundred being a firm stroke. When drawing with higher stabilization, strokes will feel slower.
These stabilization settings will apply to all brushes.
Stabilization is ideal for lines, but for applying color, it's better to deactivate it.
- SYMMETRY RULER -
The fact that this example illustration is frontal allows me to use a small shortcut, which is the symmetry ruler. Rulers are not compatible with Simple Mode, so we will have to switch to Studio Mode for a moment. To switch to Studio Mode, go to the three dots on the right side; in the menu, a list of options will appear, from which we will choose «Switch to Studio Mode».
Once in Studio Mode, go to the sub-tool selector on the upper left side; there you will find the rulers.
TIP: If we want to achieve perfectly vertical or horizontal symmetry, we must keep the «SHIFT» key activated while positioning the ruler on the canvas and then deactivate the key when finished. In the tablet or mobile version of the program, we can activate this key from the EDGE keys side panel.
We cannot use the ruler to mirror all elements because this will create an unnatural effect, which is why it must be deactivated in some areas to paint them individually. To deactivate or delete the ruler, you must long-press the icon found in the layer thumbnail and select the corresponding option in the menu.
To return to Simple Mode, go to the three lines in the upper left corner and choose «Switch to Simple Mode» from the menu.
Once the line art is finished, you need to hide the sketch layer using the eye-shaped icon found in the layer settings.
✦ Base Color
Once the clean drawing is finished, it's time to apply colors. Once again, in Simple Mode, at the bottom, we will find a colored circle; clicking it will bring up the color wheel. Also, at the bottom of this, we have the color set and the color slider. At the top are the primary color, secondary color, and transparency.
With the circle, we choose the colors, and within it, with the square, we choose the luminosity and saturation of the color.
- SELECTION AREA -
Using the lasso and fill bucket to paint complete blocks is very efficient. In my case, to apply the base colors, I divide the illustration into large blocks (hair, skin, eyes, and lips) which I paint on individual layers. Let's see how:
➀ We will select the area to be painted using the lasso tool found in the tool menu. In the tool properties, there are two very useful functions: «Add to selection» and «Delete from selection» (second icon from right to left); these two serve to add or remove from the selected area; and invert selection (third icon) which allows what is outside the selection to be edited and what is inside the selection not to be.
➁ On a new layer below the sketch, we will use the fill bucket, applying it within the selected area.
To move the layer between layers, you need to long-press it and drag it to the desired position.
With this function, you can fill closed spaces and, by modifying some settings, even fill spaces with slight openings. An important aspect to consider is that within the tool's configuration, the «Refer to all layers» option must be deactivated, this in order to prevent the program from considering the sketch lines as a boundary.
To exit the selection, you need to press the floating «Clear selection» button at the top.
- COLOR SET -
A tip for working faster is to use color sets, where we can add our favorite colors to have them at hand with a tap for future illustrations.
To import or create a color set, we need to click on the three lines on the left side, and then on the “+” sign. If we choose «Search for new sets», it will redirect us to the Clip Studio ASSETS page, we download the set, and done. If, on the other hand, we choose «New color set», a new set will be created where we can pour our own colors.
If you long-press on a palette, a menu will unfold where you'll find options to: duplicate set, delete, and rename. To add a color, simply click on the plus symbol.
✦ Brushes
Let's talk a little about brushes to know how to handle them.
Let's see, the first icon on the toolbar is a shortcut that allows you to quickly switch between the eraser and the brush. Ideal for correcting errors in less time.
• BRUSH
To change the brush, click on its respective icon or by clicking on the icon with two brushes in the center of the menu. A list of brushes and their categories will be displayed.
• ADD BRUSHES
Although the program has many very good default brushes, it never hurts to have access to other varieties. To download new brushes, click on the “+” symbol at the top, and in the options, we will choose «Add recommended brushes».
We will scroll down to the end of the recommended brushes and choose the option: Search for new brushes. The Clip Studio ASSETS page will open; this service allows you to search for materials to download. Once the download is complete, the brushes will be displayed in the «Download» category. If you long-press any brush, modification options (rename, delete, duplicate, etc.) will emerge.
NOTE: To download ASSET materials, you need a CLIP STUDIO user account. Registration is completely free.
Import from Studio Mode: On the other hand, if we have a brush that we have already modified in Studio Mode and want to add it to Simple Mode, we just need to choose the «Import from Studio Mode» option and select that brush from the menu.
• BRUSH SETTINGS
To modify brush settings, click on the arrow next to it. Here we control aspects such as color blending, density, and watercolor edge, among others. The number of settings will depend on the type of brush.
• BRUSH USAGE
Simple, at the bottom, two bars appear: the top bar corresponds to the brush size, while the second one is for opacity. Some uses we can give to opacity are creating different textures with the same brush and blending colors.
To erase areas without losing the brush texture, you need to use the brush itself, but instead of having a color selected, you must choose «Transparency» found in the color wheel.
• BLENDING BRUSHES
Within the various brush categories, we find one dedicated to blending. Here is a series of brushes that help with color blending, but it's important to know their characteristics to determine which ones are most useful. Play with the opacity of the brushes to get different blending finishes.
● Color blend and Blur: These brushes give diffused results and cause textures to be lost. If used excessively, they leave an unpleasant result, but they are good for softening edges.
● Finger tip: This simulates how paint smears when stretched.
● Paint blender, Wet, and Texture: These three will maintain the texture and add it if it's not present. You need to try which one works best for your particular cases.
✦ Lights, Shadows, and 3D Models
After the base colors, what we need to do is determine where the light comes from. If you don't know how light illuminates an object giving it its three-dimensional characteristics, then you can use a 3D model to guide you.
Simple Mode has some full-body models in the materials section, but if we want more specific models, such as for a face, we will find them in Studio Mode. They are located in: Studio Mode > Material Folder > 3D > Head.
When selected and dragged, it will appear on the canvas with all modification options. To edit the light angle and consequently the shadows, you need to go to Tool Properties (Wrench Icon) > Light Source.
Dragging the circle modulates the direction of the light.
From these heads, we can create different types of faces; to learn how to modify the facial characteristics of 3D models, I recommend visiting this official tutorial on this function:
● APPLICATION STRUCTURE:
Once we know the position of lights and shadows in our illustration, the next step will be to paint them. To facilitate the process, we can rely on layer functions; let's look at some examples:
➀ Use «Clip to layer below»; its function is to create a false clipping. That is, what is drawn on this layer will only be visible with respect to the limits of what is drawn on the layer it refers to (the layer below). If the clipping is removed, everything done outside the edges of the base layer will become visible. This adjustment is fundamental for my workflow; what I do is create a new layer above the base color, activating this function; on it, I will paint the shadow details.
Several clipping layers can also be applied with respect to the same layer. For example, the source layer is that of the hair block (1), and the subsequent layers above it are shadow layers linked to it. Furthermore, this is not a destructive method, so modifying something without losing the rest of the progress is extremely easy.
➁ Use «Lock transparent pixels»; this function allows us to paint without going outside the painted edge and without having to create new layers linked to the base layer. When activated on that same layer, you can only draw on pixels that have color; transparent ones are completely ignored. We find this function in the layer options; it's the icon of the square with a small padlock. The downside is that this is a destructive option, so what we do cannot be undone as easily.
Done, we now have the lights and shadows in sketch form; in the following steps, we will render them.
If you want to know more about how to add lights and shadows to a face, I invite you to take a look at the following tutorial:
✦ Liquify and Flip Canvas
● LIQUIFY: The eye position is not ideal, but it will be fixed in a moment. The liquify tool allows for corrections, modifying the shape of the area where it is used. It's a tool that works well when finishing an illustration. With it, we can edit, change the position, and size of some parts of the illustration without having to erase anything, especially if we have already finished it.
In the tool properties, you will find: the mode and the intensity. In mode, we find seven options: Push, Enlarge, Shrink, Push Left, Push Right, Rotate Right, and Rotate Left. Intensity, on the other hand, modulates the tool's distortion level.
It's that easy to modify the shape and size, ideal for improving proportions. Let's look at the following image and play «Spot the differences» :)
To learn more about this tool, I recommend reading this official tutorial:
- FLIP CANVAS VIEW -
Remember that it is essential to rotate the canvas to correct errors that are not initially noticeable. Within the three-dots section, you will find the «Flip Horizontal» option, and with the blue icon that will appear when activating the option, you can return to the base view.
✦ Color
Now let's look at the step-by-step color process, but first, let me explain the workflow I follow.
- WORKFLOW -
To have a better workflow, it's necessary to manage layer order. Below, I share the logic I follow.
➀ I put all the layers I used for the sketch into a folder which I name "sketch" (1), then I create a layer above this folder where I will do the line art (2). When I finish, I hide the sketch folder.
➁ Now, I create a new folder below the previous two, which I will call «Color» (3). I paint the base color of each element on an individual layer; for example, skin on one, eyes on another, lips, and hair on their corresponding individual layers within the folder.
➂ Finally, I create layers above the base color layers, which I clip to the layer below, as explained in the «Lights and shadows» section.
To move a layer into a folder, simply long-press it and drag it to the folder; once the program indicates they can be grouped (with a blue border around the folder icon), release it.
TIP: If it's difficult to distinguish between so many layers and folders, what we can do is add a color mark to them. To do this, we must go to Studio Mode; once there, we navigate to the icon located in the upper left part of the layer window. This color list serves to color the layers. You can choose a default color or choose another with «Choose another color». When we return to Simple Mode, we will see the marks next to the layer.
- CHOOSE COLORS -
To color anything is as simple as following the three-tone scheme. This method consists of choosing three colors: a base color, a light one for highlights, and a dark one for shadows.
● BASE COLORS: To choose a base color, and generally for most colors with the exception of some special cases, avoid tones that lean towards gray. For base colors, we should position ourselves within an upper zone and then move diagonally downwards from there.
● SHADOWS: For shadows, it's the same: move diagonally between gray and saturated tones. In this case, we can move analogously towards another nearby color to achieve a color variation. Another thing, these first shadows shouldn't be too dark; we'll handle that kind of depth a bit later.
● LIGHT: For lights, we must return to the left corner once again, but without touching pure white.
● DEEP SHADOWS: Once we have established the lights and shadows, it's time to intensify the deep shadows to give a more concrete depth effect. In this case, we should move diagonally towards blacks. These deep shadows should be applied in occlusion areas. Occlusion areas are points where neither direct light nor ambient light reaches.
● REFLECTIONS: To add an extra touch to colors, it's ideal to add reflections. We should know that every object, be it skin, hair, or the environment, reflects its tones onto other nearby objects. Skin, for example, is highly reflective. To choose the colors for reflections, what I do is move towards gray tones, and if, for instance, most of the illustration is dominated by warm tones, the reflection colors will be in cool tones, and I will apply them over the shadow areas.
I apply these reflections with a brush with reduced opacity and then blend it. The new color resulting from mixing both will be the one I select to continue painting the rest of the reflections in the same category.
- COLOR SLIDER -
I recommend using the «Color Slider» located below the color wheel. These sliders allow for better accuracy in color selection. From this tool, you can extract the luminosity and saturation of a selected tone from the color wheel.
To use it, we will choose a color, then move the sliders to obtain its different saturations and luminosities. For example, if we take the base skin color and from it slightly move the luminosity to darken it, and then the saturation to move it away from grays, we will obtain a good shadow tone.
- PAINTING THE LINE ART -
Another important step in my process is painting the line art, and to do this, I do the following:
➀ Duplicate the line art layer and hide the original layer with the eye icon.
➁ I will move this duplicated layer inside the color folder; the layer should be at the very top of all other folders.
➂ I activate «Lock transparent pixels» on the duplicate and start painting the line.
✦ Rendering
There's no magic way to render; most of the process consists of trial and error; you have to observe, add, and improve missing or superfluous elements over and over until you get a result you like, but there are some guidelines I can share.
- BLENDING MODES -
When adding color, it's good to use blending modes because they allow for subtle adjustments to the color tone. Blending modes can be divided into four main groups, but the most important two are: Those that add light and those that darken. My favorites are: Multiply (for darkening) and Add, Overlay (for lighting). These modes are found in the layer settings, they are the first option.
● LIGHT MODES: I use modes that add brightness to illuminate the brightest areas. For example, for hair, I will create several layers in overlay mode with which I will brighten the colors a bit. First, on one, I will paint with an orange tone, then a pink one, and finally, one with a bluish tone for reflections.
● DARKNESS MODES: Now comes my favorite part, darkening the image to add light areas. For this illustration, I will use a light source coming from the upper left, so:
➀ I create a layer above the folder, but below the line art layer, to which I activate the «Clip to layer below» option, then I set the blending mode to «Multiply».
➁ Now, I choose a skin color that is dark, but not too dark. With it, I paint the entire layer (it's easy to do with the paint bucket). Then I lower the layer's opacity as much as I deem appropriate.
➂ Finally, with the eraser, I remove the areas that should be illuminated.
● SATURATED EDGE: When direct light hits the skin or any other object, a saturated light edge is generated between the shadow and the light. To achieve this effect, we will use the «Overlay» mode.
➀ We create a new layer above the multiply layer; this layer must also be set with the option: Clip to layer below.
➁ Now, with the airbrush and an orange tone, I paint along the edge of the light and shadow. I subtly blend this light strip with the «Color blend» tool.
➂ To finish, with the «Blur» tool, using a small size and lower opacity, I slightly blend the edge of the light and shadow on the multiply layer.
If you want to know more about all blending modes, I invite you to visit this tutorial:
- FILTERS -
With filters, we can improve contrast, tone, light, among others. By default, some standard filters are available, but if we want to make our own adjustments, we need to go to the option: Settings. This tool is found in the «Tool Menu», under the «Filters» option.
If we don't like the colors completely, we can easily modify them from here. It should be clarified that adjustments can be applied to an individual layer or to the entire set; the option that allows us to choose between one and the other will always be shown when selecting the tool in the menu.
- CORRECT FINISHES -
Now comes what for me is the most fun part, correcting details. What we have to do now is sculpt. Basically, you have to hide the line art, blend colors, and mark the volumes until you are satisfied.
To do this, the first thing I do is put all the layers and folders I created for painting the skin inside another folder which I name with the original name «All», then I will create another folder inside «All» that is above the color (in this case, above the blending mode layers and the line art) which I name «Details», and it is inside this folder where I will generate layers to clean up the drawing.
I do all this from the «Studio Mode» interface because it is easier to modify and group layers than in «Simple Mode».
Throughout the process, I put everything into subfolders so that when I apply a filter or paint the background, it's easier to combine the layers. In the end, the structure should look like this: When the «All» folder is collapsed, only the original line art layer, the sketch folder, and the «All» folder should remain visible.
Once everything is well organized, I start cleaning up.
- TRANSFORM -
If a proportion is not well-positioned, we can move it, freely transform it (ideal for positioning elements in perspective), flip it, or rotate it with a few simple steps:
➀ Select the area with the selection tool.
➁ Once selected, we will see a menu bar at the bottom bar where we will find the icon of a cross with an arrowhead; that icon will be the transform icon.
➂ Clicking on this icon will open the transform menu as seen in the following GIF (to expand it and see all options, we must drag the window upwards).
Free Transform allows for more complete modification, and Mesh Transform is not far behind. This transform is the third option in the menu, and in its features, we find the number of nodes that can be added to it. To use it, you just need to move the nodes you need to the best position.
- CUT AND PASTE -
If we select an area with the selection tool, we will see the tool menu where we will find two options: «Copy and paste to another layer» (as its name indicates, it makes a copy of the selected area and pastes it onto a layer above the original) and «Cut and paste to a new layer» (this does not create a copy, but directly takes it from the original and moves it to a new layer above).
✦ Effects
Effects are also good for final touches. My favorites are: Chromatic Aberration and Noise. Effects can be applied to folders or layers. I like to create a copy of the folder containing all layers and then combine that copy into a single layer, which I use to add filters and effects. To perform the entire duplicate and combine process, I will briefly switch to Studio Mode; once there, I will:
DUPLICATE LAYER / FOLDER: What I usually do first is create a copy of my main folder so as not to lose the information of the individual layers in case I want to modify them later. To do this, you need to long-press the folder, and from the emerging options, we will choose «Duplicate Layer».
COMBINE LAYERS: To combine the duplicated folder, go to the same menu as in the previous section, but in this case, choose the «Combine selected layers» option.
- CHROMATIC ABERRATION -
This effect creates the illusion of color decomposition. This and the rest of the effects are found in the «Tool Menu», under the «Effect» option. When choosing the one we like, we can control its intensity and see the before and after preview.
By default, the effect will be applied to the entire layer, but if you want it to apply only to a specific area, you must first select the area with the lasso tool; the effect will be applied within the selection boundaries.
- NOISE -
The noise effect works the same way. In the options, we find two types: colored noise and black and white noise. I like this effect because it easily adds texture to the illustration.
If you want to know more about the characteristics of filters and effects, I invite you to visit this tutorial:
✦ Tonal Correction Layers
Tonal correction layers allow us to edit shadows, mid-tones, and highlights. The ones I recommend most are: Tone Curve, Color Balance, and Gradient Map.
These layers are not available for Simple Mode, so you have to switch to Studio Mode to use them. Tonal correction layers are found at the following path: Menu > Layer > New Tonal Correction Layer. In total, there are nine layers we can use.
When we finish editing the color with the correction layers, we can return to Studio Mode; the color will remain edited, but the correction layer cannot be edited. To modify it, you must return to Studio Mode and double-tap the small correction layer icon in the layers window.
If you want to know more about tonal correction layers, I advise you to check out the official guide. Additionally, I also talked more in-depth about these layers in the tutorial «Tools for adding color» that I mentioned earlier.
- RESULT -
After refining the final details, I achieved the following result:
4. Save/Export
The mobile version automatically saves progress periodically. Also, when we leave the canvas using the arrow in the upper left corner, the process is automatically saved before exiting.
To share or save to the device, we will need to go to the three dots in the upper right corner; there, the options: «Export Image» and «Export Timelapse» will appear. Upon choosing either, it will ask if we want to share it or save it to the device. Once we have chosen between both options, a window will appear where we can select to save as (PNG, JPG, or PDS). Finally, we will click «Save».
For the timelapse, the procedure is the same; in the window that appears, we can choose the duration, proportions, resolution, and if we want it to have the CLIP STUDIO PAINT logo.
• UPLOAD TO THE CLOUD
To upload a file to the cloud, first, we will go to the «On this app» section found in the projects area. From the new screen, we will choose the artwork and click on the slider located at the bottom of the artwork; a message will appear asking to confirm if we want to upload the file to the cloud; we will accept. Once accepted, the cloud icon will turn blue, and we will be able to see the upload process from the «Data Transfers» section in the settings.
Done, now we can have the artwork on all devices linked to our account.
NOTE: To upload or download a project from the cloud, you need a CLIP STUDIO user account.
🎬 (Extra) Let's Animate a Blink on Mobile
As an extra, let me explain how to make a small animation on mobile from a finished illustration. The steps are very simple, I hope you like them.
Animation tools are not compatible with Simple Mode, so I will do everything in Studio Mode.
If you want to know more about the Studio Mode interface, I invite you to visit this official tutorial:
- CANVAS -
We will open a new project. In the «Draw» section, we will choose the «Advanced Settings» option. Once in the canvas window, we will choose the «Animation» option in the «Type of work» menu.
Now, within the settings that will appear, we will go to the «Timeline» section, where we need to change the «Speed» to 8 and the «Duration» to 24. Done.
- TIMELINE -
To view the timeline window, you need to long-press on the window bar. After a moment, the «Palette Bar Settings» will appear; in the list, we must look for the «Timeline» option, select it, and click OK.
This will make the timeline icon appear in the window bar; clicking it will display the timeline window.
To anchor the window and prevent it from automatically hiding when clicking anywhere else, you need to check the pin option located in the upper right part of the window in question.
- IMPORT IMAGE -
Now we need to import the illustration, to do this we need to:
➀ Go to the layers window and delete the layer that is automatically generated when opening a new canvas. Only the layer, not the folder.
➁ Then open the timeline window and make sure the first frame is selected (the red bar shows the active frame).
➂ Finally, go to the three lines in the upper left corner; in the options, scroll down to find «Import» and once there, choose «From device storage space».
- RASTERIZE -
As the next step, we need to go to the layers window and choose the image we imported. You have to long-press the layer for the options menu to appear; among all the options, we choose «Rasterize». This step is done for the purpose of being able to draw on the layer.
- FRAMES -
This animation will have five frames, of which the first and fifth will be the base illustration, so nothing will need to be done for them. The structure will be as follows:
(A) The first frame will correspond to the open position.
(A1) The second will be the representation of the eyelid lowering slightly from position «A».
(B) In the third position, the eyes will be closed.
(B1) The fourth corresponds to the eye opening from position «B».
(C) Finally, we will have the eyes open once again.
• SECOND FRAME
➀ We will start by selecting the second animation cel in the timeline (if it's difficult to see the cels, you can zoom with the magnifying glass icon).
➁ Once there, go to the layers window and duplicate the base layer. This duplicated layer will automatically snap into the second animation cel.
➂ Now, with the «Lasso» selection tool, we will select the upper eyelashes of both eyes. To make it easy, I recommend selecting both at once.
To select multiple separate elements, you need to activate the «Add to selection» option from the «Lasso» tool properties.
➃ Once selected, we will need to lower them slightly with the «Transform» tool (we can find the direct shortcut from the action bar).
➄ When moving the eyelashes, it will leave a color void that we will need to fill by painting.
To have more viewing space, I recommend rotating the device horizontally.
• THIRD FRAME
For this third frame, we will repeat steps. This time, we will duplicate the layer we duplicated in the previous step, but in this case, we will not move the eyelashes; instead, we will paint the shape of completely closed eyes over the base eyes.
Remember to ensure that this third layer is selected before starting to paint to avoid painting on another layer.
• FOURTH FRAME
For this frame, we will duplicate layer number one; the duplicated layer will appear with the name «1a». Now, select cel four in the timeline and long-press that cel until the menu appears. On the left side, there will be a list with the names of the layers that have been created so far; among the options, we will choose the name of the layer we duplicated (1a).
Now, once again with the lasso tool, we will lower the eyelashes halfway down the eye or even further, to simulate a pair of eyes opening.
• FIFTH FRAME
We will start by selecting the fifth animation cel in the timeline, long-pressing it until the window mentioned in the previous frame appears, and then choosing the base layer, which contains the layer we imported. Done, that's all.
With this, we have finished; now we need to check the animation. To activate playback, go to the three lines and from there to the animation section; in the options, we will find «Play / Stop». To create a shortcut for this button, we can add it by clicking on the circle symbol with the arrow at the end of each option. The quick access will be added to the «Quick Access» window found in the window bar; it is the first option.
Playing the animation, I noticed a very large gap between blinks. To reduce this gap, I will cut the number of frames, reducing them from 24 to 15. To do this, go to the end of the 24 frames where you will find the separator that marks the frame limit (blue strip); you need to long-press it and drag it to the desired frame.
You'll notice that the girl changes position; that was my mistake; I accidentally moved the layer without realizing it, but I fixed it using the «Align and Distribute» tools.
Done, it looks much better now.
- EXPORT -
The save option can be found in the three lines; in the menu, we will look for: File > Export Animation. Many options will appear, but the ones I usually use are movie or GIF. The GIF option will save the animation as a loop, which will be convenient for such a short animation. All options that allow modification before saving will be left as they are, except for the file name and size, which I will change to my preferred name and dimensions. Now, all that remains is to click OK.
If the file is not found in your gallery, it's because it was saved in the program's folder, so you will have to search for it with your device's file explorer and move it to another location if desired.
- RESULT -
Farewell
I hope what you've learned in this tutorial helps you paint beautiful illustrations on your mobile phone. It would be a great help if you give me a like. Thank you for reaching the end! See you next time! (⌒‿⌒)
Bye bye.
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