How to Draw on 3D Model to Make Storyboard Easier

This is a new feature available only if you have Clip Studio Paint version 4.0. This technique will be especially useful for those of you who want to create illustrations or comics with precise perspective and complex character poses. I think you no longer need to bother preparing visualizations of all sides of your comic characters. Let's get started and learn how to use it.

1. How to Import 3D Model to Canvas

First, we need to import a 3D Model. You can access it from the 'Material' tab on the right.\

To import a model, simply drag and drop it from the material folder to the canvas. Clip Studio Paint provides various free models, or you can add your own models.

For the drawing-on-3D-objects feature, you can only apply it to primitive 3D models and 3D drawing figure ver 2 for now. Therefore, since I will demonstrate this to you, I will use this 3D drawing figure ver 2. Just drag and drop it onto your canvas.

1. Open 3D model tab

2. Drag and Drop The Model to Canvas

3. The Model on The Canvas

2. How To Adjust Your 3D Model Proportion

Before starting to draw on the 3D object, let's adjust the character's body proportions. You can adjust them by clicking on the settings tab of the 3D object. Here, I will set the height and body shape first. When you’re done, just click the cross on the settings menu. Next, we’ll start drawing on the object.

1. Use Object Tool to Edit your 3D model

2. Open the Setting tab

you can adjust the model as your liking.

3. How to Draw on Your 3D Model

1. Delete the Ruler

The first step, delete the ruler on this 3D object layer by going to the layer, right-clicking on the ruler option, and selecting delete ruler.

2. Add New Symmetrical Ruler

After that, because we will draw the front view first, to make our drawing look symmetrical, we will use a new ruler called the symmetry ruler. Create a new symmetry line exactly in the middle of the 3D model character. Once finished, we can start drawing.

3. Adjusting the Camera

You can adjust your camera using the preset, so that you don’t need to do it manually.

4. Draw Your Model Starting from The Front Side

You can start drawing on the 3D object using any brush and any color. Here, because I want to use the 3D object functionally as a storyboard, I will use the pen I usually use for making line art. Remember, you can undo and erase your drawings on the 3D object, but you cannot use transform to rotate or move your lines.

 

 

5. Draw Other Detail from The Side View

If you’re satisfied with the front view, you can rotate the 3D object to draw other features of the head. However, don’t forget to turn off the symmetry ruler if you are not drawing the front view.

Try by adding detail to your ear and jawline.

6. Add More Detail to Your Model From Each Side

This feature is useful for visualizing several things that comic creators often forget to add, such as tattoos, moles, scars, earrings, and other details. In my case, I designed a character with a beard, so I used the airbrush spray to draw it. You can also add details to the ears, jaw, Adam’s apple, collarbones, and even muscles. I didn’t draw muscle details on my character model because I think during my comic’s progression, there won’t be any scenes where the muscles need to be shown, so I don’t feel the need to.

My suggestion, you can also add hairlines to the model to make it easier when drawing your character’s hair later. Create the hairline on the model by re-enabling the symmetry ruler to keep the right and left sides even.

4. Saving Your Own Custom Model

If you feel satisfied with your drawing results, you can save this object as a new model by clicking the save material feature. Save it with a file name you want and place it in an easily accessible tab. Then, if you want to use the model you have drawn, just drag and drop it onto the canvas, and you’re done. Now, your 3D model character has a face, which you can trace to make line art for your comic. It will be even better if you prepare several expressions of your model character so that when making storyboards later, you don’t have to bother adding notes about expressions.

5. Making Storyboard With Your Custom Model

Now, I will show you how I create a storyboard using the 3D model I made earlier. Here, I have prepared some panels and dialogues already on the canvas. I just need to add the character storyboard according to the script I have written.

1. Importing Model to Panel

2. Changing Your Model Pose

3. Line Art your Comic

since I make the 3D model as a basic normal expression only, I change the expression in the line art process to match the story of my comic. That’s why I suggest you make so many different custom expression to make your process easier later.

And that was a tutorial on drawing using 3D Models in Clip Studio Paint. Hope you find it helpful!