You can just watch my video to see the full step by step.

Have you ever felt like your drawing looks great, but when it’s time to render, it takes forever?

Imagine if you could change the whole mood of your artwork with just one click. In Clip Studio, there are actually several filters that can speed up your process a lot.

In this post, I’m going to show you a few filters that can help you work faster without messing up your art style.

0. Where To Find Filter Feature

Before we start, you need to know where to find the filter feature first. Just open your Clip Studio app, look at the top menu bar, and you’ll see a tab labelled Filter.

When you click it, you’ll notice tons of options which can honestly be a little overwhelming if you’re not sure what each one does. So, in this post, I’m going to show you how to use a few of these filters directly on different scenes to create various moods and emotions.

1. Making Focus Scene

First up the one I use the most: Gaussian Blur. Now, take a look at these three images:

See the difference? Using this blur filter helps you instantly create focus in your illustration, whether you want to highlight a character or emphasize a specific part of the scene.

Sure, you could get the same result using the blur brush tool and manually smudging the areas one by one... but come on, that takes forever, right?  Especially if you are making a webtoon, you wouldn’t want to do this on each panel right?

That’s exactly why, the Gaussian Blur filter is a lifesaver, it gives you that soft, cinematic depth effect in just a few clicks.

The method I usually use to apply blur to a webtoon panel goes like this:

 

First, duplicate the character folder. Then, flatten it into a single image. After that, apply Gaussian Blur with the intensity you want.

Make sure you place the blurred image above the character layers, so it looks like they’re being covered by the blur. Finally, erase the unnecessary areas with low opacity eraser, and the result will look like this.

2. Making Action Scene

The second one is Motion Blur, another type of blur I often use to create intense or action-packed moments. You can use this filter to show movement in your illustrations. It helps convey that something is happening so fast. You can also add motion lines as extra detail to make the action and tension feel even stronger.

The steps are actually pretty similar to the Gaussian Blur method. First, merge all the layers that include your character. Then, go to the Filter tab and apply Motion Blur.

For this part, you need to think about the direction of the blur, so it matches the movement, and the intensity of the blur determines how fast or strong the motion feels. Next, just like before, use a low-opacity eraser to remove any parts you don’t need.

You can also add speedlines simply go to the Speedlines tool and drag one single stroke.

Once that’s done, create a new layer on top to draw the motion lines. To make them, just use a simple brush, enable the borderline effect, and draw the lines in the direction of the movement. And that’s it! You’ve got yourself a solid action scene ready to go.

3. Making Water Scene

The third one is the Ripple Filter my tool whenever I’m working on scenes involving water. Sometimes, in a webtoon, there’s a moment where you want to show a ripple as a metaphor.

If you ever need that kind of effect, you don’t have to draw it manually. Just one click with the Ripple Filter, and it’s done. After that, you can add some dramatic lighting or dialogue to set the mood.

4. Making 3D object To Lineart

The fourth one is the Artistic Filter. You think webtoon artists draw everything manually? Nope, guys absolutely not. Things like swords, crowns, clothing ornaments, and other detailed assets are often made using special brushes or 3D objects with filters applied.

Let me show you an example. Let’s say you’re making a webtoon where the same sword appears over and over. Instead of redrawing that sword from scratch in every single panel, you can download a 3D sword model from the Clip Studio Asset store. Once it’s downloaded, just drag the model onto your canvas and adjust the camera angle however you like.

After that, convert the 3D layer to a raster layer — this is important, because filters only work on raster layers. Then go to Filter → Effect → Artistic. And look at that! The 3D model instantly turns into line art. You can tweak the settings like I’m showing here, then hit OK.

And that’s why webtoon artists can draw highly detailed objects consistently and efficiently across multiple panels, not by magic, but by working smart with filters and assets.

5. Making Glitch Scene

The fifth one is Chromatic Aberration.

You’ve probably seen those “glitchy” images where the edges split into red and blue lines, right? That’s what we call chromatic aberration.

In webtoons, this effect is often used for sci-fi or game-themed scenes to create that digital glitch vibe. But that’s not all, it can also be used to add tension in dramatic moments. For example, take this screaming scene, adding the chromatic aberration effect instantly makes it feel more intense and unsettling.

Here’s how to do it:

First, prepare your image. Duplicate it. Then, go to Filter → Distort → Wave to add a bit of distortion.

 

Next, make sure the face area stays visible, since that’s where you want the viewer’s focus to stay — just erase the distortion there using a low-opacity eraser.

After that, you can add some glitchy square effects like this one. I’ve linked the brush you can download for that.

Finally, go back to Filter → Effect → Chromatic Aberration, adjust the intensity until you’re satisfied, and click OK.

 

 

And there you go, a perfect glitch scene! You can even throw in a mosaic effect afterward if you want to push the digital chaos further.

6. Making Textured Scene

The sixth one is the Noise Filter, a super handy one for adding texture to your artwork.

Sure, you could just drop in a texture asset and mess around with layer modes, but that takes extra steps. With the Noise Filter, you don’t need all that, just go to Filter → Noise, click OK, and boom~ instant texture, no fuss, no extra layers.

7. Making Flashback Scene

Now, the seventh one is the Sepia Filter, perfect for flashback or nostalgic moments in your comic. You know those scenes that take place in the past? This filter nails that vintage tone effortlessly.

 

 

To use it, go to Filter→Effect→Retro Film, then select Sepia. Personally, I like using Sepia Light Leak, with settings like the ones I’m showing here.

You’ll notice it automatically combines chromatic aberration and noise, giving your scene a subtle, cinematic look — like an old memory that’s starting to fade.

Alright guys, that’s it for today’s post. Even though Clip Studio Paint has tons of filters, I just showed you the seven most commonly used ones, especially for making webtoons.

Honestly, I also use others like Crystallize, Mosaic, and a few more but hey, 7 just sounds like a nicer number, right? Haha.