Compatible with Clip Studio Paint Ver. 3.1.0

 

[1] Sketching

Using the [Pencil] tool, I will begin sketching the rough draft onto the canvas.

 

 

 

1. Pencil tool preparation

 

① Select the [Sketch] tool from the [Tool] palette, and then select [Pencil] from the [Sub Tool] palette.

 

② Adjust the brush size of the [Sketch] tool.

You can adjust the size by using the [Tool Sliders] palette on the bottom left, the [Brush Size] slider on the [Tool Property] palette or by selecting a size on the [Brush size] palette.

 

Note:

For tutorials on how to use the drawing tools on tablets, refer to the following article.

 

(3) To select black as the drawing Color, open the [Color wheel] palette and click on the very bottom of the square.

 

 

 

 

2. Comic Rough Draft

 

(1) Change the layer name to a simple explanation. Go to the [Layer] palette, double click “Layer 1” and change the layer name to “Sketch.”

 

(2) Sketch the rough draft using the [Pencil].

 

(3) Roughly sketch the word balloons and effect lines.

 

 

 

3. Correcting the linework

 

You can use the [Eraser] tool to edit the lines you have drawn.

 

(1) Select the [Eraser] tool from the [Tool] palette, and then select the [Hard] eraser from the [Sub Tool] palette.

 

(2) Adjust the size of the [Eraser] tool.

Adjust the [Eraser] tool size by adjusting it using either the [Tool Sliders] palette on the lower left side, the [Brush Size] slider on the [Tool Property] palette or by selecting a size on the [Brush size] palette.

When you want to erase a larger area, select a larger brush size. When you want to change little details, select a smaller brush size.

 

Note: Correcting a line using [Undo]

You can undo your last action by pressing [Undo] on the [Command Bar] at the top of the screen. Use [Undo] when you want to completely redraw a line, and use the [Eraser] tool to correct part of a line or an area with multiple lines.

When using an iPad, you can undo your last action by tapping the canvas with two fingers.

 

 

 

4. Finishing the rough draft

 

With the sketch complete, I change the “sketch” layer's settings so that its easier to draw clean lines.

 

(1) Change the line color to blue on the “sketch” layer.

If you click the [Layer color] button on the [Layer property] palette, the color of the sketch will turn from black to blue.

 

(2) Lower the [Opacity] on the [Layer] palette to 30% to increase the transparency of the sketch.

By lowering the sketch opacity, it will be easier to see the clean line art.

 

Now, let’s move on to drawing the clean line art over the original sketch.

 

[2] Inking

To draw or edit a single frame at a time, create a layer in the [Frame Border folder] and ink on it from there.

 

 

 

1. “What is a Layer?”

 

When drawing comics in Clip Studio Paint I use [Layers].

Each layer acts like a transparent film. You can paint all your lines and colors on these transparent layers.

 

If you use different layers for lines, colors, characters and backgrounds, it will be easier to make adjustments at later stages. You can also hide everything drawn on a layer with a single click without deleting it.

 

The layers stack up in the order shown in the [Layer] palette. Parts drawn on upper layers will cover lower layers.

 

When you create a new canvas, a [Paper] layer and a layer called “Layer 1” will be created by default.

When creating comics, layers are added above these layers as you progress through each process such as drawing the “frame border,” “inking,” “adding tone,” etc.

 

 

 

2. Inking one frame at a time

 

(1) Select the [Operation] tool from the [Tool] palette, and then select the [Object] sub tool from the [Sub Tool] palette.

 

(2) You can use this tool to easily change to the [Frame border folder] by selecting the inner part of the frame you wish to ink on. Clicking the first frame selects the “1-1” folder.

 

Note:

Drawing can not be done on the [Frame border folder] itself.

 

(3) Click [New Raster Layer] on the [Layer] palette, and a new layer will be created in the selected [Frame border folder].

 

(4) I will start inking on this layer. I double-click the layer name and change it to "Line Drawing".

 

(5) Select the [Pen] tool from the [Tool] palette then, select [Real G-pen] from the [Sub tool] palette.

 

(6) Frame by frame, ink the rough sketch.

 

Note:

To hide any lines that extend past the frame's border, add a [Layer mask] to the [Frame Border folder].

This way, I can draw lines past the frame's border without worrying if they'll be displayed or not.

 

(7) Once I have finished drawing the first frame, I move onto the next frame by selecting it with the [Object] subtool. I will again create another layer here and begin inking.

 

Now all of the frames have been inked!

 

 

 

3. Adding the scenery

 

I will add some grass on the ground where the character is sitting.

For this, I will use the [Grassland] brush registered to the [Decoration] tool.

 

(1) Select the frame you wish to add scenery to using the [Object] tool.

 

(2) Create a new layer for the scenery by clicking on [New Raster Layer] in the [Layer] palette.

 

(3) Change the layer name to “scenery.”

 

(4) Select the [Decoration] tool from the [Tool] palette. There are a lot of brushes here grouped according to application.

 

(5) Select the [Grassland] sub tool from the [Background] tool group.

 

(6) Drag the brush across the canvas to produce random patches of grass.

 

(7) Any unneeded areas can be erased using the [Eraser] tool.

 

Note:

The patches of grass are drawn on a different layer than that of the character, so when you need to erase the grass patches, you only erase them and not the character.

 

(8) Use the same procedure for all the remaining frames.

 

All of the inking work is now complete!

 

Next, I will add screen tones and fill in areas with solid black.