1. Introduction
If you're like me, you probably often end up drawing heads from the same angles. Front, three-quarters, a little in profile... and not much else.
It's not because we don't want to vary, but because some perspectives are quite hard to imagine. That's why the 3D head models in Clip Studio Paint seem like a super useful tool for getting out of that routine and trying different poses.
In this tutorial, I'm going to show how I use them and what options they have to get the most out of them.
2. Long Video (12:17 min.)
4. 3D Head Models
Clip Studio Paint includes several head models that we can use as a reference for our drawings.
If you work in Studio mode, you can find them under: Window → Material → Material [Head]
Simply drag the model to the canvas and you can start working with it.
Also, if you click on the wrench icon, you will find all the advanced options to modify the model.
Personally, I almost never go in here because I usually use another option that is much more convenient for me.
5. Simple Mode
Since they added Simple Mode, it's pretty much the way I use 3D models the most.
The interface is much cleaner and quite intuitive, especially if you don't use these tools regularly.
To enter it, simply press the mode switch button or access it from the Clip Studio Paint menu and select "Switch to Simple Mode".
Once inside, accessing the head models is very fast.
6. Camera Controls
One of the things I like most is how easy it is to change the viewpoint.
Simply by dragging, we can rotate the camera around the model and find exactly the angle we need.
We can also zoom in, zoom out, or rotate the view to adapt it to the drawing we want to make. We do this using two fingers when moving the head.
I often find an interesting perspective simply by playing with the camera a bit.
7. Adjusting Features
This is where the tool starts to get interesting.
We can modify practically all the main elements of the face:
▪️ Eyebrows
▪️ Eyes
▪️ Nose
▪️ Lips
▪️ Ears
▪️ Neck
▪️ Head
I don't usually go crazy modifying everything, but it's very handy when I want to improve the model for the character I'm drawing.
► Eyebrows
Eyebrows change the expression a lot.
We can raise them, lower them, or modify their slant to achieve angrier, sadder, or surprised expressions.
Sometimes just touching the eyebrows a bit completely changes the feeling the character conveys.
► Eyes
The eyes have quite a few parameters.
We can modify the height, the distance between them, the size, or even the slant.
This is great for testing different expressions before starting to draw.
► Nose and Lips
We can also adjust the nose and lips to bring them closer to the design we have in mind.
I don't usually exaggerate these parameters, but for certain characters, they help a lot to get a more useful reference.
► Ears and Neck
These are details that often go unnoticed, but they can also be modified.
Especially the neck is interesting to me because it allows us to better adapt the head structure to the type of character we are drawing.
► Neck Rotation
If I had to stick with just one function, it would probably be this one.
We can make the head:
▪️ Look up or down
▪️ Turn side to side
▪️ Tilt sideways
And this is where those angles we normally avoid drawing really start to appear.
Many times we end up repeating the same poses because they are the ones we've mastered, but with the 3D model, we can try much more complicated perspectives without having to imagine them from scratch.
► Adjusting the Camera
Another interesting option is modifying the camera's perspective.
Depending on how much we zoom in or out, we can achieve very different effects.
You can even create quite exaggerated perspectives if you're looking for a more dynamic or cartoonish effect.
It's not something I use constantly, but it's good to have it available when needed.
8. Once You Have the Angle You're Looking For
Once the model is configured, I normally lower its opacity a bit.
Then I create a layer on top and start drawing using the 3D head as a reference.
It's not about tracing the model, but about using it as a guide to better understand the perspective and construction of the head. In the case of the tutorial, you'll have seen that there are drawings I've traced to speed up the tutorial, but the proper way is to start from the 3D model, use it as a reference, and create our drawing with our own style. (like the cover image of this tutorial)
In the end, each drawing will have its own style, but starting from a good reference helps a lot.
9. Result
Since I started using 3D head models, I find it much easier to get out of my usual angles and try new poses.
Also, for complicated perspectives or specific expressions, they save quite a bit of time.
If you've never given them a chance, I recommend trying them because they are a much more useful tool than it seems at first. Below I've included videos where I've used 3D models for the head and body.
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