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[1] Preparation

■ Canvas Size

For this drawing, the size of the [Canvas] will be set to [1440px * 1920px].\nThis size is the longest vertical ratio where the thumbnail is displayed in its entirety without being cropped when a single vertical image is posted on X (formerly Twitter), allowing you to take full advantage of a vertical illustration.\nYou don't necessarily have to use the same canvas size as the example. As long as the aspect ratio of the image is the same, it won't cause any major issues in the process.

■ Brushes

In this tutorial, I will only use the [Pencil] and [Brush] category brushes provided by default in Clip Studio.\n\nFor the brushes included in [Brush], I will change some settings to achieve a watercolor-like expression.\nPress [F5] or go to the top menu [Window] > [Sub Tool Detail] to open the brush tool settings. Then, check [Watercolor edge] and change the [Border effect] from [Standard] to [Vivid].

[2] Concept

■ Character Design Concept

This time, I will design a witch character using <Hat>, <Cloak>, and <Wand>—elements suggested as examples by Clip Studio in September 2026—as the main components.

1. Simple Design

First, establish the overall shape of the character.\n\nIf you want to find an easy way to capture the form, you can refer to figure pictograms used for female restrooms and such.\n\nRestroom signs or human-shaped pictograms and emojis that are easily found in daily life are very simple stylizations of the human form.\n\nTherefore, if you start from these simple shapes and gradually add details, you can establish the character's form with less pressure than drawing a complex human body from the beginning.

Add the initially given keywords <Hat>, <Cloak>, and <Wand> as the basic design elements of the character.\n\nHowever, if these are the only design elements, it can be somewhat difficult to create a unique and attractive character. Therefore, from this stage, think of additional keywords that can make the character more appealing.

From the keyword <Witch>, I additionally thought of a cat and bells, and added these elements to the character design.\n\nHere, I transformed the cloak into something more like a robe, and developed the cat element into a girl with cat ears.\n\nAs the cat-girl attribute was added, the character's personality also became more specific.\nCats generally have a relaxed and lethargic image, and one can easily imagine them enjoying sleep.\n\nBased on this image, a character was created: a cat-beastman witch who loves naps and has slightly long, shaggy hair that looks a bit unkempt.\n\nIn the next step, let's add rough colors, details, and points that will make the character stand out based on this design.

While maintaining an overall black atmosphere, I was looking for a bright flower to provide variety and found a flower called Belladonna.\n'Belladonna' means 'beautiful woman' in Italian, and it is also a plant with strong toxicity.\nI thought these characteristics fit the image of a witch well, so I adopted it as a design element for the character.\nAlso, since I felt the overall color scheme was too skewed toward black, I changed the hair color to a gradient from silver to ashy gray.\n\nAs a side note, when deciding on colors, try not to exceed 5 main color groups.\n\nIf there are too many types of colors used in one screen, the relationship between colors becomes complicated, and it can be difficult to guide the viewer's eye.\n\nEspecially if you are not yet familiar with character design, it is better to practice designing characters within a limited color palette rather than using many colors from the start.\n\nTherefore, for those who are not yet used to character design, I recommend using no more than 5 main color groups.\n\nNow, let's establish the detailed design based on this draft.

2. Detailed Design

Based on the simple design drawn above, let's now establish the detailed design of the character.\n\nIn this stage, rather than trying to complete all details from the start, decide on the overall proportions and form of the character first, and then proceed by gradually adding detailed elements.\n\nIf the silhouette and keywords created in the simple design stage are the character's 'skeleton,' you can think of the detailed design as the process of deciding what body type and clothing to actually put on that skeleton.

Since this character has the characteristic of being a witch and a cat-beastman, it is important to think about a body type and pose that convey the character's personality, rather than just drawing a human body.\n\nFor example, if it were an active and confident character, you might use a pose with the body wide open, but for a relaxed and lethargic personality like this character, it's good to use a pose where the shoulders or arms are a bit relaxed and she's standing comfortably.\n\nReflecting the character's personality in the pose like this can convey the character's atmosphere to some extent even without a separate explanation.

Once you have decided on the body type, roughly draw the body and basic landmarks that will serve as the standard for the drawing.\nHere, landmarks refer to the main points that determine the character's proportions and positions, such as the head, shoulders, chest, pelvis, knees, hands, and feet.\n\nIn this stage, there is no need to draw fine details like the face or wrinkles in the clothes.\n\nIn fact, putting in these details too early makes it difficult to correct if the overall proportions are wrong, so it's better to first check the size of the head, the length of the torso, and the length and position of the limbs.\n\nEspecially when drawing a full-body character, even a slight change in head size or leg length can significantly change the character's impression, so it's good to get into the habit of checking the overall proportions before the detailed depiction.

Once the basic body type is set, create concrete forms for the character's clothing and decorations based on the simple design made earlier.\n\nThink about how the initially decided <Hat>, <Cloak>, and <Wand> will be placed on the actual character's body and establish their shapes.\n\nFor example, instead of just thinking 'there is a cloak,' you should decide things like how long the cloak is, where it fastens, how much of the body it covers, and what kind of silhouette it creates when moving.\n\nWhat's important here is not to lose the characteristics of the simple design made at the beginning.\n\nAs you add detailed elements, the design can become complex and gradually move away from the character's appearance you originally intended.\n\nTherefore, whenever you add a new detail, check: \"Does this element reinforce the character's personality or concept?\"\n\nOnce the overall form is decided, add details to areas that feel lacking or empty, or gradually modify the existing forms.\n\nHowever, more detail isn't always better.\n\nRather than adding decorations to every part of the character, it is better to concentrate details on the parts where you want the eye to be drawn first.\n\nFor example, if you put relatively more detail into parts that are good for showing character traits, like around the face, the chest, or the hands, and keep other parts simple, you can prevent the overall design from becoming cluttered.\n\nGiving this difference between parts with a lot of detail and parts with little detail makes the important characteristics of the character stand out more.

Once the form is somewhat organized, finally draw a color rough based on the colors decided in the simple design stage to check the overall color composition.\n\nIn this stage, you don't need to paint perfectly.\n\nIt's enough to paint just enough so that you can quickly check the color and value relationships of each part, such as what color for the hair, what color for the clothing, and what color for the decorations.\n\nEspecially in a design with many black-toned colors like this character, it's important to check that the colors don't look clumped together.\n\nEven when using similar colors like black clothing and ashy hair, setting the value or saturation slightly differently makes it easier to distinguish each form.\n\nIf you don't like the overall color balance and form at the color rough stage, correct it before moving on to the completion stage.\n\nThe more you organize the sense of form and color composition in this stage, the more you can significantly reduce the time spent wandering during the process of finishing the drawing later.\n\nNow, the basic design of the character is complete.\n\nIn the next step, we will draw the actual illustration based on this design.

[3] Illustration Process

■ Screen Setup

Now, let's draw the actual illustration based on the character design completed earlier.\n\nFirst, create a new canvas and move the simple design and detailed design images drawn earlier to the left side of the screen.\n\nPlacing reference images nearby while working not only makes it easier to check the character's design but also prevents you from deviating from the design you initially set while drawing.\n\nThe way to move an image is to click and hold the status bar of the canvas and release it when the side bar turns red.

■ Rough Sketch

First, change the property of the layer where you will draw the rough to light blue.\n\nYou can change the color by clicking the button on the far right of [Effect] in [Layer Property], or by clicking the button at the top right of the [Layer] window.\n\nThe reason for changing the rough's color to light blue is to easily distinguish it from the lines that will be drawn later.

Now, lightly draw several compositions that come to mind in thumbnail size.\n\nThe important thing here is not to draw beautifully, but to quickly decide where the character will be positioned on the screen, what size she will appear, and which direction she will look.\n\nThere are methods like drawing a rectangle with a similar ratio to the screen first and then placing the character inside, or drawing the character's overall appearance first and then placing the screen frame.\n\nEither method is fine; choose the one that is comfortable for you.\n\nIf possible, I recommend quickly creating several compositions and comparing them rather than thinking of just one.\n\nIf you try to complete a single composition from the start, it takes a lot of time to correct when you find something you don't like, but if you make several options in thumbnail size, you can choose a better composition while comparing them.\n\nAnd I recommend not deleting the various roughs created this way immediately, even if they don't fit the current character or you don't like them.\n\nYou might be able to use them as a new composition when drawing other pictures later, or you might discover good ideas that you couldn't see at the time when you look back after some time has passed.\n\nYou should think of making multiple roughs not as making multiple failures, but as the process of securing options for the final drawing.

Between the two roughs, I like option number 1 on the left the most, so I will use it.\n\nFirst, use [Transform (Ctrl + T)] to increase the size of the rough to fit the entire canvas.

Next, to refine the rough, increase the size of the eraser and softly erase the screen overall.\n\nThe method of organizing a rough varies slightly from person to person.

Some people often use a method of lowering the [Opacity] value of the layer itself and then drawing new lines on top to organize it.\n\nI prefer the feeling of gradually carving away at the rough when I'm developing it, so I mainly use the method using an eraser.\n\nOf course, there is no set rule on which method is better. Choose the method that fits your workflow.

As you repeat the process of erasing, carving, and redrawing, the final form may become quite different from the rough you initially drew.\n\nHowever, this is also a natural process.\n\nThe purpose of a rough is not to accurately predict the completed drawing from the start, but to find better forms and compositions while drawing.\n\nI also ended up with a form quite different from the initial rough, but since it's not significantly different from the overall image I had in mind, I will proceed with the work as is.

Now, refine the screen composition a bit more.\n\nTry tilting the screen angle of the drawing or adjusting the character's size to find a screen composition that can give the viewer an impression of being pretty or cute.\n\nIn this process, it's better to think about the screen's empty space and the space the character occupies together, rather than simply placing the character in the center of the screen.\n\nAlso, as you adjust the composition, some parts of the body other than the character's face may be cropped, or parts of the carefully designed clothing may go off-screen.\n\nHowever, this is not a problem that must be avoided.\n\nIn a 2D screen, you can only show the view from one viewpoint, so it's difficult to show every side and outfit of a character on one screen.\n\nIn fact, if you appropriately use a production where parts are cropped off-screen, you can achieve the effect of drawing attention by having the character take up more of the screen.\n\nTherefore, rather than being obsessed with showing every part of the character, decide on the composition while thinking first about what you want to show the most in this drawing.\n\nOnce the overall composition of the screen is decided, finally organize the rough.

Now, based on this rough, we can proceed with the full line art and coloring work.

■ Main Work

Now, let's start the main work based on the rough completed earlier.

First, create a new canvas and [Copy + Paste] the rough you drew.\n\nThen, to draw the line art, lower the opacity of the rough to about 50.\n\nAlthough the rough is blue, so it can be distinguished from black-toned lines, if the rough remains too clear, the amount of information coming into view can make the screen feel cluttered when drawing line art.\n\nTherefore, it's good to make the rough \"visible just enough to be used as a reference.\"

For the line art brush, use [Design pencil], and set the color brightness to about 15.\n\nIn general illustrations, colors close to true black are often used for line art, but for this drawing, I will use a slightly brighter color.\n\nThis is a personal style choice to express a soft watercolor atmosphere.\n\nBecause of the characteristics of paper and paint, watercolor is often seen in various colors and values as it is influenced by the texture of the paper, the spread of water, and surrounding colors, rather than being expressed as a completely uniform black.\n\nTherefore, in this work, I will use a slightly brighter color than pure black so that the line art doesn't stand out too strongly in the whole drawing.

Now, draw the line art referring to the rough.

In this stage, rather than trying to organize all lines perfectly and cleanly, it's important to draw so that the character's form and clothing structure can be clearly conveyed.\n\nEspecially since I plan to bring out a watercolor texture in this drawing, it's also good to use lines that have a bit of pen pressure and texture rather than excessively mechanical and uniform lines.\nOnce the line art is all drawn, click [Change Layer Color] at the top left of the [Layer] window to give color to the line art.\nUsing this function allows you to change the line art to the desired color all at once, making it convenient during the process of distinguishing and organizing layers.\nI often use this method in my general work as well.

Now, let's lightly paint the shadows.\n\nCreate a [New Layer] above the line art layer, change the layer property to [Multiply], and paint the overall shadows of the character.\n\nIn this work, I placed the shadow layer above the line art.\n\nThis is one way to express the process of digital work where paint is added over lines, similar to how actual analog watercolor is done.\n\nUsing a Multiply layer creates a feeling where the lines underneath are still visible while the color is layered on top.\n\nTherefore, you can express the feeling of paint being placed on top of lines without the line art being completely buried by color.\n\nHowever, this isn't the only way to express a watercolor style.\n\nA watercolor feel is created by various elements such as brush texture, color mixing, and opacity, so it's okay to change the layer structure to fit your own working style.\nWhen painting shadows, think of the overall direction of light and shade first.\n\nAfter deciding where the light is coming from, distinguishing between the parts that the light directly hits and the parts where the light is blocked makes it easier to create a sense of three-dimensionality in the drawing.\n\nIn this drawing, I painted the shadows with cool-toned colors.\n\nBack in my elementary, middle, and high school days when I learned watercolor, we often used a mix of Ultramarine and Van Dyke Brown as a base when expressing shadows in watercolor, and the color used then is similar to the shadow color I use now.\n\nBecause of that, these colors remain an impression of the basic shadow color of watercolor for me.\n\nHowever, shadows don't necessarily have to be painted in cool tones.\n\nShadow colors can vary depending on the color of the surrounding environment or the light source, so you can choose colors according to the atmosphere you want in your drawing.

On the same layer where the shadows were painted, paint the appropriate color for each part using a [Watercolor brush].\n\nThis time, I will try painting colors on the same layer as the shadow layer without adding a separate coloring layer.\n\nPainting colors on the same layer allows different colors to naturally overlap and mix, making it easier to create the feeling of paint spreading and mixing rather than the clearly separated colors characteristic of digital illustrations.\n\nThe color boundaries created while painting with the [Watercolor brush] should be appropriately smudged and mixed using the [Color Mixing] tool as needed.\n\nHowever, there is no need to unconditionally mix all boundaries softly.\n\nSince watercolor has both parts where color spreads and parts where it remains sharp, it is important to distinguish between parts where boundaries should be left and parts that should be mixed.\n\nLeave parts that need to show the form clearly relatively sharp, and use the Color Mixing tool to softly connect parts where different colors should lead naturally into each other.\n\nRepeat this process to fill in the basic colors for the entire character.

Once all basic colors are filled, check the overall form and color of the drawing again.\n\nNow, add some detail to the necessary parts.\n\nIn this stage, I recommend focusing details on the parts where the eye is drawn first when looking at the drawing, rather than depicting all parts minutely from the start.\n\nConcentrate details on parts that can show character traits well, such as the face, hair, and clothing decorations, and keep relatively unimportant parts simple.\n\nThis way, you can emphasize the character's charm while preventing the entire drawing from becoming too complex.

After checking the overall color, it feels a bit dull, so I create an [Overlay] layer and add some warm tones.\n\nLightly paint warm colors close to orange, focusing on parts where light hits and around the face.\n\nAt this time, I recommend building up the color little by little with low opacity rather than painting strongly all at once.\n\nThis is because watercolor fits well with the process of layering light colors several times to create the desired color rather than putting on a dark color at once.\n\nEspecially adding warm colors around the face can make the character's skin and face stand out more naturally than the background or clothing.

Now, add a paper texture to give it more of a watercolor painting feel.\n\nFor the texture, I used [Japanese Paper 02], which is provided by default in Clip Studio.\n\nCreate the texture layer at the very top of the drawing and adjust the opacity.\n\nIf a texture is applied too strongly, it can cover up the colors and forms of the drawing itself, so it's important to find a level where the texture of the paper is felt without ruining the drawing.\n\nI set the opacity to 11.\n\nHowever, the appropriate value can vary depending on the brush used or the colors of the drawing, so you don't necessarily have to use the same value.\n\nThen, create a new layer on top of that texture layer, clip it, and change the property to [Overlay].\n\nSelect [Foreground to transparent] among the [Gradient tool] options and use it in a top-to-bottom direction to add a slightly warmer feel to the entire drawing.\n\nThis creates a unified color and atmosphere for the entire drawing compared to just placing the texture alone.

Finally, check the background.\n\nSince the current background feels a bit empty, I use a [Watercolor brush] with light yellow-toned colors and paint as if dabbing it on.\n\nAt this time, express the background just enough to make the character stand out rather than depicting it too precisely.\n\nSince the character is the main protagonist of the drawing, if the background detail becomes too much, it may actually become difficult to focus on the character.\n\nAfter a final check of the overall color and texture, it is complete.

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