We will create a cover illustration for a book. This tutorial will explain the coloring process from a previous pencil sketch, as well as the insertion of the title.

The coloring method I propose is to choose a restricted color palette beforehand. Go for it. We will need a graphics tablet and the CLIP STUDIO PAINT program.

EXPLANATION OF THE ILLUSTRATION.

The illustration to be colored is the cover of a book on Mozart's life. A biography with fantastic touches of the life of the famous composer. The illustration shows the culminating moment when Mozart is condemned to hell and occupies the throne of pride reserved for him.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: FLIPPING AND CORRECTION OF THE SKETCH.

Since we all draw with more or less lack of symmetry, it is convenient to turn the final pencil to make some adjustments [Edit / Rotate Invert Canvas / Flip horizontally]. I touch up some symmetry defect in the face, and I make sure that the protagonist's pupils look directly at the viewer. Once this is done, we flip the image again.

COVER MEASURES.

I have chosen a BD album format (Bande dessiné, the French comic), the most widely used format in France for comic book publications and illustrated books. We create a file choosing the illustration section of 24 by 31.5 cm. [File: New]. Type: Illustration. Unit: cm.

We think about leaving 0.5 cm of margin or blood on each side. Therefore 25 wide by 32.5 high.

350 resolution in case we have to enlarge some part without losing resolution.

STRATEGY. Think before coloring.

We first think about the needs of illustration, and we separate and organize it into elements.

All illustration consists mostly of characters on one side and background or stage on the other. As illustrators, our duty is to guide the perception of the observer: that color serves to separate the characters from the background, and helps to recognize and distinguish their shapes "at a glance."

The starting sketch includes two characters, a scenario consisting of a throne that crowns a mound of stones, and a background of fire.

We need to separate the background from the characters. The fiery background will be light, and the characters and setting dark.

 

We will separate the illustration in three terms, seeking to enhance the depth and the distinction between planes. As we know from the famous Renaissance landscape rule, objects lose contrast and lighten as they recede. Therefore, the first term, the main character and the setting, will be the most contrasted. The character in the background will be a little darker, and the background very light.

The lighting will come from below, this will add drama.

Once this is clarified, we will translate it into quick black and white and grayscale sketches, to make sure the theory works. We make basic and quick sketches in the CLIP STUDIO PAINT program, freehand. We use the [Brush] tool and the [Oil Painting] sub tool, with a medium brush size. We choose the color black and a gray.

The sketches show the basic shapes of the illustration in black (left), the line of action of the general shape (center), and the separation of the two main planes in black and gray (right)

APPLY GRAY SCALE TO ILLUSTRATION.

Then we move on to solving the chiaroscuro of the drawing.

We start with two grays, a light gray for the foreground, and a dark gray for the background. To do this, we put the sketch above in [multiplication mode] and click on the [padlock] icon so that we cannot paint on it, and create two layers. One light gray call and one dark gray call.

To fill with color, it is convenient to make the selection with the wand in the sketch layer, since it has closed lines. And then, with the selection made, click on the gray layer and paint on it.

Next, we add a lighter gray for the characters' skin, and dark gray for the main character's costume.

This done, we are clear about the tonal value scale, the gray scale in the illustration. And we only have to replace the tones with colors later, when we decide on the color palette.

APPLY THE BACKGROUND COLOR.

We will use yellow as the predominant shade. We open the standard palette [Window / Color Set / Standard Color Set]. And we select the color "pale yellow".

We will create a new layer [New raster layer] we will give CTRL + A (select all), and fill it with yellow completely. We will put this yellow layer under all the others.

PLACEMENT OF THE TITLE.

We will have to select all the layers except the yellow one and move them downwards to give space to the placement of the title at the top. And we put the title, in a new layer for it, provisionally.

Select the Tool [rubber] to erase and place the title behind the skull.

If we want to enlarge any letter, we select it with the [Lasso] freehand and we resize it by pressing CTRL + T.

Small tweaks like increasing the throne and the character of Mozart and his eyes do not deserve special mention: it is selected with the lasso tool having the affected layers selected, and they are resized by pressing CTRL + T.

A peculiarity of the CLIP STUDIO PAINT program is that to resize an area in a non-uniform way (lengthen, widen, distort) you have to press CTRL on the bounding rectangles.

PALETTE.

We all have a rough mental image of the colors that the illustration will have. In my case I see violets, reddish and yellow. Try to adjust to that mental image or prototype, instead of trying colors. To use a metaphor, be true to the mental image and not flirt with all the colors of the spectrum. Naturally, the mental image is defined as the real image is outlined.

I have selected two color stripes. One with oranges, vermilions, and reds to the left of the standard color set [Window / Color Set / Standard Color Set]. And another with purples and scarlets. Both range from pale to dark shades. I have created a layer called "Palette", and built this virtual palette that you see here.

COLORED. FROM BACKGROUND TO CLOSE-UP.

Let's color the background first, then the second plane - the masked one - lastly the foreground with Mozart.

For the background, we create a vermilion colored [New Raster Layer] layer. With the [soft rubber] tool we erase and create a blur, a base for the background. We add a little dark red in the background to add nuances.

We go to color the characters, from the second to the foreground.

From now on I have used the following procedure: with the [Automatic Selection] tool, the wand, I select the area previously painted in gray.

The selection is delimited by a dotted line. Then, with the [Eyedropper] tool or the keyboard shortcut (I), I choose the color from the palette I have created. And I press [Fill] in the box that appears below.

Gray changes to the selected color. To deselect, press the shortcut CTRL + D. And so we are painting with flat colors on grays.

We will have something like this:

Getting here is not easy, and requires testing the colors of the palette, to see how they combine together. Coloring is how to make music: some chords combine better, and others combine worse. In this case, the dominant chord is violet.

I have dispensed with using black or white in this illustration. The lighter tone -or chord- will make white. And the darkest, in black.

Another need is to separate the planes, as we said before, but now chromatically. The vermilion and yellow background will highlight the characters in violet tones.

Coloring is like writing a symphony: it creates a general, dramatic and atmospheric tone to the image.

SHADOWS AND TEXTURES.

It is convenient to create another layer for the shadows. It is necessary to observe which is the focus of illumination. In this case, the light comes from below.

The raw image is ready.

Now you just have to outline, add shades of color and some more shades.

I have used three main tools:

1- The [Pen] sub tool to fill areas with flat color and to outline.

2- The [Airbrush] to add shades to the spot color, or to shade.

3- The [Moldable rubber] to break the shadow profiles or create effects.

To texturize the throne, I used the [Airbrush]. A mix between the [Sprayer] and the [Droplets]

With a lighter color tone and the [Sprayer], I have added the lights. With the [Droplets] of other shades, I have simulated what appears to be a texture of holes in the rock.

FIRE BACKGROUND.

We create a layer for the fire effects in the background. We will use the [Airbrush] with the yellow color and the [Sprayer out of focus] sub tool. We make shavings of fire.

With [Airbrush / Scratch tone] and white, and with [Droplets] in yellow and white, we add flamboyant effects and lighten the background.

 

Then we darken some areas of the background with cloudy red. [Airbrush] and [Sprayer] to add contrast.

And we clarify others with the same [Sprayer] and the pale yellow color. We add a texture to the background gradient. And above all, we try to create areas of chromatic contrast that enhance the figures:

Now we draw the flames. We create a new layer that must be below the effects layer, so that it does not cover these. We draw a closed area with [Figure], [Fill with lasso]. The same can be done with [Selection (M) / Loop].

Press [Fill] and color the selections made.

With [Soft Rubber] and [Moldable Rubber] we blur the contours of the flames.

Finally, we erase any pencil residues that may be, from the indicated layer. And the drawing is ready.

Thank you for your attention.

Julio Robledo.