This will teach you how to create a pleasant illustration using assets found in CLIP STUDIO ASSETS. I have a simpler, old-school style, so softer shading and colors accompany it. I will not use just brushes, but even fill, pattern, texture, and color set assets. Let's go!

1. Drafting the illustration

I usually either draft my illustrations on paper or digitally. Here, I just did it on paper, and then drafted over it digitally. I found the draft good enough for the final linework.

While this is a pencil more meant for drafting images, it may be used for illustration, too. The lines on the right side of the image below showcase how the texture and width of the input increases as more pressure is applied.

Try experimenting with the different pressures to get the effect you want with an artwork,

or feel free to just use it for sketching out thumbnails and concepts.

 

With the linework complete, we move onto coloring.

2. Filling the illustration with color

Filling in the image can be a pain... but it doesn't have to be.

This is an exceptionally useful fill tool. Just select the area you wish filled in with the lasso, and it fills right away. You can specify it to target only reference layers, a selected layer, or layers in a folder. Never suffer with filling in lineart again!!

In the image above, I used the pencil to have a more natural transition to the color areas produced by the lasso. The asset's page describes solutions to problems you may have when using this fill tool.

The colors that will be used in this illustration come from this palette. This has a nice range of saturation - from more gray, desaturated colors to richer, more vibrant colors, all while carrying a sense of warmth.

 

After I fill in the colors, I begin to move onto some shading.

3. Shading the illustration

I use several brushes when shading an illustration.

This is a set of pastel and textured brushes. I use the Big Flat [Low Density] brush from this set - it's good for soft shading, as shown here with the clothing. Do be mindful that it costs some CP, but it's a very useful set if you want to create a nice pastel effect.

For the hair and skin, I use another brush.

This is a softer brush with not much texture, so it's good for materials that have little to no texture. It produces a smooth yet soft effect. (The results will be seen in the following image below.)

This is a brush I don't use too often, but it can be used for both linework and shading. Here, I use it to add in the finer details of the shading.

Of course, shading is accompanied by highlights. You can't have one without the other. For highlights, I use some brushes from the Artist21 Pack.

I use the brushes Watercolor 2 and Watercolor 3. They give that warm, soft feel I wish

to achieve with this image. If you wish to create a wider range, just increase the brush size. I recommend trying out all materials in the Artist21 pack - it really does help with making warm, painterly images.

 

The bright highlights were drawn in with the pencil used for the lineart.

With the rendering of the image complete, it's onto the finishing touches!

4. Completing the illustration

I don't like leaving my images with a background, especially when they are fairly well rendered. So, I use the colors from the palette I used in this illustration to fill the background with a solid color. Then, I decide to give a pattern to the background.

This has some cute, fun-to-use shapes. Here, I used the first flower brush. I increased the size

to make the pattern larger. Note the main color being the lineart's color, while the sub color being the color inside the lineart.

I decide to add a light texture to the image, to give it an extra rough, yet still soft feeling.

I use the 水彩紙表1 texture (Watercolor Paper Back 1) here. Mess with the size of the texture to get a heaver or thinner texture. Here, I wanted something more on the thinner side.

This is the final illustration.

Conclusion

I don't use all of these assets every time - I get experimental with the ones I used.

 

I hope this not only gives you insight on how to apply these assets, but also to get out there and try out all sorts of materials - not just brushes, but textures, color sets, and other tools, too!

 

So go out there and check out CLIP STUDIO ASSETS! You can find it by going to Clip Studio, and it will be listed underneath 'Essential Tutorials'. There's a whole world of assets to be used and found there - maybe there's one that might perfectly suit your artworks!