CLIP STUDIO PAINT 3.1.0

 

Before creating a draft for your manga, draw a storyboard. The storyboard is a rough picture that is used to determine the story and composition.

 

Preparing the Manga and Creating a New File

First, create a new canvas with settings appropriate for a monochrome manga.

 

[Memo]

By selecting the [File] menu > [Preferences] > [Ruler/Unit], units of measurements for things such as the paper and brush size can be changed to [px] or [mm]. Set [Unit of length] under [Unit] to the desired unit and click [OK].

Note: For macOS and tablet versions in Studio Mode, select Clip Studio Paint menu icon > [Preferences] > [Ruler/Unit].

Note: On the smartphone version in Studio Mode, select the [Menu] button > [App Settings] > [Preferences] >[Ruler/Unit].

 

1 Select the [File] menu → [New].

Select [Comic] from [Use of work] in the [New] dialog box. Configure settings such as the size and select [A4 Monochrome (600dpi)] from [Preset]. The other settings have been configured as shown below.

 

[Memo]

In EX, you can create a manga work containing multiple pages. To do this, turn on [Multiple pages] and specify the number of pages.

For details, see "Before Drawing a Work in CLIP STUDIO PAINT" → "Page Management [EX]".

 

2 Click [OK] to create the canvas.

 

Tips: Tablet and Smartphone Specific Operations

On the tablet and smartphone versions, some operations may differ. For operations specific to those versions, please refer to the following article.

 

Tablet Version

· Screen Configuration

· Using convenient modifier keys

・ Using the drawing tool

· Displaying the [Layer] palette

 

Smartphone version

· Screen Configuration

・ Operating the [Layer] palette

 

Tips: What Is the Expression Color?

Expression color is a term for the type of color handled in a file or layer. You can set one of three expression colors for each layer in : Monochrome, Gray or Color. The images below are an example of layers where each expression color (Color, Gray, Monochrome with black and white as the drawing colors) is applied to a pattern drawn with the same [Decoration] tool settings.

 

The expression color can be set in the [New Raster Layer] dialog box or the [Layer Property] palette.

 

If a [Basic expression color] is set in the [New] dialog box, that expression color is automatically set for each new layer created on the canvas.

 

Monochrome

This expression color handles one or two colors as well as transparency. You can create full duotone data (images with two color values). The drawing colors (the colors handled on the layer) can be set as black and transparent, white and transparent or black and white.

It is recommended to set the expression color as "Monochrome" from the beginning when creating a manga draft for monochrome printing.

 

When Monochrome is set as the expression color of a layer, the image is drawn as duotone data even when using drawing tools with anti-aliasing or posterization. When drawing with colors other than black and white, the darker color is displayed as [Black] and the lighter color is displayed as [White].

To use posterization for monochrome printing, draw on a layer with Gray or Color set as the expression color and then enable [Tone] on the [Layer Property] palette. Converting to tones creates a similarly posterized effect.

 

Gray

This expression color handles 256 achromatic colors.

Black and transparent, white and transparent or black and white can be used, each with 256 combinations of the two colors.

Use this for posterized black and white images or monochrome images to be displayed by media such as websites.

 

Color

This expression color handles around 16.77 million colors.

It includes almost every color that can be discerned by the human eye. Use this for chromatic images such as color illustrations and color manga.

Layer Icons

The following layer icons are displayed to indicate monochrome, gray and color layers.

The squares at the bottom of the Monochrome and Gray icons indicate the drawing colors being used.

 

However, colors set for [Basic expression color] are not shown as icons for the layers on the [Layer] palette.

 

Configuring the Settings of the Storyboard Layer

Change the settings on the raster layer for initial settings to configure the ideal settings for drawing the storyboard and draft.

 

<Changing the Layer Name>

On the [Layer] palette, double click the layer name of "Layer 1" and change the layer name to "Storyboard".

 

[Memo]

If this palette is not displayed, you can display it using the [Window] menu.

Find out how to display the layer palette on a tablet with this TIPS article:

 

<Setting the Expression Color and Layer Color>

Only black and white can be used for drawing on layers where the initial expression color setting is [Monochrome]. Change the expression color of the layer to create a rough drawing with strokes in different tones as with a pencil. Change the [Layer color] so that the lines drawn for the storyboard can be easily distinguished from the lines that will be drawn later.

 

1 On the [Layer Property] palette, select [Gray] for [Expression color].

 

2 Click [Layer color] on the [Layer Property] palette.

[Layer color] is a function in which all content drawn on a layer is displayed in the specified color. When this is turned on, all content drawn in gray is displayed in an alternative color (in this case blue) so that this content can be easily distinguished from other content.

 

Tips: Editing the Layer Color

You can specify an alternative color by turning on [Layer color] in the [Layer Property] palette. Tap the [Bucket] icon to set the selected drawing color. By clicking the color display area, the [Color Settings] dialog where you can set the color will appear. When you set a color, the layer will change to the color you set. Different colors can be used for each drawing to make it easier to distinguish between them.

 

<Setting the Draft Layer>

Setting a layer as a [Draft Layer] allows you to remove the layer from the references for processes such as filling while still showing the layer. It also removes the layer from the targets for processes such as printing and exporting.

On the [Layer] palette, select the "Storyboard" layer and then click [Set as Draft Layer].

 

Drawing the Storyboard

Use the [Pencil] tool and [Eraser] tool to draw the storyboard based on the "Bleed border", "Cropped border" and "Default border" displayed on the canvas.

 

[Memo]

For details on the basic drawing methods for the storyboard and draft, see "Try Drawing an Illustration in CLIP STUDIO PAINT: Basic Guide" → "Rough Draft".

 

Tips: Area Visible after Printing and Binding

The green border in the image below is called the "Bleed width". The inner line is called the "Cropped border". The area inside this border will be visible after printing. The outer line is called the "Bleed border". The area between this and the cropped border may be visible if the page is off center during printing or trimming.

The border further inward from the "Cropped border" is called the "Default border". This is a guideline for the position of the frames.

 

The book will be trimmed along the "Cropped border", but the position may be inaccurate by several millimeters. The bleed width is primarily there for this purpose. If drawing a picture that will extend to the edge of the page, draw as far as the "Bleed width".

Make sure that all content you do not want to lose is drawn inside the "Cropped border". Note that some of the printed content may still disappear depending on binding specifications such as the binding point. Make sure that all important content, such as dialog and the characters' expressions, is drawn inside the default border.

 

Finishing the Storyboard

Draw and erase gradually until the storyboard is finished. The storyboard is now complete.

 

[Memo]

You can show or hide the crop marks and default border by selecting the [View] menu → [Crop mark/Default border].