Compatible with Clip Studio Paint Ver. 3.1.0

 

Balloons are an essential element for expressing dialog in manga. You can create these using the [Text] tool.

 

Creating a Balloon

The [Text] tool allows you to create balloons in a wide variety of shapes.

 

<Ellipse Balloons>

Draw a balloon using the [Ellipse balloon] sub tool.

 

1 Tap the tab next to the [Color Wheel] palette to reveal the [Color Set] palette.

If you cannot find the [Color Wheel] palette, you can display the Color Set palette by selecting [Color Set] in the Window menu.

 

2 Select black from the [Color Set] palette. Check that the main color on the [Tool] palette is now black and click to select the main color.

 

3 Select [Comic] tool > [Ellipse balloon] from the [Tool] palette.

 

4 In the [Tool Property] palette, change the [Brush Size] to set the line width of the balloon. Set anti-aliasing to [None].

 

5 Click and drag on the canvas to draw the outline of the balloon.

 

6 Drawing of the basic shape of the balloon is now complete. A balloon layer is created on the [Layer] palette when the balloon is created.

 

<Rectangle Balloons>

1 Select [Comic] tool > [Balloon] tool → [Rectangle balloon] from the [Tool] palette.

 

2 In the [Tool Property] palette, change the [Brush Size] to set the line width of the balloon. Set anti-aliasing to [None].

 

3 Click and drag in the desired location to draw a rectangle balloon.

You can draw two overlapping balloons to create two rectangles joined together as shown below.

 

[Memo]

To draw a freehand balloon or a balloon whose shape cannot be created easily with the [Text] tool, create a new [Raster layer] and draw it directly using tools such as the [Pen] tool.

 

Adjusting the Shape of the Balloon

Once the balloon layer is created, you can use the [Object] tool to adjust the shape and size of the balloon.

 

1 Select the [Operation] tool → [Object] from the [Tool] palette.

 

2 Adjust the shape of the balloon.

You can enlarge or shrink the balloon by selecting the balloon and dragging one of the guide points that is displayed.

 

[Memo]

Dragging a handle while holding down the [Shift] key allows you to maintain the current aspect ratio while resizing.

 

Tips: Outlines of Balloons

You can use the [Tool Property] palette to edit the advanced settings of the balloon outline such as the line color, ground color, brush size and brush shape.

 

Attaching a Tail to a Balloon

Attach a tail to the balloon.

 

1 Select [Comic] tool > [Balloon] tool → [Balloon tail] from the [Tool] palette. I set the [Tool Property] Palette in line with the illustration shown below.

 

2 Click inside the balloon and drag outward to attach a tail to the balloon.

 

You can adjust the position of the tail by dragging the control point using the [Object] tool.

 

Entering Dialog

When the balloon is completed, enter text.

 

1 From the [Tool] palette, select the [Text] tool → [Text] then use the [Tool property] palette to make settings as shown below.

 

2 Click inside the balloon on the canvas to enter text. Click outside the text area to commit the content.

 

To enter other text, click another area with the [Text] tool after entering this text. Click inside an existing balloon to add more text to the same balloon layer or click in an area with no balloon to create a new text layer.

 

Tips: Adjusting the Text

You can correct text that you have entered by using the [Text] tool or the [Object] tool. To correct text that you have entered, select the text on the canvas with the [Text] tool.

 

To change the size or position of the text, drag the guide points of the text on the canvas while the [Text] tool or [Object] tool is selected. You can change the font or the text size by using the [Tool Property] palette.

Adding a Reading for Text

You can add a reading for input text using the [Text] tool.

1 Select the text which you want to add the reading using the [Text] tool.

2 Click the [Sub Tool Detail] button on the [Tool Property] palette to open the [Sub Tool Detail] palette.

Click [Reading] on the [Sub Tool Detail] palette and click [Reading setting]. Enter the text for the reading in [Reading string] popup that is displayed.

3 The reading is added to the text.

 

3 Repeat the same steps to configure the settings of the balloon.

A sea urchin flash will be created for the final dialog in a later process. Click an area with no balloon and enter only the text for this dialog. A new text layer is created as you clicked outside of the balloons.

 

4 On the [Layer] palette, select the text layer you created and click [Combine to layer below].

The two separate text layers are combined as one layer for easier management.

 

[Memo]

Combinations of multiple text (balloon) layers are not rasterized, and are treated as text (balloon) layers even after being combined.s

Tips: Correcting a Reading

To correct a reading you have entered, select the text of the reading on the canvas and correct it in the [Reading setting] of the [Sub Tool Detail] palette. To delete a reading, click the [Delete] button in the popup.