Please view this video with subtitles in your preferred language.

The Japanese explanation is easier to read on my blog, so please refer to it here.

Introduction

This TIPS doesn't contain any secret techniques or groundbreaking ideas, but it introduces 9 useful layer-related tips that even experienced users might not know. The first half covers layer palette operations and selections, and the second half focuses on adjustment layers. While the content might seem subtle, it's important knowledge for users of all levels, from beginners to veterans, so please take a look.

 

I've added subtitles for the video in various languages, so please check it out if you like.

However, I believe this TIPS is easy to understand just by reading it, even without watching the video.

1. Layer Palette Operations: The [Hand tool] is convenient

When there are many layers in the Layer palette, it can be a hassle to scroll with the mouse or move the bar with a pen.

 

Actually, you can move the Layer palette with the [Hand tool] that appears when you press the [Space] key.

 

 

You just need to drag the wide orange area of the Layer palette with the [Hand tool], so you no longer need to switch from your pen to a mouse to scroll with the wheel, or carefully pinch and move the thin bar with your pen.

2. Finding Layers from the Canvas.

When you want to find where a layer on the screen is, you can quickly find it by using the [Select layer tool] that appears when you press [Ctrl] and [Shift] together, and enclosing the area you are looking for on the canvas.

This tool is also useful for finding stray marks on the canvas.

3. Displaying only one layer

When you want to display only one layer or folder, you can do so by [Alt]-clicking the eye icon in the Layer palette. This will display only that layer.

 

To revert, simply [Alt]-click the eye icon again.

 

4. Switching to Screen Display Tools

While not directly related to the Layer palette, I'd like to introduce other display-related tools you should know.

 

Holding the [Space] key temporarily switches to the [Hand tool], allowing you to drag the canvas.

 

Dragging while holding [Shift] together with [Space] temporarily switches to the [Rotate tool], allowing you to rotate the canvas.

 

Dragging while holding [Ctrl] together with [Space] temporarily switches to the [Zoom tool], allowing you to zoom the canvas.

 

 

 

It's also convenient to register [Reset Rotate/Flip] from the [Rotate/Flip] submenu in the [View] menu as a shortcut.

It's also convenient to register [Flip Horizontal] from the [Rotate/Flip] submenu in the [View] menu as a shortcut.

This is often used to check the left-right balance.

Temporarily switching to these tools is recommended because it allows you to operate the screen without moving your pen or gaze from the area you're drawing, thus avoiding distractions each time you perform a screen operation.

 

Supplement: Differences in Display Area by Monitor Resolution

This is a supplement regarding the Layer palette, specifically about the Layer palette and monitor resolution.

The top image shows a monitor with FHD 1920x1080 resolution, and the bottom image shows a monitor with WQHD (2K) 2560x1440 resolution. Both comparisons are with the canvas zoomed to the same state.

Please note the difference in the size of the display area for the Layer palette and canvas.

 

Since WQHD can display more on the screen, you'll need to move the Layer palette, zoom the canvas, or pan it less often.

Therefore, if you have the financial means, I recommend a WQHD or 4K monitor or pen display.

5-1. Creating Selections from Layers

Here are a few ways to create selections from layers.

In some cases, these methods can create selections faster than using the Auto Select tool, saving you time when applying tones or creating masks, so please give them a try.

 

If you [Ctrl]-click the thumbnail in the Layer palette, you can select the drawn portion of that layer.

5-2. Adding a Selection from Another Layer to the Current Selection.

Furthermore, if you [Ctrl]+[Shift]-click the thumbnail of another layer,

you can add the selection of that layer to the selection of the original layer.

 

Remember [Ctrl]+[Shift]-click thumbnail as adding selections. Here, we are adding the selection of the black layer to the selection of the red layer.

5-2. Subtracting a Selection from Another Layer from the Current Selection

 

Also, if you [Ctrl]+[Alt]-click the thumbnail of another layer,

you can subtract the selection of that layer from the original layer's selection.

Remember [Ctrl]+[Alt]-click thumbnail as subtracting selections. Here, we are removing the selection of the purple layer from the original selection.

 

5-3. Selecting the Overlapping Area of a Selection and Another Layer

It might be a bit confusing, but if you [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Alt]-click a layer thumbnail, it will select the overlapping area between the current selection and that layer.

To elaborate, this is like using a cookie cutter on dough.

It's a function that cuts out the shape of the clicked layer from the original selection.

 

It can also be said that it's a function that deletes selections other than those from the clicked layer.

Here, we are deleting the selection areas from the original selection that are not common with the black layer.

And if you [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Alt]-click another layer in the same way,

you can further select only the overlapping portion.

Here, we are deleting the selection areas from the original selection that are not common with the red layer.

5-4. Creating Selections from Fill Layers and Gradient Layers

When creating a selection from a fill layer or a gradient layer,

be careful to click the layer mask thumbnail, not the layer thumbnail itself.

6. Changing Colors of Fill and Gradient Layers

You can change the color of fill layers and 1-2 color gradient layers by selecting the layer and adjusting the color sliders with the Object tool.

This is convenient because there's no need to go to Edit > Tonal Correction every time.

7. Copying Masks and Rulers

By [Alt]-dragging and dropping a mask onto another layer, you can copy the same mask as shown.

This is convenient because you don't have to create selections multiple times.

If the layers are close to each other, clipping can achieve a similar result.

You can also achieve the same result by putting the layers into the same folder and applying a mask to the folder.

Not just masks, but rulers can also be copied in the same way with [Alt]-drag.

Also, if you put layers into the same folder and attach a ruler to the folder, the ruler will be applied to all layers within that folder.

This is useful when drawing backgrounds for comics.

8. Using Border Effect 'Border' for Illustration Finishing

Next is about the 'Border' layer border effect.

I explained how to use it in comics, line art, vector layers, and onomatopoeia in a previous video, so please check that out if you like.

This time, I will introduce an example of how to use it in illustrations.

Adding a border to an illustration within a folder makes the outline sharper and easier to see.

By the way, after adding the border this time, I've added lines with a pen to parts like the hands, headphones, and jacket collar to match the thickness of the outer border. The image above is after these additions. Adding a border is easy with just one button, but without these additions, the line thickness would be inconsistent and look bad, so you shouldn't neglect such fine adjustments.

 

If you put the illustration folder into another folder and apply a border to that outer folder, you can create a double border. Here, we've added a white border outside the original black outline.

 

Furthermore, if you put the illustration folder into yet another folder and apply a border to that outermost folder, you can create a triple border. This time, I wanted to give it a generally pop and cute feel, so I added a pink border. The border color can be changed from [Border color] in the Layer Property palette.

When you feel your character is blending into the background,

adding a slight black border to make it sharper or a white border to make it stand out

can easily create a nice effect, so please give it a try.

However, be mindful of the difference between the outline and the original line art, and make additions or adjustments if necessary.

9-1. How to Use Adjustment Layers

[Adjustment layers] are layers that apply various tonal corrections to the layers below them. Unlike [Tonal Correction] in the [Edit] menu, the original layers remain untouched, and you can re-edit them as many times as you like. You can also check the difference from the original state by hiding the layer.

 

[Adjustment layers] can be created from [New Adjustment Layer] in the [Layer] menu.

Here, we'll start by creating an [Adjustment layer] of [Color Balance].

9-2. Color Balance

When you create a [Color Balance] layer, a window like the following appears.

The [Color Balance] sliders are divided into CMY (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) and RGB (Red, Green, Blue), allowing you to choose whether to shift towards cool or warm colors for each.

Additionally, you can change the color balance separately for each brightness range: shadows, midtones, and highlights. The ability to add color even to achromatic areas is what differentiates it from [Hue/Saturation/Luminosity] tonal correction.

A common adjustment is to shift shadows towards cool colors and highlights towards warm colors.

 

Now, let's try with the shadows.

First, moving the top Cyan/Red slider results in this.

The color components of the shadows change towards red or cyan.

 

Next, moving the second row's Magenta/Green slider results in this.

The color components of the shadows change towards magenta or green.

Next, moving the third row's Yellow/Blue slider results in this.

The color components of the shadows change towards yellow or blue.

Now, let's actually adjust the color balance of the illustration.

For the shadows, I wanted the entire illustration to have a pinkish feel, so I strengthened magenta.

For the midtones, I wanted the highlights to be yellowish, so I strengthened the complementary color blue to emphasize that.

For the highlights, I shifted everything towards warm colors, slightly strengthening red and yellow to emphasize the skin tones.

 

If you hide the [Adjustment Layer] and check the difference from the original state, you'll see this.

You can see that the dull colors have become vibrant.

This is particularly useful for adjusting colors that become muddy when layering strokes, especially in techniques like impasto.

9-2. Re-editing Adjustment Layers

If you want to re-do a tonal correction, simply double-click the thumbnail of the [Adjustment Layer] in the Layer palette, and the window will reappear, allowing you to re-edit.

9-3. Masking Adjustment Layers

[Adjustment layers] can be masked and have their opacity reduced, just like regular layers.

Next, let's change the hue using [Hue/Saturation/Luminosity] in an [Adjustment Layer] to create another color variation.

However, if we do this as is, the skin color will also change, so we will create a mask on the [Adjustment Layer] only for the skin area.

Select the skin layer, then subtract layers of parts like clothes from the skin layer's selection using [Ctrl]+[Alt]-click thumbnail, to create a selection only for the visible skin area. This is like deleting the green layer's portion from the blue selection, as shown in the image below.

 

This is the [Adjustment Layer] for [Hue/Saturation/Luminosity] masked only for the skin area.

With this, you can easily create color variations.

As shown, adjustment layers can be used partially by masking them,

allowing you to instantly create variations like tanned skin with just one adjustment layer.

9-4. Adjusting Backgrounds with Adjustment Layers

Adjustment layers are also convenient for fine-tuning backgrounds.

This time, we will demonstrate their application to atmospheric perspective using color.

 

As preparation, divide the selection into foreground, midground, and background areas.

If the boundaries are ambiguous, [Quick Mask] or [Selection Layer], which allow for opacity, are useful.

With [Hue/Saturation/Luminosity] in an [Adjustment Layer], you can reduce saturation and increase luminosity for distant views, applying atmospheric perspective, or

With [Color Balance] in an [Adjustment Layer], you can shift distant views towards cooler colors, or

With [Tone Curve] in an [Adjustment Layer], you can reduce the contrast of the midground or decrease the red component to shift it towards cooler colors.

 

As such, you can adjust from various points, making it convenient for final finishing touches and creating variations.

Conclusion

I believe this time it was mostly about subtle techniques, but these non-drawing aspects can make a difference in how quickly you complete your work. Please try to use and remember them little by little.

 

Also, vector layers have been covered many times in past tips, so I won't touch on them this time. Please refer to the tips below.

Bonus

I've uploaded a time-lapse video of the illustration's creation process that appeared in this explanation.

It's not very related to this TIPS, and there are no explanations or commentary, so it might not be very helpful as a reference, but if you want to see the creation process, please take a look.