Introduction

Recently, an update to Clip Studio added the [Liquify tool].

 

 

 

Since this tool can also be used on monochrome layers, I wondered if it could be applied to manga, so I tried drawing an explosion.

This isn't so much a tutorial as it is a journal entry, but I'll introduce the process.

1. Settings and Rough Sketch of the Explosion

This is a rough sketch of a tiger girl in the foreground bombing a cow in the background. I'll draw an explosion on top of this.

It's easier to understand a large explosion if you think of it as many small explosions gathered together.

If you liken small explosions to cream puffs, a large explosion can be thought of as many small cream puffs erupting from the center.

I drew the rough sketch with that image in mind.

It's kind of like a croquembouche.

Viewed from directly above, it's an image of expanding outwards in a dome shape, like this.

2. Drawing a Single Explosion

Now, let's try drawing one explosion.

Using solid shapes and pen strokes, I'll draw the explosion flames to give the impression of bursting open in a dome shape.

The trick to drawing explosions is to imagine drawing soot on the surface of a light bulb.

 

 

Where the soot is thin, draw with pen strokes to give the impression of smoke moving, and it looks good if you draw some fluffy areas instead of just sharp movements.

Areas where nothing is drawn should be imagined as light leaking from within.

You can also think of the glowing areas as being left white.

 

This is just one example, and everyone draws explosions differently. Let's find a drawing style that suits your art.

3. [Liquify tool] Location and Settings

The [Liquify tool] is next to [Color Mix], where [Finger Tip] and [Blur] are located.

If you set [Distort method] to [Expand], you'll be able to deform in a way that makes things look inflated.

 

Uncheck the bottom option as it slows down performance.

 

If it still runs slow, try reducing the brush size or using a mouse click instead of a pressure-sensitive pen tablet.

4. Making Explosions Three-Dimensional with the [Liquify tool]

When I use the [Liquify tool] on the explosion I just drew, it looks like this!

Since you can make the explosion flames expand in a three-dimensional way, you can easily adjust them to give the impression of an explosion spreading out in 3D.

Compared to doing nothing, it removes the stiffness of the explosion and gives a sense of movement.

5. Drawing More Explosions

I'll draw the remaining explosions on several separate layers.

Draw one explosion, then liquify it.

Then, draw another explosion and liquify it.

By repeating this process many times, the entire explosion was created.

I added white, then applied tones between the solids and the white.

After checking the overall balance of the explosion, I slightly reduced its size and added some spikes to emphasize the momentum.

Since the black is a bit strong, I'll draw lines of force with white tones to soften the black while intensifying the explosion's momentum.

Finally, I added dust with a splatter brush, and the explosion is pretty much complete!

6. Adding Debris and Blending it with the [Liquify tool]

I'll further embellish this explosion with debris to make it more realistic.

 

I'll scatter debris with a debris brush.

If you liquify this with the [Liquify tool], you can make the debris look like it's being blown away three-dimensionally by the explosion.

I'll adjust the overall size and position of the debris a bit, add shadows to the debris, and redraw overly distorted areas to refine it.

 

Finally, I applied tones to the shadows on the debris created by the explosion's glow, and the debris is drawn.

7. Drawing the Ground and Concentrated Lines

I drew the ground by hand once, then used the [Liquify tool] to blend it into the screen in a fisheye style.

This tool seems useful for drawing backgrounds too.

Next, I added concentrated lines towards the center of the explosion,

and applied a gradient to the background to give the impression of it being brightened by the explosion.

 

8. Adjusting Bordered Smoke with the [Liquify tool]

It seems the [Liquify tool] can also be used on layers with [Border Effect]'s [Border] turned on.

 

Next, to give a sense of blast and space, I tried drawing white smoke effects with a bordered silhouette.

 

With the [Liquify tool], you can fine-tune the shape of the smoke like this.

For techniques related to borders, please refer to previous TIPS. With the introduction of the [Liquify tool], even more applications seem possible.

9. Drawing Motion Blur with the [Chromatic Aberration] Filter

Recently, a new [Chromatic Aberration] filter was added to the plugin store.

This filter is originally for creating color shifts, but since it can produce lines that look like vibration blur, I want to try using it instead of motion blur.

As a test, I'll copy the debris layer, undo the tone conversion, combine it into a single color layer, and then apply the [Chromatic Aberration] filter. I'll align the filter's center [red X mark] with the center of the explosion.

 

Furthermore, I'll blur it with the [Radial Blur] filter under [Blur], and then apply tones.

It turned out looking like motion blur. This seems useful for expressing impact!

10. Adjusting the Entire Explosion with the Liquify Tool

The entire explosion felt a bit stiff, so I used the [Liquify tool] to inflate the whole thing.

It's common to get caught up in drawing details and lose sight of the overall movement and balance of shapes, but with this tool, you can easily adjust the entire effect afterwards, allowing you to focus on the details.

 

 

 

11. Adding Glow to the Explosion

Finally, since the glowing effect isn't quite enough, I'll draw light with white tones.

I'll use the Radial Blur filter to give it a glowing feel, and the explosion is complete!

 

12. Colorizing the Explosion

As a final bonus, let's try adding color to the explosion.

 

As preparation, I'll release the tones, set them to gray multiply, and merge all layers into one. Additionally, I'll blend them with Gaussian blur and Radial blur.

From the [New Correction Layer] in the [Layer] menu, I created a [Gradient Map], selected my favorite sunset set from the gradient sets, and adjusted only the highlights to be slightly whiter.

 

A [Gradient Map] is a correction layer that assigns colors according to brightness, and it's one way to color monochrome illustrations.

 

Finally, I adjusted the color tone using the Color Balance of the correction layer,

Furthermore, I'll apply a motion blur-like effect to the entire image with the Chromatic Aberration filter.

I'll intensify the light and dark with the [Contrast] filter,

I changed the color of the debris slightly, and it's complete!

That concludes the tutorial on drawing explosions with the new Liquify tool.

 

If you find drawing explosions by hand tedious, try looking for explosion brushes and experimenting with the [Liquify tool]!

Bonus: How to Use with Characters

The [Liquify tool] was useful not only for effects but also when drawing characters.

It was convenient for adjusting rough sketches,

By enclosing an area with a selection, I was also able to use it partially.

or adjusting the tiger pattern on the tail,

It was also useful for adjusting fishnet stockings.

I'm sure there are many other ways to use it as well.

 

However, for tones of patterns like fishnet stockings or clothes, in actual manga, it's often better to leave them as they are without deforming them along the 3D shape. Unless it's a key scene or the subject's pattern is very close to the camera, it's generally more readable to keep pattern and texture tones flat without deformation. This is because manga panels are a form of deformed art that constructs three-dimensionality with lines and flat surfaces, and deformations that match actual 3D shapes can be contrary to this nature.

While this tool is convenient, it's good to keep in mind that there's also the option not to use it for the sake of screen readability.

Conclusion

 

For now, I've tried out all the uses that came to mind.

Since it's a newly added tool, I believe there are still many hidden ways to use it. I'd be delighted if you all try various things to find good uses for it.