0. Introduction

Please enable subtitles in your language when watching this video.

For an easier-to-read explanation in Japanese, please refer to my blog here.

This time, I will thoroughly explain the quick and easy basic methods for applying screentones in manga. First, I will cover how to apply screentones to basic characters, and finally, as a small background application, how to draw snow with screentones.

 

The knowledge introduced this time may seem trivial individually, but accumulating such small workflow efficiencies will significantly improve the speed at which you complete your manga.

I hope this will be of some help in your production process.

 

I have added subtitles in various languages to the video, so please watch with subtitles turned on.

 

However, this TIPS article includes GIFs created from the above video, so I believe the content should be easy to understand even without watching the video.

1-1. Basic Application Method: [Fill] Tool and Mask Display Toggle

First, let's look at a method for filling screentones.

Create a tone layer from a new layer and fill it with the [Fill] tool.

This is the most common filling method.

As with other filling tools, it's best to draw your line art as closed as possible, without gaps.

 

If you draw art with gaps in the lines, you can increase the [Close Gap] value in the [Fill] tool settings.

Check for any overflow and the overall finish by toggling the display of the mask with the red mark.

Since this checking process is performed many times during drawing, it's convenient to register it as a shortcut.

It's a good idea to register [Display Mask] from the [Layer] menu > [Layer Mask] as a shortcut so you can toggle its visibility with a single touch.

1-2. Basic Application Method: Fill Broadly, then Erase with [Fill] Tool

The second filling method is to paint broadly, extending beyond the lines, and then erase the excess parts using the [Fill] tool with transparent color.

 

1-3. Basic Application Method: [Enclosed Fill] Tool

The third filling method is the [Enclosed Fill] tool, which is part of the [Fill] tool.

 

 

In the tool settings, set [Target Color] to the fifth option from the top, [Area enclosed by black lines],

and it will automatically fill the area you enclose.

 

1-4. Basic Application Method: Dragging with the Fill Tool

The [Fill] tool we used first can also fill areas by dragging it like this, jumping over lines.

 

You don't have to click multiple times.

2-1. Applying Tones to Characters

Now, let's use these application methods to apply screentones to this character's line art.

She's a girl warming her hands with coffee on a cold day.

2-2. Separating Line Art

The line art is separated into parts like this. Separating the line art makes it a bit easier when applying screentones.

2-3. Creating a White Mask

Before applying screentones, create a mask for the character using a solid white fill layer to prevent the character from overlapping with the background.

This mask can also be used later to add an outline to the character or create selections from the mask.

 

2-4. Creating a Folder for Screentones

Above the line art layer, create a folder for screentone layers and set its blending mode to Multiply.

This prevents the line art from fading when applying gradients or gray screentones.

2-5. Applying Screentones to Hair

Now that preparations are complete, let's apply screentones to the character's hair.

Hide everything except the hair line art and roughly fill it with the [Enclosed Fill] tool.

The green areas are parts that were mistakenly filled.

It's fine if it's not perfectly filled at this stage; we'll complete it little by little.

Hold [Ctrl] and click the white mask thumbnail to create a selection, then go to the [Selection] menu > [Invert Selected Area], and then [Edit] menu > [Clear].

 

This allows you to erase the green screentone areas outside the white mask all at once.

 

This erased the green areas faster than deleting them one by one.

It's convenient to register [Invert Selected Area] and [Clear] as shortcuts.

By repeatedly showing other line art to fill uncolored areas, then hiding them to erase excess parts, I was able to apply screentones to the hair in about 3 minutes.

 

 

 

This method of roughly filling first and then refining the details is the screentone application method I recommend.

2-6. Applying Screentones to the Coat

Apply screentones to the coat in the same way.

Hide the line art for other parts, fill broadly, and then erase with the [Fill] tool.

For areas where the hair and screentone overlap,

[Ctrl]-click the hair screentone thumbnail to select it, then erase the coat's screentone.

2-7. Preparing to Apply Screentones to the Scarf

We'll apply a checkered screentone to the scarf later, but for now, let's just create a mask using a selection layer.

Selection layers are created from the [Selection] menu > [Stock Selection].

After roughly filling, select the coat's screentone and erase the parts that overflowed onto the coat.

 

Just like with the hair and coat earlier, if you skillfully use the areas where screentones have already been applied as selections, you can easily apply the next screentones as if cutting out shapes.

 

The method for creating selections from layers is explained in detail in a previous TIPS article, so please refer to that for more information.

2-8. Applying Tones to Eyes and Coffee

Finally, apply screentones to the eyes, eyelids, and coffee, and the basic tone application is complete!

2-9. Adding Black

In manga, it's often better to temporarily forget the actual direction of light and add shadows in directions where the character is not facing, as this can make the panel easier to read.

Even though we only have one character this time, keep this in mind when inking large groups of characters.

 

2-10. Reversible Screentone Scraping Method

Next, I'll introduce a useful technique for scraping solid blacks and screentones.

 

Set the blending mode of the screentone layer you want to scrape to Multiply. Then, create a white solid fill layer above it, lower its opacity to convert it to a tone, clip it, and draw on it. This allows you to create a scraped effect while preserving the original layer.

This way, you don't have to repaint when redoing it, and it's also convenient when creating selections from layers.

This time, I'm drawing with a 40% screentone, a black layer set to Multiply, and a white layer, making three layers in total.

Alternatively, you can achieve the same drawing result with just two layers: a black layer set to Multiply and a white screentone layer with opacity reduced to 60%.

This method might be easier to understand and draw highlights for black hair.

2-11. How to Apply Patterned Screentones

Finally, let's apply a patterned screentone to the scarf that we left aside.

 

Double-click the thumbnail of the selection layer we created earlier to make a selection, then drag and drop the patterned screentone from the Material palette.

 

2-12. Processing Patterned Screentones

While it's fine as is, this time I'll take an extra step to make the flat pattern look three-dimensional.

First, fill the pattern tone largely overflowing from the scarf, then un-screentone it to make it a color layer.

Right-click the mask thumbnail, apply the mask, and convert it to a raster layer.

Then, use the [Liquify] tool to transform the pattern, apply a mask, and convert it back to a tone.

Let's take one more extra step.

Copy the pattern layer, separate it for the front and back of the scarf, and slightly offset the pattern.

 

Even if the pattern remains flat, it doesn't look unnatural when viewed in the overall manga panel, and often it's even easier to see that way.

However, in key scenes or when the character is close to the camera, a flat pattern might look strange, so it's a good idea to remember this processing method just in case.

2-12. Character Screentones Complete

The character's screentones are now complete.

3-1. Drawing Snow with Screentones

Next, as a small application, I'll try drawing snow using screentones.

First, apply a gradient screentone to the background.

Next, paint the entire area white with a solid fill layer, convert it to screentone, and lower its opacity to around 5%.

Change [Mesh Settings] to [Noise].

Increasing the [Noise Size] makes each individual dot of the screentone larger, allowing it to resemble snow.

 

Incidentally, increasing the [Noise Factor] can make it look like rain.

Adjust the values nicely and rasterize it.

At this time, the noise size might change automatically, so repeat the process until you get your desired finish.

3-2. Blurring the Snow.

The outline of the snow is a bit harsh, so I'll soften it by blurring it with a filter.

 

Copy the snow layer, add a border, apply Gaussian blur, then apply directional blur in the wind direction, and convert it to a tone.

 

The usage of blur filters with screentones is explained in a previous TIPS article, so please refer to that for more details.

 

3-3. Making Snow Fall on the Character Too

Next, I'll make snow fall on the character as well.

Copy the snow layer and place it above the character.

Transform the snow to be larger than the background,

then clip it to the character's screentone folder.

Blur the character's snow a bit as well.

To make the snow more visible, I'll apply a gradient screentone to the character.

At this time, a selection is made from the white mask created initially.

 

Erase the gradient screentone only from the highlights of the nose, eyes, and fingers.

 

To prevent the gradient screentone from overlapping with the base screentone, apply the auto-action below to shift the screentones.

Completion

Finally, apply a white gradient screentone to the coffee steam, and it's complete!

Conclusion

This TIPS article was about how to apply screentones.

Although I used many different densities of screentones this time,

in actual manga production, manga artists usually register a few predefined densities of screentones as templates and try to express everything using only those few types.

 

This is because it's best not to apply screentones if possible.

There are three barriers to manga drawing:

the barrier of perception, the barrier of drawing, and the barrier of printing.

Simply put, these are: whether the reader finds it difficult to see, how much effort the manga artist puts into drawing it, and whether printing errors occur.

 

Although I couldn't go into detail about these barriers this time,

when deciding how many screentones to apply in your own manga, you should carefully consider these three barriers and what you want to express.

In digital manga, screentones can be applied too easily, which tends to increase the amount of drawing work.

Please remember that drawing manga is not a sprint, but a marathon.