[1] Base color

By selecting the background with the [Auto select] tool → [Refer other layers to select] and inverting the selection with the [Selection] menu → [Invert selected area], the entire character is selected.

I then make a guide for the base colors by making a new raster layer below “Line art” and filling ①’s selection with [Edit] → [Fill].

• While using the [Auto select] tool, you can add unselected areas like small gaps in hair to the current selection by clicking while holding the [Shift] key.

• For informative purposes, the selected area in the bottom right image is displayed in pale red.

 

② A new layer folder “Paint” is made and clipped to the guide. The base colors for every part will be made in this folder.

Clipping can be set by placing the layer (or layer folder) you want to clip above the target layer, and clicking the [Clip at Layer Below] icon at the top of the [Layer] palette.

 

The clipping layer will only display colors above the painted areas of the base layer it is clipped to.

Further, the separate layers are divided into face, skin, hair, and others (clothes are divided based on color).

The [Auto select] tool → [Refer other layers to select] and [Fill] tool → [Refer other layers] were mainly used to paint each part. For small gaps, I mainly used the [Fill] tool → [Close and fill] and [Pen] tool.

 

③ The line art’s color is changed by applying the [Layer color] effect in [Layer Property] to the “Line art” folder. When doing this, the face layer is moved outside of the folder to keep its colors.

 

④ The “Line art” folder’s [Blending mode] is set to [Linear burn], and the file is now ready for painting.

 

[2] Preparing for painting

■1. Basics of painting

 

When painting, always clip a new raster layer to the base color layer.

To keep colors from mixing and dulling, and to make corrections easier, make new layers for each detailed part or different color.

As an example, the hair’s folder structure would look like this.

• Complex parts with multiple layers like hair, eyes and skin are grouped into layer folders.

 

 

 

■2. Tool settings for painting

 

For the most part, I only use the default [Pen] and [Brush] tool.

 

Shading is done with the [Pen] tool → [G-Pen], with [Tool Property] → [Anti-aliasing] set to strong (max). The [G-pen] is a very high-contrast pen, but becomes softer with strong anti-aliasing,

It is very good for blocking in shadows.

 

For some parts, the default [Airbrush] tool → [Soft] is used for blurring, and the [Brush] → [Opaque watercolor] is used for different shades.

A custom [Droplet 2] brush made from the [Airbrush] tool’s [Droplet] was used for the highlights and ornaments.

 

< Droplet 2 >