Introduction

Hello!! Welcome to these new TIPS. Today I will present different tools for applying color to our illustrations easily and quickly. The methods presented here can be applied to any type of style. I hope these tips are useful. Well, without further ado.

 

Let's get started!!

1. Preliminary Concepts

First of all, the first thing I can advise is to prepare the colors you want for your illustration in advance; you might change your mind along the way and decide to use others, but you will already have part of the path covered. If you use color theory to select them, and later want to change them, you can use some of the program's tools without having to start coloring from scratch.

 

 

► Planning colors

The program has various tools that we will call "Color Palettes", which are essential for choosing and saving colors. Let's see which ones can help us plan them.

 

Below is a link to a more detailed explanation of their features, as well as an overview of color theory:

To start, I recommend using color palettes because they are practical when choosing colors. Each of these tools can be found in the following path: Window > Options will range from Color Wheel to Color Mixer.

• COLOR MIXER

 

This tool allows you to mix colors using a palette that emulates analog mixing; its use is quite intuitive. Additionally, it allows you to mix colors using the texture of any brush. Useful for applying color fundamentals in the digital world.

• COLOR SLIDER, INTERMEDIATE COLOR, AND APPROXIMATE COLOR

 

These three tools can help you choose colors. The Color Slider allows you to toggle between RGB, HLS, and CMYK models. From this tool, you can get the luminosity, saturation, or tones of a color selected from the color wheel.

As for the Intermediate Color panel, you can obtain the luminosity and saturation of a color or colors; by placing colors in the reference squares, we can see how they mix with each other.

Approximate Color is useful for obtaining an approximation of your selected color; this one depends on a single color, while the previous one could depend on up to four different colors. With the bar located on the left and top-left sections, you can modify the level of gray and white to measure the level of the functions we choose.

• COLOR SET

 

We have our colors, but what if we want to use these same colors another time? How do we save them? Well, that's a very interesting question; we'll see that the program has a palette called "Color Set", which will help store them.

 

First, the palette has default color sets that we can access through the drop-down menu, but we can also create our own.

To create a new color set, click on the wrench icon at the top right. Clicking it will bring up a window with various options to create, modify, duplicate, or delete a set.

Once a new set is created, we can save all the colors we want there, either by right-clicking on an empty space and choosing the "Replace color" option or by clicking the dropper with the plus sign at the bottom right.

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► Tip for planning colors

Beginners often have trouble visualizing their illustrations with the colors they want, which is why I advise having a semi-clean sketch where we can add colors. Use any brush to quickly apply colors under the sketch. If the composition convinces us, we'll be ready to move on to the next step.

Now, if it turns out we don't like the color composition, it would be tedious to erase everything and start over; luckily, there's a function within the program that makes it easy to change colors without erasing anything. TA-DA! And the tool is? Hue/Saturation/Luminosity.

 

This tool can be found in the following path: Edit > Tonal Correction > Hue/Saturation/Luminosity. As its name suggests, with its controls, we can change the hue, saturation, and luminosity of the colors on the currently selected layer. If we place each color on a separate layer, we can modify them individually.

 

I really like this tool; I love it because it allows me to do thousands of color tests without wasting unnecessary time.

2. Tools for the Model from Scratch

Now, we'll begin with the central focus of this tutorial: the different program functions that facilitate adding color to illustrations. This second section will specialize in the classic illustration model, starting from the sketch. Section three will cover the functions used to add color to a grayscale illustration.

 

 

► Fill

First, let's locate the Fill tool; it's in the toolbar, the small bucket icon.

Fill has four functions: Refer only to editing layer, Refer other layers, Close and fill, and Paint unfilled area. Although there are four, I will only cover three of them, which are the most useful to me for establishing base colors. Step one for coloring with this tool is to refer to multiple layers. We'll see that next:

 

• REFER TO MULTIPLE LAYERS

 

To start, we'll mark the reference layer icon on the sketch folder or layer. This allows colors to be applied on separate layers without painting the entire canvas, as seen at the start of the GIF when the option isn't marked yet. We'll mark it in both the Fill tool properties (all four functions have this option) and the layer properties.

As you can see, folder 01 contains layers with the sketch. I'll mark this with the reference layer function. Once done, I'll move to folder 02 where I'll put the colors. This way, the Fill tool, using the selected layer as a reference, will know the boundaries for filling.

In the Fill tool's 'Refer layer' settings, we can find different options to exclude features from the reference layers. For example, let's say we have text inside the folder we're using as a reference and want it to reference all layers in the folder but ignore the text layer. We check the 'Exclude text' option in the 'Exclude' section.

 

The layers we can exclude include: Sketch layer, Text, Selected layer, Paper layer, and Locked layers.

• FILL

 

Once the layers are referenced, it's time for the Fill tool. With this function, we can fill closed spaces and, by modifying some settings, even fill spaces with slight openings, but we'll see that in the next point. For now, I'll just explain the use of three sub-tools.

 

1. REFER OTHER LAYERS

 

This is the conventional function I use to fill large spaces. You can also hold and drag the cursor to fill several spaces without having to click multiple times.

2. CLOSE AND FILL

 

This function is like a lasso; we select an area, and whatever is inside the selection will be filled with paint. Since it follows the line patterns, it's advisable to use it with areas of the illustration that contain many lines.

 

 

3. PAINT UNFILLED AREA

 

In a practical sense, this tool helps fill those pixels that other functions fail to fill along the lineart lines. It's used like a brush. It's a tool that knows how to fill within the lines.

• FILL TOOL SETTINGS

 

Any of the three previous functions has the following settings that, when controlled, allow us to modulate tolerance and paint overflow limits. This way, we can, for example, paint a section that doesn't have a continuous line without paint leaking out of the part we want.

 

1. CLOSE GAP

 

When this function is active, it will detect open line segments and treat them as if they were continuous lines.

2. COLOR MARGIN

 

This option modulates the amount of similar pixels the bucket fills. Let's see: in a gradient, for example, if the color margin is low, the amount filled will be small; the larger it is, the more pixel intervals it covers and can even cover everything.

3. AREA SCALING

 

This option advances or recedes a few pixels to go over the line or, in other cases, not touch it.

 

NOTE: In the sub-options, I recommend having it set to "To darkest pixel" because otherwise, the color will go outside the line limits.

With this knowledge, we'll now know how to handle the tool wisely; we can apply solid colors easily, uniformly, without going outside the edges, and above all, quickly.

 

Before finishing this section, I'll show you my Fill tool configuration if you want a reference, but it's best to try adapting it to your own style.

• HOW I USE THE TOOL

 

Finally, I'll present the process I follow with this tool. The following GIF shows the process I did to add the base color; the process is very simple: once the sketch is in its respective folder, I set it as a reference as explained in the first step. Then, in a new folder, I created different layers where I added colors separately using the "Fill", "Refer other layers", and "Close and fill" tools.

 

For the 'Refer other layers' tool, I changed the area scaling and color margin settings as needed to fill any white spaces, and finally, I used the 'Close and fill' tool to paint spaces the previous one couldn't fill.

PAINTING LINES/ LINEART

 

Another use beyond solid colors is being able to paint lines without much effort. The process is very simple: first, we create a layer above the lineart, clip it to the layer below, and then, with the Fill tool, click anywhere on the canvas.

 

Optionally, we can later merge the layers to avoid having too many. The advantage of this method is that we can paint the entire lineart in a single click. Later, we'll see another method for painting lineart.

 

NOTE: To do this, the reference option must not be active on the layer.

ERASER

 

Besides using it to paint, we can also use it to erase; very useful for erasing large segments. This can be done with any Fill tool. To do this, click on the transparent color option in the color wheel.

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► Layers

Layers aren't exactly tools for applying color, but rather they contain them. However, by using their functions, we can have more control when applying colors. For example, opacity can allow for certain effects like transparency. Thus, I consider layer management essential for coloring. Next, I'll explain some layer functions that help with color. We've seen some of them before (reference layer and blending modes), so they won't be covered here.

 

• CLIP TO LAYER BELOW

 

This function is found in the layer options; it's the icon immediately on the far left. This function is extremely useful because it provides a non-destructive method for applying colors, so we can modify specific parts without damaging the rest, though of course, everything must be separated by layers for this.

Its function is to create a mask-like effect; that is, what's drawn on it will only be visible within the boundaries of what's drawn on the layer it references (the layer below). If the clipping is removed, everything done becomes visible. You can also apply multiple clipping layers to the same base layer.

 

• LOCK TRANSPARENT PIXELS

 

This function is found in the layer options; it's the square icon with a small padlock.

It's similar to the previous one, with the difference that this is a destructive method. With this function, new layers are not created; instead, when activated, you can only draw on the pixels that have color on that same layer; transparent ones are completely ignored.

PAINTING LINES/ LINEART

 

As we saw before, we could paint using the Fill tool, but there's another method using this function. The advantage of this method is that we can paint parts of the lineart with different colors, unlike the other method where we could only paint it all one color at a time.

 

If we lock the layer with 'Lock transparent pixels', all that's left is to paint the parts of the lineart with a brush.

• OPACITY

 

The last function in this section is opacity; it's found in the layer options as a slider bar.

This function is very easy; using the slider bar, we can make a layer more or less visible. When at 100%, objects on that layer are opaque, but as it drops toward 0%, it becomes transparent.

 

On the flan, I used this function to lower the opacity of the layer with some highlights to achieve a translucent effect.

• HOW I USE THE TOOL

 

Mostly, I use layer functions to apply colors without going outside the limits of my lineart or applying colors over other colors without going outside the first. For example, I have my base caramel colors and now want to apply highlights, but I don't want to go outside that section. To do that, I can create a new layer above the base color and clip it to the layer below, so I apply the highlights without going outside my base.

 

In summary, these layer functions help me control colors and maintain order in the layers.

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► Blending Modes

Blending modes are functions involving a series of mathematical operations through which the program combines a layer with those beneath it, creating an interaction between them that generates various effects. This allows for subtle adjustments to the color tone.

 

There are 28 blending modes, which can be found in the layer options. It's possible to set a blending mode for each layer and layer folder. To apply it, select the folder or layer, open the blending modes menu, and select the one you want.

These options can be grouped by the similarity of their characteristics. Some brushes also have blending mode options. Both work in the same way.

 

The groups are divided into darkening effects, brightening effects, contrast effects, and color change effects. The groups are as follows (the 'Normal' effect is excluded from this division):

 

1. Darken.

2. Lighten.

3. Contrast.

4. Component.

Below, I will present some examples that better clarify the effects of each of these groups. Each effect has its own peculiarity, but I will only present one per section; therefore, I advise you to try each one to see its potential firsthand. By starting to use blending modes on any layer, we can employ them.

 

• DARKEN

 

These modes turn the colors applied on those layers darker than they are in their normal form. The most used modes in this group are: "Multiply" and "Linear Burn"; they are often used to represent shadows.

• LIGHTEN

 

These result in the opposite of the previous ones. Colors appear lighter than they are in their normal form. The most used modes in this group are: "Screen" and "Linear Dodge (Add)"; they are often used to represent a lighting effect.

• CONTRAST

 

This combines the previous modes in such a way that it darkens or lightens as needed, thus increasing contrast; in simple terms, bright colors become brighter and dark ones darker. The most used mode in this group is: "Overlay"; it's often used to represent an effect that helps improve color impression.

• COMPONENT

 

These blending modes change hue, saturation, and brightness. They are also useful for coloring a grayscale illustration (we'll see that in the grayscale-to-color section).

3. Grayscale to Color

There is an illustration technique that consists of making the illustration in grayscale and subsequently adding color, and that's precisely what I will explain next. There are methods for coloring a grayscale illustration. We will see those methods next.

 

 

► Correction Layers

Using the functions of the "Correction Layers" tool, we can color our illustrations in a short time; additionally, it's an easy-to-use tool; the main difficulty will lie in ourselves, in our eye when varying the settings. The good thing about this method is that it's non-destructive; the settings become a new, fully editable layer, and even blending modes work on them.

 

To start, tonal correction covers several functions, of which we will only use for this method: "Level Correction", "Tone Curve", and "Color Balance".

 

The functions are found in the following path: Layer > New Correction Layer.

To go from grayscale to color in this first method, we have three tools that make it possible: "Level Correction", "Tone Curve", and "Color Balance". All three are essentially similar.

 

When opening any of the functions, we'll close them immediately after to clip the created layer to the one below; if we don't, the changes in this layer will affect all layers below it.

• LEVEL CORRECTION

 

This function allows you to edit shadows, midtones, and highlights. What this tool provides is basic tonal editing.

 

The interface is as follows: The first thing to keep in mind is that the left side is the dark side and the right side is the light side.

 

Regarding the input area, the arrows at the bottom are the controls for this zone. The left slider controls shadows, the middle controls midtones, and the right controls highlights.

As for the output area, if you drag the left controller to the right, everything will gradually turn white; conversely, if you move the right controller to the left, everything will gradually turn black.

Opening the top menu reveals other options such as: RGB, Red, Green, and Blue. Changing the option gives us:

 

RGB: Controls white/black tones.

Red: Controls red/cyan tones.

Green: Controls green/magenta tones.

Blue: Controls blue/yellow tones.

 

With the input and output controls, we can modify the values of any of these options.

 

To use it, we'll go to one of the layers we want to add color to, then open this window, and then we just need to move the options to our liking. We do the same with all layers to have a complete color illustration. This is a good tool, but a bit basic; in the next tool, colors can be added with more precision.

• TONE CURVE

 

It has the same functions as the previous tool but in more detail. The constant repeats: the left side is light and the right side is darkness.

 

The interface is as follows: As we can see, output is on the left and input is at the bottom; this means the curve represents shadows, midtones, and highlights. By creating points on the curve and moving them to the left, we get shadows, and to the right, highlights. The center is the midtones.

At each end of the curve, there are two points: the first point is brightness (top right); if we drag it down, it will start to darken. The point at the bottom left is darkness; if we drag it up, it starts to lighten.

Regarding the RGB drop-down menu, it works the same as in the previous tool, with the only difference being that the source of the colors changes: red, green, and blue at the top; cyan, magenta, and yellow at the bottom.

 

You can add as many points as you need—the more the better—so we have greater control over the tones.

• COLOR BALANCE

 

The interface is as follows: This tool has the same principles as the previous two; it's intuitive and very easy to use. Additionally, luminosity can be maintained, which the previous ones cannot.

 

In Color Balance, on the slider bars, we find cyan, magenta, and yellow with their respective opposites on the other side: red, green, and blue.

 

As for the balance settings, we have the option to control shadows, midtones, and highlights. 'Keep brightness' maintains the light of the illustration if selected.

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► Blending Modes

Blending modes have already been addressed in a previous section. As I said in the explanation of the "Component" group, the "Color" mode is useful for coloring a grayscale illustration; additionally, it's extremely easy to use.

 

The process is very simple: first, we'll create a layer above the grayscale layer we want to color, clip it to the layer below, and then change the blending mode to 'Color'.

Using our preferred brush, we'll add the colors we want, just like in a normal coloring process.

 

The weakness of this method is the light and dark colors; they don't show up well. Midtones are effective.

- RESULT -

 

 

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► Gradient Maps

Gradient maps are a tool that facilitates coloring, and their use is easy to understand. If we download gradients from CLIP STUDIO ASSETS, we can get color palettes—one less step to creating our work.

 

The function is found in the following path: Layer > New Correction Layer > Gradient Map.

 

When we open it, a new layer will be generated above the active one. We'll close the gradient window to clip this new layer to the one below. If we don't do this, the gradients will affect all layers below.

 

• IMPORT GRADIENT SETS

 

We can download gradients from CLIP STUDIO ASSETS. Once we have them, we can integrate them by clicking the wrench icon; a series of options will appear allowing you to add, delete, duplicate, and change a gradient or set, but in this case, we'll use "Add gradient set".

A window will now appear where we'll select the gradient sets we want to add; by holding the CTRL key, we can select several gradients at once. After making the choice, click "Add" to load the materials.

In the drop-down bar, we can see all the added sets.

• CREATE GRADIENT MAPS

 

To create our own gradients, we'll go back to the wrench icon and choose the "Create new set" option. A box will appear where we can name the set. Click OK.

Once a new set is created, right below the gradient bar, there are a series of arrows (nodes) that we can create, move, and delete. We can also reverse the order of the overall gradient.

By selecting a node, we can change its color with the "Specified color" option. A window will appear where we'll choose the color, click OK, and then, in 'Add gradient' (the square with the cross sign at the bottom), we'll name it. Done, we have our first gradient; we can do this "n" number of times.

• HOW TO USE THIS TOOL

 

We'll open a new Gradient Map layer as explained at the beginning and clip this layer to the one below. Done.

Even though we have a gradient applied, it might not be enough for a whole image; sometimes illustrations are so complex that multiple gradients are needed. How to apply several is what we'll see next.

 

1. BY LAYERS

 

If we have our illustration separated by layers, there won't be much trouble: we create a gradient layer and clip it to the one below. This way, the gradient will only affect that section, allowing us to apply as many gradients as we want.

2. LAYER MASK

If we click on the white thumbnail, we can erase sections of the gradient; depending on the type of eraser, we can get hard or soft edges.

• DETAILS

 

The advantage of this tool is that it makes colors more vivid, but for example, in the case of this flan, the colors are so bright they can be bothersome; that's why we can use previous tools to correct it. We can use tonal correction tools to dull the colors a bit, blending modes, or layer opacity.

 

To decrease that color vividness, I used two correction layers: "Brightness/Contrast" along with "Hue/Saturation/Luminosity". Additionally, I lowered the opacity of these layers along with the caramel and flan gradient layers.

The following comparison is to observe the difference between the gradient alone (left) and the other (right), which is a gradient accompanied by other tools mentioned above.

Farewell

Coloring is an important process in an illustration; in most cases, it's like its soul, which is why knowing tools that facilitate the process is indispensable. I hope what you've seen in this tutorial is to your liking and helpful.

 

Well, without further ado, thank you for making it this far! ପ(๑•̀ुᴗ•̀ु)* ॣ৳৸ᵃᵑᵏ Ꮍ৹੫ᵎ *ॣ

 

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