The CLIP STUDIO TABMATE controller is a new device that allows you to register CLIP STUDIO PAINT commands to the buttons and use them with your pen tablet or PC tablet. It can be held in one hand for easy operation.

We interviewed Shungicu Uchida to ask about her thoughts after using the controller, the advantages of using the device, convenient ways of using it, and her recommended settings.

 

Artist profile: Shungicu Uchida

Uchida is a manga artist who published her first manga in 1984. She is best known for her works Minami-kun no Koibito (“Minami’s sweetheart”) and Watashitachi wa Hanshoku Shite (“We are reproducing”).

She is active in many creative fields, with experience as a manga artist, actress, novelist, singer, and film director.

Her comic essay Gan Manga: Watashitachi wa Taibyo Shiteiru (“Cancer manga: We are gravely ill”), which candidly discusses the turbulent time surrounding her diagnosis of cancer of the large intestine in 2015, was released on January 10, 2018 to critical acclaim.

Shungicu Uchida’s official site

 

“I’m glad that I don’t have to work in a spaghetti tangle of wires”

Celsys: What did you think about the size and feel of the CLIP STUDIO TABMATE?

 

 

 

I think my hands are pretty small, but the TABMATE is the perfect size. I also like the feel of the matte surface.

 

 

 

C: Does the AA battery inside make it heavy?

 

 

 

I don’t think it’s heavy at all. The firmness of the buttons is just right. I can sense when I pushed them properly.

And, because it’s wireless, I’m glad that I don’t have to work in a spaghetti tangle of wires. When I started using digital art and when I switched to a graphic tablet with an inbuilt screen, my desk was covered in wires. The adapters were also huge, so it was quite annoying.

 

“By rotating the buttons, I’ve saved a lot of time”

C: Which button on the CLIP STUDIO TABMATE do you think is the easiest to use, and why? What settings do you use for that button?

 

 

 

I use the Q button a lot. When I first got my TABMATE I thought this was the easiest button to reach and press, so I set it to [Delete], the function I use most.

 

 

 

C: I see. In the initial settings, the button is set to the [Quick Access] palette, which is where the Q comes from.

 

 

 

That’s right. Although I don’t have the palette on my TABMATE, I keep it displayed on the bottom left of my screen. I keep my frequently-used functions there.

 

 

 

C: We added a lot of new settings such as long presses and double presses, on/off settings, pop-up palettes, and tool locations. Have you used these?

 

 

 

I used to keep all my frequently used palettes and tools in the bottom left of my screen, but by setting balloon-related buttons such as the [Balloon pen], [Balloon tail], and [Thought balloon tail], I’ve managed to save a lot of time.

▲ Uchida set her own tool rotation, using the down button on the directional pad to switch the type of [Balloon] tool.

I also like that I can hold down the trigger button to switch tools temporarily to the [Eraser]. Being able to assign the [Shift] key is also a life-saver when drawing straight lines.

 

 

 

C: We’ve added a wheel to the new CLIP STUDIO TABMATE. What operations did you assign to the wheel?

 

 

 

I left it in the initial setting of zooming in or out on the canvas. I love this feature!　I use a screen tablet with touch capabilities, so I can zoom in and out by pinching the screen, but with the wheel, I can zoom out so much faster.

Another great thing is that you can reset the scale to fit to screen by pressing the wheel. Because it’s so convenient, I end up zooming out a lot more than before.

“Once I’ve finished with the storyboard, I don’t need the keyboard at all”

 

 

 

C: Has anything changed in the way you work or your work environment since you got the TABMATE?

 

 

 

I feel much more comfortable now I don’t have to reach up to the keyboard or the CLIP STUDIO PAINT menu bar. I make mistakes if I have to move my hands around everywhere, so my work has sped up a lot now that I can stay focused on just the lower part of the screen.

I’m a manga artist, so I use the keyboard to make the storyboard, but once I’ve finished with that, I don’t need the keyboard at all.

 

“It’s useful for me even though I have touch capabilities and a small screen!”

C: Finally, do you have a message for people who are thinking about buying the CLIP STUDIO TABMATE?

 

 

 

First of all, I think this must be incredibly useful for people with large screen tablets that don’t have touch capabilities. It’s useful for me even though I already have touch capabilities and use a small screen, so I think it must be even more helpful for them.

 

I work with my kids around me, so it’s hard for me to concentrate because they often come over to sit on my lap. With the TABMATE, I can now work effectively on lots of different things!