[1] Preparing to draw the line art

I change the name of the layer folder for my sketch from “Rough A” to “Illustration”, and “Line art” to “Sketch - Line art”.

 

I click the eye symbol on all layers apart from the “Sketch - Line art” folder to hide them.　

I also click the “Sketch - Line art” folder and reduce opacity to about 27%.

Then, I select the “Sketch - Line art” folder and go to the [Layer Property] palette > [Effect] > [Layer color], and change the lines to blue.

 

TIPS:

The [Layer color] function changes the displayed color of the drawn parts on a layer.

 

You can set this from the [Layer Property] palette while the target layer is selected.

If you turn the [Layer color] setting off, the drawn parts will return to their original colors, so it’s useful for when you want to temporarily change the colors of a layer.

Note: If the [Layer Property] palette is not displayed on the screen, you can display it by opening the [Window] menu and clicking [Layer Property].

 

[2] Drawing the character line art

1. The character’s body

 

Above the “Sketch - Line art” layer folder, I make a new layer folder called “Line art”.

I make new layers in this folder and draw the line art for each part on a separate layer, so it is easy to make changes later.

 

I start with the character’s body. I use the [Pencil] > [Lighter pencil] tool, and change the brush size to 7.0 pixels.

 

▼ Tool used: [Lighter pencil]

Using this brush, I can draw with a smooth and light touch. The lines are soft and flowing.

When I’ve finished drawing the body, I use the same method as in step [1] “Preparing to draw the line art” to change the [Layer color] to blue. Now it will be easier to draw the next part.

 

 

 

2. The character’s hair

 

I create a new layer and draw the hair. I prioritize the energy of the hair, and I delete the excess lines later using the Eraser tool.

At that stage, I delete any parts where the lines of the hair are overlapping.

 

Now I’ve finished the line art for the character.

 

[3] Drawing the line art for the background

I make new layers for the window frame and the classroom, and draw the background.

To draw straight lines for the window frame and the tables, I first click the start point, then hold down the Shift key and click the end point. By doing this, I can draw a straight line between the two points without a ruler. I use a slightly smaller brush than the character lines, at 5.0 pixels.

 

I adjust the lines on the character and the background a little bit, and then I’m done with the line art.

 

Although I changed the lines to blue using [Layer color] to make this lesson easier to understand, the lines are actually still black. The “Sketch - Line art” and “Paint” layer folders are hidden.

 

Now I move onto the next stage, adding flat colors.