layer properties

Welcome today we will learn about the layer properties palette of Clip Studio Paint in the Pro version. The features in this section will help you experience new ways of using effects in your works. It will begin with the border effect, watercolor border, patterns, color, texture overexposure and images that the Clip Studio Paint application itself has. This tutorial is designed specifically for the functions that the “layer property”: “effect” has.

In this tutorial it will help you understand its functions and answer your questions in each section.

Video tutorial

"Layer Properties" tool

Functions of the Layer Properties Palette, contains two functions at a glance from the beginning:

1. Effect.

2. Expression colour.

In this tutorial we will focus on the “Effect” section. This effect has three sections:

1. Effect.

2. Plot.

3. Display of reduced colors.

4. Overlay texture.

5. Coat colour.

These effects are applied to the selected layer when one of the effects is clicked. You can apply up to three effects on the same layer.

 

 

edge effect

The border effect has two configuration sections:

• a.edge.

• b.Borderwatercolor.

to. Border: This effect adds a border around the stroke edge of a line, drawing, or object on the selected layer. If the drawing is completely colored, the border effect will be applied around the entire drawing, that is, the program considers it as if it were a single line.

In the case of having your drawing on several separate layers, it is recommended to put all the layers in a single folder and apply the border effect here.

1. Edge thickness:

This section increases and decreases the thickness of the border. Lower values decrease the thickness and higher values increase the thickness of the border.

2. Border Color:

You can change the color of the border by selecting the bar, a small “color settings” window will open and selecting the desired color.

3. Contour smoothing (antialiasing):

Here you configure the anti-aliasing of the edges. If the box is activated, edge smoothing is activated.

The border effect surrounds the lineart of the drawing.

You can use border effect on 3d figures.

You can even use the border in texts.

Border effect result

Watercolor Border Effect

b. Watercolor Effect: This effect is perfect for applying a border to a watercolor drawing. It is an effect that gives a subtle effect for watercolor effects. The “watercolor border” effect has the following settings:

1.Area.

2.Opacity.

3.Darkness.

4.Blur width.

1. Area: increases or decreases the highlight area. The highest rank it reaches is 20.

2. Opacity: refers to how low and high the level of visibility is.

3. Darkness: adjusts the darkness border, the higher value indicates a high darkness value.

4. Blur Width: Adjusts the edge blur. A lower value is a more defined edge, a higher value the edge becomes blurrier.

Note: the watercolor border can also be applied in “watercolor brush settings”, under “watercolor border”.

Watercolor border effect result

Screen Effect

Plot concept:

Frames are repetitive sequences. It can serve to provide contrast and distinguish close objects from distant ones and provide contrast.

The screen effect transforms the entire selected layer to halftones of black and white colors, depending on the hue, that is, the color of the screen will depend on the lightness or intensity of the tone.

The raster effect has the following options:

1.Frequency.

2.Density:

to. Use image color.

b. Use image brightness.

3. Reflect layer opacity.

4. Posterization.

5. Point adjustments.

6. Angle:

7. Size and noise factor.

8. Point position.

1. Frequency: indicates the frame number, the smaller the semitone frequency value, the larger the size.

2. Density: helps establish the density of the plot. It has 2 subdivisions:

to. Use image color: Density is based on the image color. The color of the pattern depends on the tone of the image, the darker the color, the more visible the pattern will be.

b. Use image brightness: Density is based on image brightness. The white colors are transparent therefore the image color will be seen.

In addition, the density has other subdivisions:

3. Reflect layer opacity: When the box is checked, the density of the dots does not change when the layer opacity is decreased. In addition, it allows you to prevent the moiré effect from occurring in the screen when printing.

Reflect layer opacity off, layer opacity on.

Reflect layer opacity on, layer opacity does not decrease.

4. Posterization: It has the density, and the nodes to move, you can add numerical values. A new node can be added and removed by dragging off the bar.

The density of posterization depends on the value placed on each node.

5. Stitch Settings: Displays a wide category of plots. For example: circle, square, star, flower, heart.

6. Angle: the angle value can be adjusted.

7. The following options are activated if “noise” is selected in “point adjustment”.

-Noise size.

-Noise factor.

8. Point position:

Dot Position (X): Moves the weft pattern in the horizontal direction.

Dot Position(Y): Moves the weft pattern in the vertical direction.

Steps to apply the raster effect in the illustration.

This is a way to apply the plot to our illustrations or drawings:

1. Create a layer with a background color above the image you want to put the flow on.

2. Create a crop image on the newly created layer.

3. Apply "Framas".

4. Select “snap to bottom layer”.

5. Choose the paint can.

6. Invert to “transparency” and fill the space inside the mask layer.

8. With the brush of your choice, paint the places you want the pattern, adjust the “frequency” and other values according to the result you want.

Note: in the video tutorial I explain many more examples.

-The first shows the effects of patterns on different layers.

-The second image is applied the raster effect inside the original image, resulting in this effect.

Pattern effect result

coat color

The “Layer Color” function allows you to change the color of the entire selected layer.

to. Layer color: specific to replace the black color.

b. Subcolor: specific for shades inclined to white.

 

When selecting the color bar, a new “color configuration” window will appear.

layer color result

The image has additional effects in blend modes to give that effect. I advise watching the video tutorial.

Reduced color display

When using a 3D layer or “image material layer” the “Reduced Colors Display” option appears.

1. Expression color: gray and monochrome.

2. Drawing expression color.

3. Color threshold: determines the amount of black color, low values the color will be defined at the edges. High values will darken the 3d figure.

4. Alpha threshold.

1. Expression color gray with black and white tonality: highlights the dark and light tones of the 3d figure.

2. Expression color gray with black undertone: Brings out only dark undertones.

3. Expression color gray with a white hue: highlights only light or light tones.

Monochrome expression color with black and white expression color. The second image is with the expression color black and the next one with white. In the last image the “layer color” effect was applied.

-The color black and white of the "color of expression": in monochrome it transforms the 3d figure into those shades.

-The black color: only presents the darkest areas of the 3d figure.

-The color white: shows the areas with light.

Reduced Colors Display Result

Overlay Texture effect

This option is activated when using image materials.

to. Strength: measures the intensity of the texture. Higher values stronger the texture effect

Texture Overlay Effect Result

final thoughts

The layer property that clip studio paint has, has simple functions but with an amazing result depending on what you are looking to achieve, the combinations are immense and the results are very satisfactory. Although the plots are used to apply to comics or mangas, they also give a special touch to the images or illustrations. The border effect helps highlight the images and give a nice finish to the drawings. The watercolor effect along with the overlay of a texture gives a more elegant and beautiful finish when working in a watercolor style. The results will depend on your creativity, so let's put it to the test!

See you next time, bye.