Supported from Clip Studio Paint Ver. 2.1.0

In Clip Studio Paint the size and spacing of text characters can be adjusted, and “Ruby character (reading)” functions also exist. The following will describe how to use these tools.

 

1. Timing of text setting

The detailed adjustments of the text are done via the Tool Property and Sub Tool Detail palette (PRO/EX).

The Sub Tool Detail palette is displayed by selecting Window > Sub Tool Detail or by clicking the Sub Tool Detail icon on the bottom right of the Tool Property palette.

Depending on whether you adjust the text settings before or during the text input, the settings will be applied to the text frames created afterwards or not.

 

 

 

1 - Changing the settings before entering text

When no text is entered (or text has already been confirmed and the input is completed), nothing is displayed in the preview (part framed in red) of the Tool Property and the Sub Tool Details palette, and the line of the text frame is displayed in black.

 

Note: The operation handle design has been changed from Ver. 1.9.1

The current course uses screenshots from before Ver. 1.9.0.

 

If the text settings are changed before entering text, the same settings will be applied to all text frames created subsequently.

 

 

 

2 - Changing the settings while entering text

When entering text, Editing Text is displayed in the preview of the Tool Property and the Sub Tool Detail palette, and the outline of the text frame is displayed.

 

If the text settings are changed while entering text, the settings will only be applied to the current text frame.

After creating a new text frame and entering text the settings from before will be applied again.

 

2. Settings for the Font category

The font type, size, and other modifications can be adjusted.

 

 

 

1 - Font

Select the font to use. Fonts can be selected from the Font list, which displays registered fonts, and Mixing font, which combines different fonts according to their character types, such as kanji and hiragana in Japanese.

In the Font list, you can search for fonts and view a history of fonts used.

 

 

 

2 - Size, Horizontal ratio and Vertical ratio

• Size specifies the character size.

• Horizontal ratio extends/shortens the width of a character in %.

• Vertical ratio extends/shortens the height of a character in %.

 

Note: Character settings for Japanese manga

In general, 18/20 Q (class) is the most common character size for dialog used with B4 manga manuscripts when submitting to Japanese manga magazines. In pt-units (points-units), it should be roughly 12-14pt. When it comes to line spacing, it is recommended to use 125% if there is no character reading and 150% if there is character reading.

Manga manuscripts (For commercial issue) that are printed in B4 are usually reduced in size and are actually drawn 1.2 times larger. Consider this when creating a one-to-one draft.

Since fanzine manuscripts are usually printed in their “actual sizes”, it is recommended to set the size of the text to roughly 10-12 pt. The line spacing should be roughly 125%.

The units for the text are initially set to pt (points), but they can be set to Q (class) under Text unit in the Ruler/Unit category of the Preferences window found in the File menu.

 

 

 

3 - Kerning

Starting from Ver. 2.3, you can adjust character spacing by setting kerning. Kerning allows you to adjust the spacing between characters individually.

Metrics and Manual are two options for adjusting Kerning. Metrics automatically adjusts the spacing between specific character combinations based on the information contained in the font, while Manual allows you to adjust the spacing between selected characters using numbers or sliders. The following image shows kerning between each character.

 

If you choose the Manual option, you can adjust the spacing between letters by placing the caret where you want to make changes. Move the slider to change the spacing between letters. In addition to using the slider, you can also make similar changes by holding down the [Alt] key and pressing the [←] or [→] keys.

For vertical writing, hold down the [Alt] key and press the [↑] or [↓] key.

If you set Kerning to Metrics after the caret is displayed on the canvas before entering text, kerning will be applied automatically as soon as you enter the text.

 

 

 

4 - Condense text and Character spacing

This adjusts the gap between characters. Word space and Character spacing are set with points and % respectively.

 

 

 

5 - Style

Bold/Italic/Open Face can be set here.

6 - Open Type

You can use some of the set Open Type font features. Ligatures can support ligatures that are combinations of specific characters. Contextual alternates replaces the character shape with a shape that matches the characters before and after it.

 

3. Settings for Line space/Alignment

 

 

 

1 - Justify

Justify sets the alignment of texts with multiple lines. The direction of the alignment depends on whether the text is vertical or horizontal.

Setting Alignment, will override the Justify setting.

 

 

 

2 - Wrap text at frame/Justify/Position in frame

When Wrap text at frame is enabled, the text frame can be resized after entering text and the text will automatically wrap at the edge of the frame.

 

Starting from Ver. 2.3, you can set the display method of characters within the frame to Justify.

Justify adjusts the character spacing for lines that do not wrap at the edges of the text frame, no matter which item is selected, so that they wrap at the edges of the frame.

Setting Justify, will override the Alignment setting.

You can choose to align the last line from Align last line left, Align last line center, Align last line right, or Justify. For vertical writing, Align last line left becomes Align last line top and Align last line right becomes Align last line bottom.

Position in frame allows you to set the alignment of the entered text. You can select from Top, Center, and Bottom.

 

 

 

3 - Line space

This specifies the space between lines. The settings under How to specify, are set in pixel units for Specify length and in % (percentage) for By percentage.

For dialog in manga, it is common to set this to around 125%-140%. Setting How to specify to By percentage will make it easier to handle, as the ratio of line spaces do not change when the text size is changed.

 

4. Settings for the Text category

The settings for all texts are made here, including the Vertical and Horizontal alignment.

 

 

 

1 - Text direction

Set the alignment to vertical or horizontal.

 

 

 

2 - Anti-aliasing

Choose from Canvas setting > ON or OFF.

Initially this is set to Canvas setting, while anti-aliasing is turned OFF if the canvas’ basic expression color is set to Monochrome.

 

Note:

The Basic expression color of a document is set when the canvas is first created (figure below). After that, it can be changed by selecting the Edit menu (Story menu for the EX version) > Change page settings.

 

 

 

3 - Edge and Edge color

This adds edges around the characters. Edges are added to individual text frames independently from the layer property’s border effects. Click the color bar next to Edge color to select a color.

 

Note:

Another way to add edges to text is by using the Border effect from the Layer Property palette.

However, edges are added to individual layers with this method.

 

When using the Text tool and the Tool Property palette, the settings are only applied to the selected text frame.

In this case, edges cannot be added to balloons created with the balloon tools.

 

• Use the Text tool to put edges around individual text frames.

• Use the Border effect in the layer property palette to put edges around the contents of an entire layer.

 

 

 

4 - Background color

Use this to add color to the text’s background. Under Opacity, you can configure the opacity of the colors.

 

 

5. Settings for the Edit settings category

Additionally to the text color, you can set whether to place the text frame on an existing text layer or a new text layer.

 

 

 

1 - Text color

Selects a text color here. The User color uses a specific color that has been set in advance. This can be specified by clicking Select user color... in the drop-down menu.

 

The main color and sub color are the same as those in the tool palette. The colors in use are reflected under Text color.

 

 

 

2 - How to add

Select here, whether to create a layer when creating a text frame or not.

6. Settings for the Circular text

From Ver. 3.0 onwards, you can input text along a curved path. You can adjust the text direction, circle size, etc.

 

 

 

1 - Circular text

Turn on to arrange text in a circle. When arranged in a circle, readings and text after the second line will not be displayed.

 

Note:

Select the Circular Text sub tool from the Sub Tool palette. You can input text even with Circular Text turned on from the beginning.

 

 

 

2 - Radius

You can adjust the circle size by dragging the slider or entering numeric values to set the radius. You can also resize the circle by dragging the handles around the circle on the canvas.

 

 

 

3 - Direction

You can select the direction of the text alignment from Clockwise and Counter-clockwise.

4 - Space evenly

When turned on, the text will be arranged evenly in a circle.

Hint: Start point and end point

When you select text using the Text tool or Object sub tool, multiple handles will be displayed on the circle.

• Handle 1 is the starting point of the text. Drag to adjust the starting point of the text and change the visible range of the text.

• Handle 2 is the midpoint of the text. Change the position of the text by dragging the circle, which moves both the start and end points. Drag the circle to adjust the text's direction, dragging within the circle will rotate it counterclockwise, and outside to rotate it clockwise.

• Handle 3 can change the Ending point of the text. Drag to adjust the end point of the text and change the visible range of the text.

 

 

 

7. Setting for the Transformation settings category

You can transform the text by manipulating the handles of the text frame. You can adjust the text transformation settings here.

1 - Show resize handle

Shows/hides the text frame resize handles.

Note:

If Enable snapping is turned on in the Correction category, then a snap frame inside the guides for transformation will be displayed.

2 - Transformation method

You can select the type of text transformation from Scale/Rotate, Scale, Rotate, Skew, and Scale/Rotate/Skew. If you turn on Keep aspect ratio, you can enlarge or reduce the text while keeping the aspect ratio fixed.

3 - Rotation angle

You can adjust the angle at which the text frame is rotated.

 

4 - Tilt

You can adjust the tilt of the text. It can be set both horizontally and vertically.

5 - Flip Horizontal/Flip Vertical

Text can be flipped.

 

8. Correction category

You can configure the settings for handling text frames and handles.

1 - Enable snapping

When enabled, text frames can be snapped to text in the same layer or to other layers as they are moved.

If you cannot snap, please enable it from the View menu > Snap and check Snap to objects.

Refer to the following article for more on Snap to objects.

9. Saving text settings in the sub tools

When repeatedly using specific text settings for font type and size, it is possible to duplicate the settings in the sub tool palette and save them.