Video

Here's a video with more information on the topic.

Intro

Hello! My name is Drawsiree and I'm an illustrator. 6 years ago, Clip Studio Paint became my main tool as a digital artist, and I've learned 10 tricks that will help you draw faster and that I wish I had known when I started painting in Clip Studio.

Scan Lineart

You've just finished your hand-drawn line art and want to color it but don't want to damage it. In situations like this, Clip Studio has a tool that will extract the line art so you can color it digitally.

The tool is called Convert brightness to opacity and you can find it under Edit.

Clip Studio Paint will remove the white background, leaving you with the black line art. Now you can add color as usual, but the line art you created traditionally.

Quickly Fill Base Colors

This trick will save you a lot of time. The first step in my coloring process is to apply the base color to my illustrations.

With the Enclose & fill tool, I can do it in seconds. The tool is a fusion of the paint bucket and the lasso. You can find it in the paint bucket panel and it's the third option.

 

 

You just need to select the outline of the illustration, and the program will fill the shape.

Done!! Now you can start coloring. You can begin by creating a layer and applying a clipping mask to paint each element.

 

 

Shading in Seconds

The option is called Auto Shading and you can find it in the Edit window.

A dialog box will open where you can change the shading type and shading style (soft or Cell shading).

You can also change the shadow colors

Here is the final result! I use it to plan the shading.

Automatic Coloring

I like to use the Automatic coloring tool to try different color combinations for my illustrations.

First, I place 4 sketches where we will apply different color palettes to see which one works best.

You can find the Automatic coloring tool in the Edit window.

Many Layers?? No Problem

Most of my illustrations have hundreds and hundreds of layers, and sometimes it's difficult to move between layers.

The option is in the layer panel, and when we select it, the program will duplicate the layer panel.

Now you can work without worrying about the number of layers and how to move between them.

Draw Hands More Easily

One of the biggest problems we artists face is drawing hands. Thanks to the Hand Scanner tool, it's easier.

It's an excellent tool if you are looking for a specific reference that you cannot recreate.

The program will imitate the pose of your hands as seen reflected in the camera. It's easy to use, and I invite you to try it.

Share Your Process

With the rise of social networks like Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, artists have become content creators. Sharing your process is an excellent idea so that others can see your sketching and coloring process.

When creating a new canvas, you can activate the Timelapse recording option, and Clip Studio Paint will start recording everything you do within the canvas.

To export the recording, you must open the menu Edit > Timelapse > Export Timelapse.

Here you can modify the video duration (15s, 30s, and full). The 15s and 30s options are recommended for shorts, reels, or TikToks, and the full video option can be used on YouTube.

Additionally, it allows you to add your own watermark so that your work is not stolen. You can place it where you want, change the layer mode, and opacity. The logo must be .png.

Sub View Panel Perfect for References

I like to use references for drawing and adding color to my illustrations. Where can I place all my reference images to have them handy? The Sub View panel is your best option.

You can find it next to the browser window. You can also go to Window > Sub View.

By pressing the folder icon, you can import the images you will use as references.

You can navigate between images by pressing the arrow, and thus view all your references.

You can also view them all at once in gallery mode.

Additionally, you can use the eyedropper to pick a color sample.

Done! Now you can finish applying your illustration. Remember, using references doesn't make you less of an artist. Using references is an important part of creating art.

CSP App Simple Mode

A few months ago, I published an article explaining how to use simple mode in the Clip Studio app.

CSP in its tablet version is super complete and has all the tools its computer counterpart has.

Simple mode is an interface that maximizes the screen capabilities of a tablet or mobile device. It has access to the basic functions you need to create your artwork and any additional functions you may require. This mode is recommended for people creating illustrations for the first time or who want to utilize the entire tablet screen.

 

 

Easy mode includes a variety of functions that are simple to use even for beginners in digital art, from basic illustration tools to drawing 3D shapes, enclose & fill, and liquify.

 

 

Line Art with Vectors

The sketch is ready, and now it's time for the next step: Line art or Outlining. Recently, I was recommended to use the option of using vectors for Line art.

Vectors in CSP? I didn't know that was possible. It's the best way to outline as you have better control. First, we will create a vector layer (icon next to the new layer creation icon).

Now, choose the brush and color you will use for the outline.

Many times we are not happy with the line art result, especially if you are just starting. We can modify it with the Operation> Object option.

Select the section of the line art you want to modify and adjust the line.

Additionally, you can also modify the stroke size and color.

Conclusion

I hope all this information has helped you learn and master Clip Studio Paint.

I invite you to try some of these tricks and continue creating art.

Until next time!!

-Drawsiree

My Socials (TikTok, YouTube, Kofi)