From original image to monochrome inking

First of all we will have to choose our image for the scene, in my case I chose the following photo:

Second, we must have a clear idea of what scene we want to create from this photograph. Therefore, it is advisable to take photos or choose images with a prior intention and idea. My idea is the following: two characters in the middle of the street in the middle of the night while snow is falling.

So first I must test what possibilities the image gives me and what aspects of it I should modify, that is, edit and retouch the photograph itself. So for this I am going to change the “expression color” of the layer property, going from: color to monochrome.

---

This is how the image looks in high contrast black and white:

Now when comparing the monochromatic image with the idea I have in mind, I analyze that I must modify several elements and areas. For example: the white sky does not give me the impression that it is night, so I will have to invert that high value (white) to a low value (black).

For this I will create a new layer so as not to affect the monochromatic image faithful to the original...

By painting the sky black to give the sensation of night and darkness I have lost some of the foliage and trees. I even notice that the cast shadow of the left tree is incoherent at night, I should delete it.

We lost fundamental elements, so to recover them quickly we will resort to converting the monochrome layer to only have the color black on the layer and thus make a quick selection.

By canceling the white square, the ink will remain without a background, and we would have to see the image in Clip Studio Paint like this:

By having the image without a white background, we can select quickly from the image layer itself. Simply with the shortcut "ctrl" plus "left click" on the thumbnail image viewer that appears on the layer.

On a new layer I painted white with the paint can, and I tested how it looks with the inked sky. Which makes me think that perhaps I should modify and add elements to my composition such as putting a moon and changing the lighting of the Basilica of Luján.

I have recovered the foliage, the trees, and so on... but I have also lost part of the street that in theory should be full of snow. The rest is adjusting through trial and error that is convenient for my final scene.

I have solved those concerns by giving it texture, simplifying the street, adding the moon and adding points that simulate snow. But something else is missing, and they are the characters that I had in mind, for this I will resort to the 3D models that the program provides me.

I change the color of the layer to blue to better distinguish the character models and be able to place them in a coherent and appropriate way to the background.

Once the 3D models have been incorporated and we have observed that the figure and background are integrated... we will sketch our character above, taking into account the clothing with the climate of the environment.

Finally, I will take the time necessary to define and finish the inking of the characters. Especially the character who is in the American plane (character on the right).

Remember that this is just a tutorial and a guide on how you can integrate your photos into the scenes of your comics, mangas or illustrations... the final result will depend on how much time you invest in your works of art. Let's draw! And also photograph!