When you want to upload your illustration on the internet or social media, you might want to use photographs with line art, depending on the quality of your camera.

In this lesson, we will introduce how to edit images taken with a smartphone camera and create clean line art for your illustrations.

 

[1] Importing image data

(1) Transfer the photo to your computer and save it in a place of your choice.

 

(2) Start CLIP STUDIO PAINT, and select the previously saved data by using [Open] in the upper [Menu] to import it.

 

From the [Edit] menu, select [Change Image Resolution] and check if the image resolution and size is appropriate.

For web purposes, sizes below 1000px is preferred, but it differs depending on the purpose, so make sure to check the necessary size in advance. In addition, if you want to use the data for printing, check [Fix pixel] and set the [Resolution] to 350dpi.

 

[POINT]

If the image size is smaller than what you wanted to use, use the line art data as the draft.

Create a new canvas of an appropriate size through the [File] menu → [New], import the image, create a layer above it and ink it.

 

[2] Making adjustments with a Tonal Correction layer

If the imported image is too dark or if there are still lines from the draft as shown below, it is necessary to adjust the color of the image.

 

 

 

■ 1. Converting layers

 

In this image there are still blue sketch lines left behind, so convert the layer to gray (white to black posterization expression) and adjust the image further afterwards.

 

(1) In order to convert the layer to gray, select [Convert Layer] from the [Layer] menu.

 

(2) In the displayed [Convert Layer] dialog box, select [Gray] as the [Expression color] and click [OK].

 

(3) The color mode of the image is gray now.

 

 

 

■ 2. Adjustments with Brightness & Contrast layers

 

Since the entire image is gray, but still too dark, you can adjust it with a tonal correction layer so that it becomes brighter.

 

(1) Select [Brightness/Contrast] from the [Layer] menu → [New Correction Layer].

 

(2) When the [Brightness/Contrast] dialog is displayed, operate the slider and adjust it so that the paper appears white, while especially thin lines do not disappear or become too thin to see.

 

(3) After the adjustments are finished, click [OK]

 

(4) A tonal correctional layer for [Brightness/Contrast] has been created.

 

 

 

■ 3. Adjustments on the Level Correction layer

 

Next, the lines need to be made cleaner.

 

(1) Select the [Layer] menu → [New Correction Layer] → [Level Correction].

 

(2) Move the ▲ (node) below the [Level Correction] graph to adjust the settings, to the point where the paper color and shadow becomes white, and the line width and density becomes appropriate.

 

(3) After finishing the adjustments, click [OK] to create a [Level Correction] layer with the applied tonal correction.

 

[POINT]

To re-adjust a tonal correction layer, double click the icon of the respective layer in the [Layer palette].

 

[3] Extracting the line art

The adjustments for the imported image has been completed, but the line art is still drawn on a white background.

To make it easier to work with, when coloring for example, it is possible to divide the image into a layer that contains the line art and one that has the white background.

If the background is transparent, you can place colored layers underneath the line art, so lines won’t disappear when coloring the image.

 

(1) First, combine the tonal correction layer and the imported image into one layer.

Combine all images in the [Layer] palette by selecting [Layer] menu → [Flatten Image].

• If you combine the images, you cannot further readjust it with the tonal correction layer, so if you might need to make readjustment, create a backup using [File] menu → [Save as].

 

[POINT]

Be aware of the saving format

If the image is imported through the [File] menu → [Open] or by dragging it onto a canvas, the original data will be directly edited in CLIP STUDIO PAINT.

 

To save the file, select [Save as] and save it in the CLIP STUDIO format (.clip). Save the file in the CLIP STUDIO format (.clip) to maintain CLIP STUDIO PAINT’s original layer information such as rulers and text editing functions.

 

After merging the images, select [Convert Layer] in the [Layer] menu.

 

(3) In the displayed [Convert Layer] dialog box, follow the settings below.

① Set the [Expression color] to [Gray].

② Click only the black of the black and white button next to the [Expression color].

③ Put a check in [Keep original layer] at the bottom.

 

The reason for clicking the [Black] button in Step ② is that, if the used color is purely black, white parts will be converted to transparency, leaving only the line art.

In addition, when converting a layer, check [Keep original layer] to create the converted layer above the original layer. If the original layer is not required, there is no need to check this.

 

(4) Click [OK] in the dialog to create a line art layer above the original layer with a line art and a transparent background.

 

The original picture will remain as the original layer at the bottom, but since this might cause confusion while coloring, fill the lower layer in white.

 

Select the lower layer with the [Layer] palette and choose [Selection] → [Select All].

 

Next, select the [Edit] menu → [Advanced Fill].

 

In the displayed [Advanced Fill] dialog box, set the [Drawing color] to [Specified color].

 

Click the white color in the [Color settings] dialog box and click [OK] to complete.

 

With this, a layer filled in white and a separate line art layer have been created.

 

In this case, [Advanced Fill] was used to fill in the layer, but it can also be done by setting the drawing color to white in the [Tool] palette] and filling it using the [Edit] menu → [Fill].

 

[POINT]

If you use CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO/EX, it may be useful to register this process as an [Auto Action] if you use the same process often.

Auto action materials with this registered process can also be found via the CLIP STUDIO ASSETS application.

(The material used here is in Japanese)

 

[4] Removing dust and making corrections

The image has been divided into its line art and background. Now, it is time to remove the fine dust that originated from the scanning process and correct protruding lines that remained from the inking process.

 

Use the [Remove dust] tool to remove fine dusts. The [Remove dust] erases fine dust that is smaller than a specified size of particles.

 

 

 

■ How to use the [Remove dust] tool

 

Select the [Remove dust] tool from the [Tool] palette. In the initial settings, it is stored under the [Correct line] tool at the bottom of the [Tool] palette. If you cannot find it, click the [Correct line] tool and check inside the [Sub Tool] palette.

 

Set the size of dust with [Size of dust]. Adjust this little by little to find the settings that suit you best.

 

Select [Delete opaque point] under [Mode].

 

After finishing the settings, select the area to remove the dust by enclosing it in a rectangle.

 

The dust has disappeared.

 

[POINT]

To erase the dust by tracing it like the [Eraser] and [Pen] Tool, use [Fill leftover] from the [Remove dust] tool.

Set the [Mode] in the [Tool Property] palette to [Delete opaque point], in order to erase the dust within the painted area.

 

Moreover, by putting an edge around the content of a layer, using the settings in the [Layer Property] palette (PRO/EX) will make the position of dust clearer.

 

In the [Layer] palette, select the layer you want to use the border effect on.

 

Click [Border effect] in the [Layer Property] palette.

 

Click [Edge] and set the [Thickness of edges] and the [Color].

 

The drawn parts in the image have a border now, and the parts that are actually dust are easier to see.

 

Erase the visible dust with the [Remove dust] tool.

After removing the dust, click the [Border effect] icon again to undo the edges.

 

 

 

■ More on dust removals and making correction

 

Use the regular [Eraser] tool to erase the dust in places where the [Remove dust] tool does not work well.

 

In addition, you can select dust with the [Rectangle] marquee tool and erase it with [Edit] → [Delete] or by pressing the [Delete] key.