For me, what’s harder than drawing a character…

Is drawing multiple characters together.

Let’s make it easier with Clip Studio 3D Drawing Figure!!

 

In this tutorial, I will show you how to draw a romantic dance scene with 2 of my characters in a very easy and time saving way with the use of Clip Studio’s drawing figure (and 3D Head model)!!

This tutorial is explained in basic level on working with 3D drawing figure.

If you’re new to the feature, you can follow it step by step and feel free to ask here if you need help or more clear explaination :)

Video Tutorial

if you prefer watching the process in action, check on the video version of this tutorial

Step 1 : Set up the figure body to match your design

Preparing for a romantic dance scene!!

Here is my character design that I will use, Seelke and a prince charming seal!!

My prince charming seal has a unique body ratio. 

Using the standard 3D figure, some parts will be unclear, and it makes the sketch process harder.

The adjusted 3D figure makes it a lot easier.

The custom 3D figure can be saved to use later.

It’s very useful when you work on animation or comic projects.

 

Let’s set up the figure!!

Import a 3D figure on the canvas. 

Open the Material library panel, and go to folder [3d > Body type]

Drag the figure to the canvas, it will appear in the middle of the canvas

Move the figure with [Move] tool (instead of the object tool) will not change the figure perspective

Select the 3D figure with the [Object] tool,

you can see the floating menu bar, Click on the [Adjust body shape… ] icons

It will open the [Sub Tool Detail] panel,

You can adjust the body by dragging in the adjustment graph

And you can adjust individual parts of the body

On some part, you may need to rotate the model to see 

(Click and drag on blank area to rotate the camera)

Tips : draw the joint and body structure as blocks on a layer above the model will make it easier to adjust.

When finish the adjustment, register it as a body type .

 

Create a new folder, In the material panel, right-click on the folder and [New folder]

Click on the [Save body shape as material] icon on the floating menu bar

In the [Register material] popup panel, set the name and pick the folder, 

The body type material will be saved in the folder, ready to use whenever you need it!

Step 2 : Set up the pose and save your time with Assets

One problem about using 3D figure as the reference is :

It’s a lot of time consume if you need to pose them from scratch.

In Clip Studio, there are several solutions for it such as :

Pose Scanner(Clip Studio 2.0+) and Posemaniacs (Clip Studio 3.0)

 

You can import the pose by [File > Import > Pose scanner or 3D pose]

The Pose Scanner let you upload a photo, and it will convert into pose.

The result maybe not so accurate, but it took less time to adjust than adjusting the figure from scratch.

The Posemaniacs let you browse the poses from its website and just open it directly to Clip Studio

These methods are a lot of time saving,

 

However, they’re for individual character pose.

 

For the Group pose, It’s easier to get the pose material from Clip Studio Assets

 

Filter the search box with pose for more specific results.

Let’s get couple pose for the dancing scene!

This is the one I picked for this tutorial

How figure materials work?

There are 3 type of materials for the 3D drawing figure :

the body type, the pose which separate to full body pose and hand pose

They can be dragged to apply on each other on the canvas, very comfortable!!

Set up the group pose

For the group pose material, They usually come with the poses for the individual character,

and you must set up the position of the character by yourself.

Set up the figure position first,

Drag a body material to the canvas,

then drag another one to empty space next to the first figure

The 2 figures will be together on a 3D layer

(Becareful to not drag another one over the first one, it will replace the first on instead of appearing together)

If you’re new to 3D objects in Clip Studio, these are basic controls:

• Left-click and drag on space to rotate thecamera

• Middle-click and drag to move the camera

• Right-click and drag to zoom

You can click on the figure or use the navigate icon to select the body

When select the drawing figure, there are control icons on the selected figure.

You can click to enable specific movement (and click again to disable)

Use the object control to move the 3D figure facing each other

Now the position is ready, drag the downloaded pose to apply on the body

The pose is good, but they unfit the body of the characters

Adjust the pose

Click on the figure 1 time, it will show the joints (pose controller). 

You can drag on these joints to adjust the pose

By clicking again on the body part, it will switch to individual joint adjustment (local manipulator) where you can adjust on single joint

(you can click again to switch between these modes)

 

Now the pose is perfect!

Lock the figures to not accidentally edit it. 

In the [Tool property] panel, view the object list and lock the figures

Move the camera to get the perspective view you want

Looks wonderful!! Now you can use it as the pose reference!!

Step 3 : Finishing tips for 3D Drawing figures

Use the orange line as the reference to the middle of body

will be easier when you add the cloth over the drawing figure

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You can also use the 3d figure as light reference.

Go to the [Sub tool detail] panel and on the [Light source] tab,

adjust the light direction by dragging on the sphere

Copy the layer by right-click on the 3D layer and [Convert layer]

Pick raster layer and check on [Keep original layer] option

You will get a reference image on a new raster layer with light source for shading reference

With the usage of 3D drawing figure, my dance scene is finished!!, no more struggling on hard pose and more time for cookies!!

Bonus Step : Handsome face with Clip Studio 3D Head

Let’s draw the handsome human version of the prince charming seal with the Clip Studio 3D Head!!.

The 3D Head models are in the [Material library] folder [3D > head]

The 3D Head model features is also adjustable like the 3D Drawing figure :

in the [Sub tool detail] panel [Head model] tab, you can mix the face presets

Or adjust the feature individually in [Facial features] tab (like the 3D figure)

Or just download some handsome face from Clip Studio Assets

This is the 3D Head model I downloaded, very handsome!

Position the head on the canvas, you can click the model and use the control to rotate and resize it

To draw the hair to bald model :

drawing the hair line first, then set the direction where the hair flows.

This makes it easier to draw the hair.

The head model is with very clear detail, you may just trace the face feature directly.

Using 3D figure is fun!! I hope this tutorial gives you some idea to save time and reduce struggling on the group pose. Have fun drawing and see you in the next tutorial!!