Hello, this is Tamil, and thanks for looking into this article. I will focus on exporting artwork and using timelapse. I hope you will learn something.

Timelapse

Timelapse is a great way to show you behind the scenes and increase engagement for your artwork. Who does not like some nice time-lapses? Clip Studio Paint made it easy to record and share that. I used to use screen recording before, but it is not ideal because it records everything, including zooming in and the time I go get the tea for my breaks :) It is also super easy to use.

 

P.S. I have a small pet peeve when it comes to naming, so I just wanted to clarify the terms.

 

Timelapse - a video that is sped up for easier viewing.

Speedpaint - a painting that you do quickly and fast to get the most efficiency.

 

Some people missname them, so I just wanted to share that. Let's get started ^^

 

When creating canvas you can always click on "Record Timelapse". Keep in mind that it will increase your file sizes (duh). I did not get any performance issues when I used the recording, so it is very optimized! But what if you need to record it mid way through your illustration?

An easy way to do that will be File - Timelapse - Record Timelapse.

 

If there is a checkmark, that means it is recording. If click on Record Timelapse again, it will permanently delete the information.

 

What about exporting?

This section is the easiest one. Length could be 15 / 30 / 60 / long. Instagram, which is the most popular platform for me, allows 60-second video previews, which works great for this. You can upload the full length, but then it might become harder to view. Whatever works for you will be a great choice.

 

The biggest size for the timelapse is 1280 px. I would just keep it at that since lower quality might be a little pixilated.

 

 

 

The aspect ratio is the most interesting one. It automatically will adjust the framing for your video. It is nice when you have a weird file format, but I would just keep it as is and then edit it later in a video editing software. It will give you more options and save you quality. I think instagram also lets you crop it a little bit, so just experiment and share your next masterpiece!

 

I have a pretty good computer. Once a clicked export, it took some time before I was able to see the video, so if you are in a rush, then I suggest doing it ahead of time.

 

Timelapse is great for sharing, but there are also some small tricks I like to do before posting my artwork.

Auto Action Sharpen and Noise

Once I am done with a painting, there are some things that I do a lot almost every single time before exporting. It takes some time, so I started using Auto Actions. If you never used it before, this will be a great start for you. Check out my video because there are some things that are harder to write in the article.

 

Auto Action will record almost everything you do to your artwork and will be able to repeat it once you save it at any time. The first action that I usually set up is Sharpen.

A simple way to get started will be creating a new action. This button will create a set of the action that you can save later.

 

If you already have one, just click the big circle button and start recording.

Usually, I add some sharpening for my painting after I am done, so let's make a quick action for that.

 

1) Layer -> Merge visible to new layer ( I like to work on a new separate layer, so that I do not mess with anything else )

2) Filter -> Sharpen - Unsharp Mask.

The first two sharpen options will not give you sliders, so I prefer using this one. The name is confusing because it says "unsharp". Just ignore that and use the sliders numbers that work for you. Keep in mind that the settings will save for the action, so it will be the same every time. Do not overdo it.

The other thing that I do is using Noise after I am done with sharpen. It is time-consuming to make it every time, so let's keep using this same action and add to it.

 

3) Make a new layer

4)Filter -> Render -> Perlin Noise

Very important thing. Change scale to less than 10 or so. It comes with 50 scale, which does not work for noise. We just want to add a small texture to it.

5) Go into layers and change blending mode to overlay. Reduce opacity to around 10-50. This will depend on your taste and the type of artwork you make. Play around with it.

6) Keep in mind that if you keep making small changes, it will be recorded as well. Once you done, just go back to the action and delete it. You can also rearrange it later down the line. If you feel confused, maybe watching the video will help.

Auto Action Export

This is another quick tip that I like to use when I am done with my art. Going to save as and picking a format is very tedious every time. That's why you can use actions.

 

An easy way to make it work is:

1) Layer -> Merge visible to new layer

2) File -> Export Single layer - JPG ( most social media accepts JPG better, but you can always set it up for PNG for better quality )

3) File - Close ( do not save )

 

Now you can export your painting very quick and easy. It will even close the canvas for you!

 

Do not forget there is always the button mode for Action.

It will allow you to not have to click play every time. If you do not need to edit your actions, then you can just single click on them. Super useful. Just click on the 3 line option and select button mode.

Formatting with Auto Action

There is also a formatting issue that I have to deal with every time. Different social media has different formats and it cropping options are not always the best while using their app. I set up an action for that as well.

 

1) Layer -> Merge visible to new layer

2) Edit -> Change Canvas Size

I use canvas instead of file, because then I can scale it down and format it the way I want it. Each social media could be separated with action, which makes it super time saving.

 

If for example, you want to upload to instagram, set it to their canvas sizes. 1080 by 1080 is the standard size. Instagram landscape photo: 1080 x 608 px. Instagram portrait 1080 x 1350 px.

 

I also wanted to point out that doing double the size of social media is useful. If I paint for 1080 by 1080, I would go 1.5x size or so. Not more than that. Going too high might add pixelation when scaling down.

 

I also recommend changing the size yourself. If you have the size too high and you will upload it to the website, their scaling method is not always the best. I get better results when I do it in Clip Studio Paint. I hope this helps.

Making your Wip Pop

What is WIP? I used to hear it all the time and I never understood the full word. WIP - work in progress. Basically, a nice sketch that will be turned into something better. I have just a few small tricks for making your sketches pop.

Here is a quick old sketch that I made. I usually work with mid-tone background, so I can add shades later.

Adding a small darker shade for the shape of the object will make it easier to read and enjoy. I usually just add it behind or with a multiply layer, so it does not mess up my line work.

Adding a dark or white outline will make it pop again. It does not work for everything, but it does help in certain cases.

After I am done with that, I usually use Gradient Map to color it quickly. It is a super-easy way to add fun colors to your sketch. Do not overdo it, I like to keep it down to one color or just reduce the opacity.

It makes for a more interesting way to share art. It is easy to add and I like the effect it gives. It is not a crazy life hack that will make your art amazing, but I wish I knew this when I was starting out.

Conclusion

I hope this helped and you learned something. I tried to keep it light and easy to follow. Watch the video if you think I skipped something. I also did this painting for this tutorial. I used the time-lapse feature this time instead of screen record, so let me know if you like that format better.

Here are my social media and portfolio. Thanks for reading.