Introduction

Hello everyone, Ayda Fork here!

 

This post will cover the basics of preparing files for webtoon creation, specifically for Webtoon Canvas, as well as how webtoons tools on CSP can make the creation easier and as well as an introduction to character creation.

All of these tips are what I used before creating my own Webtoon, and I hope they will be useful to you as well.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

Steps on Webtoon creation

1. Develop an Art Style (Character creation)

Having a well-established art style accomplishes several things. Your art style is practically your signature. By establishing a consistent art style for your webtoon, readers will recognize you as the creator based on your artwork.

You don't want to start with one art style and end up with another by the middle or end of your webtoon. It can be unsettling, and it can throw readers off. That's why, you must carefully plan how the characters in the webtoon will have their own signatures, such as clean lines and easily readable features.

This is a character creation example based on my own webtoon. This character design sheet can be found on WEBTOON CANVAS - Creators 101. The Webtoon Creators 101 website provides numerous helpful tips for starting your own webtoon.

I'll show you how to obtain the same sheet that I used to create my own character. Go to the WEBTOON CANVAS -Creators 101 website first (the URL is at the top).

Then, at the top, click the webtoon academy button, and you'll see the option FEATURED RESOURCES, followed by the button MORE on the right side. You will be taken to a new site where you must click on DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES to access everything (in the form of a PDF sheet) that you need to create a Webtoon. It will be simpler once you understand everything involved in creating a webtoon.

Here is an example of a CHARACTER DESIGN SHEET found there.

Aside from clean lines and easily readable features, knowing what to exaggerate and minimize, how to add depth and background to your character, and what to do to develop personality are all important aspects of creating a good character that can influence audiences.

2. Setting up a vertical canvas for Webtoon

The recommended size for a vertical manuscript varies depending on where your Webtoon will be published. (You can find it by searching for it on the sites where you want to publish your story).

 

The width is usually determined by a size that corresponds to the general screen resolution of smartphones while the height of the canvas is usually determined solely by the limitations of the website. For example:

Width: 800 pixels

1280px is the height of the image.

(This is the size that WEBTOON has determined to be a workable size.)

 

In any case, instead of using the 800x1280 guideline, you can do one long canvases. When you upload your documents, Webtoon will resize and split them into separate canvases; for this reason, I usually use the canvas size of 800x10000 pixels and set my canvases to a resolution of 350dpi, as anything at 350dpi or higher should be more than enough for digital upload. I also limited my canvases to 7 pages in order to keep my story at the same length as the previous chapters.

3. Story Draft

The first step is to have a story in mind. However, don't just make things up, an outline is preferable. You're not writing the entire story in a single chapter, just the highlights of what happens in your WEBTOON. That is why you must first create a story draft to see if the flow of your story makes sense before proceeding with the drawing.

 

When you have the rough draft and sketches on the canvases, you must carefully plan where to create a dramatic effect, as well as how to use the space between the panels to allow the reader to rest and focus on the text.

A space between panels can demonstrate the dynamic flow of your story. Here is an example from my Webtoon:

4. [On-screen area (webtoon)] and [New Window] function

• CSP has [On-screen area (webtoon)] function which will allow you to preview and check how the image will look on a smartphone.

 

To see how any part of a canvas appears on a smartphone screen, go to the [View] menu and select [On-screen area (webtoon)].

You can easily determine where your panel will end using this function, and it can also aid in the creation of the rough story manuscript you did earlier. When you know how your webtoon will appear on a smartphone screen, you can use this function to see and set the flow of your story more easily. Here is the example from my webtoon:

-Next, the [New Window] function is used to display multiple windows for the canvas. When using such a long canvas for your Webtoon, it is difficult to check the entire canvas when zoomed in for drawing. You can view the canvas as a whole while working on specific parts more easily if you use multiple windows to display the same file.

 

To use this feature, go to the [Window] menu option, then click on [Canvas] to see the [New Window] button, then click on it to create a separate view of the same document you're currently working on.

5. Coloring Process

When you're starting your own Webtoon, keep in mind that you'll have to draw and color the same character multiple times, so creating color sets for them is a convenient way.

There are also some tools from CLIP STUDIO ASSETS that you can use to make your coloring process easier. For coloring my Webtoon, I use two main tools that I downloaded from CLIP STUDIO ASSETS (don't worry, it is free!) :

When using these tools, please make sure that all of your lines are connected and closed, or else the outline selection will be filled instead.  It is also important to add a gradient map and select the sepia gradient in the dialog box in CSP. This way is often used to add moods and dramatic effects such as flashbacks in the Webtoon.

6. Background

I seek assistance from ACON3D websites for the background of my Webtoon, which has saved me time from drawing the background of my Webtoon (You can click on the link above).

 

ACON3D simplifies the process of creating a Webtoon for us, Webtoon creators.

ACON3D offers a variety of background options based on the genre of your Webtoon. You can search for anything you want to use on your Webtoon and select the best one for your needs. Although the prices are a bit high, there is also a FREE model option, so don't worry~

Because my Webtoon is based on ROMANCE FANTASY, I am always drawn to the fantasy mansion and etc. It's also fascinating to see such incredible works at ACON3D, which makes me lose track of time every time I visit the website~ :)

7. Uploading your file on WEBTOON CANVAS

The new version of CLIP STUDIO PAINT included a new convenience feature that allows you to directly upload your story to the WEBTOON website with a single click. This feature is accessible when you launch the CSP app on your laptop.

I won't go into detail because the procedure for uploading files is explained in advance if you click the [HOW TO EXPORT TO WEBTOON] option. I'll just show you how to upload your story to the WEBTOON CANVAS website without the new feature above if you didn't update your CSP yet.

 

To begin, go to the WEBTOON CANVAS website and click the publish button on the right side, next to your account menu (Remember that you must first login before you can upload your story.).

After logging in, you'll see the Series settings screen. You must select the genre, title, summary, square thumbnail (1080 x 1080 px/ under 500KB), and vertical thumbnail (1080 x 1920 px/ under 700KB) for your series before clicking the Create Series button. Here is an example setting of my Webtoon:

Next, as previously stated, when you upload your documents, Webtoon will resize and split them into separate images that will be optimized to meet all of the WEBTOON CANVAS image guidelines, so uploading an episode may take some time because the files are uploaded one at a time, so be patient if your internet connection is slow.

All sliced, resized, and unchanged images have a maximum file size of 2MB. You can upload up to 20MB which is 100 images in total.

 

Once you've filled out all of the necessary information for your episode, click the [Publish Episode] button at the bottom of the page to publish it.

Then, congratulation~ The first chapter of your Webtoon have been published!

Conclusion

To create a Webtoon, this line of work required a consistent amount of energy, but I hope that those who want to challenge themselves do not give up and continue to create what makes them the happiest in the world. I've only recently started my own Webtoon, so the work is quite a burden for me, but with so many compliments and encouragement from my readers, it keeps me going on the creation of my Webtoon, so I hope you can also feel how grateful I am because of my readers someday.

 

That concludes my tips. I hope these tips are useful, as they have been for me with my story.

 

Thank you so much for reading both this post and possibly my webtoon 'My Brother is Not a Hero!' if you're so willing :)