Intro

Hello there! 🌟 This is Tamil. Welcome to this tutorial on creating a nostalgic scene in Clip Studio Paint. In this guide, we’ll explore the techniques and creative processes to evoke that warm, sentimental feeling that makes us reminisce about simpler times. By the end of this tutorial, you'll see how I transform my digital canvas into a beautiful, nostalgic artwork :) maybe it will help you too!

Ideas and Inspirations

Creating a nostalgic scene involves more than just replicating a memory; it’s about evoking emotions and connecting with the viewer on a personal level.

 

Nostalgia could be anything you grew up with personally. I grew up on a small farm. Long summer days after gardening I would spend outside. The breeze and mix of cold and hot weather was something I enjoyed a lot during my summer breaks!

Here is my old photo of the country side I used to live around. Every time I would go outside for a sunset walk. Enjoy the weather and breathe in the air.

 

Even an old photo I took can be used as a reference for a nostalgic painting. The colors are not too dark. Lots of warm greens and it has a road in the middle to lead the composition forward. The sky is purple with pink tones. The city is small and far away, giving a sense of separation and freedom.

 

Feel free to use any of my images in this article as references by the way! I don’t mind :)

Another photo I took a long time ago when I went to work. For me, early mornings had a special mood. Right before work I would walk to the construction building I worked at. The morning were cold, but sunny. I would get my tea or coffee and enjoy the city view. I put an old filter from my phone for this image, you can see how the colors made it look closer to film camera. This is the mood I want to feel when my audience sees it too.

Maybe your nostalgia is different? Maybe it is mostly video games or going to the library? Seeing your friends or getting pizza at a specific spot. Think about your childhood and see what can you pull from it to share with the world!

Let’s recap:

 

Warm Colors: Use warm colors like oranges, yellows, and reds to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere. These colors can remind viewers of sunsets, autumn, and warm, sunny days.

Soft Lighting: Soft, diffused lighting can create a dreamy, ethereal effect. This type of lighting often brings a sense of calm and peace.

Muted Tones: Muted, less saturated colors can evoke a sense of nostalgia and the passage of time, similar to how old photographs appear.

Locations and Settings: Streets lined with houses, picket fences, and tree-lined sidewalks can remind people of their childhood homes. Forests, meadows, and lakesides are common settings that evoke memories of outdoor adventures and family vacations. Swing sets, slides, and seesaws can bring back memories of childhood playtime.

Here is another old photo I took a while ago when hiking. I edited the colors, but there was lots of fog that day and it was so much fun discovering the forest :)

Elements and Objects: Incorporate the look of Polaroid photos with their distinct white borders and square format. Old TVs, radios, and vintage cars can be nostalgic reminders of past decades. Including toys like teddy bears, toy cars, and dolls can evoke a sense of innocence and wonder.

This is another old photo that I took forever ago. Can you guess why it might feel nostalgic ?:)

 

Wired headphone and the music player! Today, most people use wireless headphones instead of wires. It is not as popular anymore. Music players as well! Most people use their phones to listen to music, but back then, the phones did not have enough storage sometimes to keep everything all in one place.

 

Think of technology and items that you used, but does not get mentioned before. Bringing it to your painting might make it very nostalgic.

Themes and Emotions: Scenes that depict gatherings with family and friends can create a sense of belonging and warmth. Capture moments of simple joy, like flying a kite, having a picnic, or watching the sunset. Different seasons and holidays often bring back specific memories and feelings. Think about how to incorporate elements of winter holidays, summer vacations, or fall festivities.

Lots of old photos I have also have one distinct feature. If it is an indoor image, all of them will have a flash. Cameras were not able to pick up super dark images, so they had to compensate it with flash :)

Now that we have an idea on how to come up with ideas, let’s make canvas for our painting!

Setting Up Your Canvas

Before diving into the painting, let’s prepare our workspace. Let’s open Clip Studio Paint and follow these steps to set up a canvas.

Open Clip Studio Paint and click on "File" in the top menu.

Select "New" to open the New Canvas dialog box.

In the New Canvas dialog box, you can customize the canvas settings.

To create your canvas, start by selecting the canvas size and resolution. For a high-quality result, I recommend starting with a canvas size of 3000x2000 pixels at 300 DPI. This size allows for detailed work and ensures that the final image is suitable for printing or high-resolution displays. Input the dimensions in the "Width" and "Height" fields, and set the "Resolution" to 300 DPI.

I also love to start with mid tone “paper color”. Something not as harsh as pure white.

Consider different canvas formats to evoke nostalgia. A square canvas 1:1, like 2000x2000 pixels, can evoke the feeling of a Polaroid photo, instantly bringing a sense of nostalgia. This format is great for creating a vintage photo effect.

4:3 Aspect Ratio (Old School TV): A 4:3 canvas, such as 3000x2250 pixels, mimics the aspect ratio of old television screens, adding a retro touch to your artwork. This format can be used to recreate scenes reminiscent of classic TV shows or family videos.

Wide Format (Cinematic Feel): A wide canvas, like 3840x2160 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio), provides a cinematic feel. While not inherently nostalgic, the wide format can be used to frame expansive landscapes or nostalgic movie-like scenes.

Background Color:

Set the background color to warm gray color. This provides a clean base for your artwork and makes it easier to see the colors and details you add later.

 

Once you've set up your canvas, click "OK" to create it. Your blank canvas is now ready for the next steps!

Sketch

Before even starting I usually go and make a moodboard of images I like and want to incorporate into my art. There are many websites that let you gather references. I follow a lot of photographers online, which gives me so much inspiration as well when painting. As you can see I take my own images as well and they help me to bring the mood and memories from my life too!

 

Begin with a rough sketch to lay out the basic elements of your scene. Focus on the overall composition: place the main elements in the background, mid-ground, and foreground. Sketch lightly and loosely, focusing on the placement of key features.

I chose to depict suburban life in a trailer park, capturing the nostalgic essence found in many small towns across deep America. This scene will include elements of nature, trees, and quaint houses to evoke that childhood charm.

I divided the image into three sections: foreground, midground, and background, each varying in size—large, medium, and small, respectively. This approach helps to clearly distinguish and separate each element, creating a well-organized composition. By varying the sizes, I can emphasize depth and perspective, making the scene more dynamic and visually appealing. This structure also allows for better placement of details and ensures that each element stands out in its own space, contributing to a more immersive and engaging landscape.

To create this piece, I used the standard pencil sketch brush that comes with Clip Studio Paint. I love exploring how far I can push my creativity with the basic tools provided. There’s something incredibly satisfying about mastering the essentials. I only look for new brushes and tools when I hit a creative block and need something to help elevate my work to the next level. This approach keeps things simple and challenges me to find innovative solutions with what I have.

 

Using the pencil sketch brush also adds a nostalgic touch to the artwork. The texture and line quality bring a sense of simplicity and warmth, reminding me of childhood drawings and traditional sketching. This choice enhances the mood of the piece, creating a feeling of familiarity and sentimentality that fits perfectly with the theme of suburban life and cherished memories.

Tip: Do several quick sketches (5-10) to explore different compositions before settling on the one that feels right. 📝✨

Here, I made some sketches of the environments, drawing from both imagination and photo references. It's perfectly okay if some of them don't look great—these sketches are just for warming up and exploring ideas. Don't be afraid to create something that isn’t perfect. Embrace the process, have fun with it, and let your creativity flow. Remember, it's all about experimenting and discovering new possibilities.

Once you’re happy with the composition, refine your sketch by adding more details. Define the shapes of the key elements, the contours of the foreground, and any significant features. Ensure that the details are clear enough to guide you through the painting process but not so intricate that they become overwhelming.

Using 3D for my character

I am not the greatest when it comes to figure drawing and adding characters to the scene. A lot of times adding a small character will make your entire image more alive and beautiful. The easiest way to do it is to use 3D models that are in Clip Studio Paint.

 

I have wrote many articles ( and made lots of videos ) on how to use 3D in clip studio paint for your art!

^ this one mainly focusing on 3D posing and characters, which I will mainly use in this artwork.

^ if you want to go deeper into the rabbit hole, then definitely check out the background tutorial for 3D I made a long time ago. There is some really good information there.

I will cover 3D here as well, but only briefly, since there is already a separate article for it. To use 3D posing is very simple!

First we need to access 3D by going to Window ->Material->Material 3D

In the body type section there are many options. There is a way to modify the proportions and the body type for the character in settings, but I usually just go with the regular as a point of reference.

In the pose section there are so many poses available to pick from. The easiest way is to just drag and drop them into your model. It’s super easy and fast.

 

The best part about it is that you can also download poses from clip studio paint resources too!

By downloading them, it can be applied to any character you have already made.

The only thing left is to place the character into your environment and use it as an assistance for your figure.

Here is the pose I picked and I placed the character on the wood piece I sketched out. The most important part is PERSPECTIVE! Think of where the camera is located. If your camera is looking up, and is on the ground, this should not be the perspective for the character. The easiest way to explain it is if the camera is below, you will see the character’s nostrils. If your camera is above the face, then you will see more forehead and more hair.

^ this was the best perspective tutorial I made for people who are new. I keep going back to it whenever I can to check myself and my mistakes. Highly recommend it.

I decided on a suburban teenager who is on the vacation with her family. There are many ways you can design your character. Just keep in mind that if the focus is on the environment, and you add too many details on clothes, you might take away the attention from the landscape.

Make your character original. Think of ways how they feel, what they would wear for the weather they are in. How comfy they are? Do they have expensive or cheap clothes?

Blocking in Basic Colors

With the refined sketch in place, start blocking in the basic colors. Use broad, solid colors to lay down the foundation of your scene. Focus on the sky, the landscape, and any main objects. Don’t worry about details at this stage; we’ll build on this layer in the next steps

Tip: Use layers to separate different elements of your painting, such as the background, mid-ground, and foreground. This will make it easier to make adjustments later on!

 

I usually use 2-3 layers to block out colors.

The colors I chose were warm browns, creating a sunset vibe that evokes the feeling of autumn. Color can be one of the most powerful ways to infuse nostalgia into your painting, and I don't regret spending at least half my time focused on this aspect of my work. I believe that color choices have the ability to transport viewers to a different time and place. Many of the strokes I made were intentionally messy and imperfect, as I wanted to convey a sense of distant memory—something that isn’t too clear or detailed. This approach invites the viewer to reflect on their own experiences, allowing them to feel a connection to the scene as if it were a cherished moment from their past.

The character also needs to stand out a bit from the environment, even if the color combinations might seem unusual. I personally love adding variety to my artwork, as it creates visual interest and depth. While the light should dictate how the colors mix ( so it does not look out of place ), the clothing can still retain its distinctiveness. For instance, the pink in her outfit serves as one of the most prominent elements of the painting, drawing the viewer's attention and creating a vibrant focal point amidst the surrounding colors.

Adding Details and Texture

Now it’s time to add details and textures to your painting. Work on the textures of the landscape, any structures, and the main objects. Add shading and highlights to give depth and dimension. Pay attention to the lighting in your scene, especially the warm tones of the sunset, which will create the nostalgic atmosphere.

I mainly added light coming from the top left, which creates a nice glow in the scene. I also worked on adding more details to the clothing and trees, giving them some extra texture. I made sure to include more grass and varied the greens to make the grassy areas feel more alive. As usual, I used the regular oil and paint brushes in Clip Studio Paint because they mix colors really well, giving my work a smooth, painterly look.

Another big thing I have been using is the blur brush. It is going to be located in the blur category on the left side of your workspace.

This blur brush is the entire reason why this painting looks like the colors are dripping from the canvas. I really enjoyed this look to be honest.

I also added a bit of outline to the edges and some objects on the artwork. At this point it’s just a style choice and it is not very realistic, but it makes the image easier to read and makes it overall softer. I did not hesitate to do a blur filter on top of the image as well.

 

If you want to see the render, I will definitely upload the timelapse on youtube and link it here. Thanks to clip studio paint, the timelapse get recorded automatically to the file if you checked it at the very beginning when creating a canvas.

Adding Final Touches

There are many ways to make the image more nostalgic with filters and magical objects!

In this case I decided to add glowing butterflies that fly away from the character to show that something whimsical is happening. I really enjoy glowing effects. A simple way to add glow is to create a new layer, set it to color dodge, then use an airbrush and mess around with colors.

Clip studio paint also added a new set of filters in the filter panel. One of the filters helped me so much with this final look!

I already covered the new filters before, but as a quick reminder. Retro film will be a great way to add nostalgia to the final result. The filter alters the colors to make it look like film. Also adding noise and some colored edges.

Here are my settings that I usually use. Sepia and light leak combines. Low Intensity ( for colored edges ). Noise strength 1-5 usually, unless I want something to really be textured.

 

Sometimes it is also too strong, so I make a back up of my image and play with opacity.

Merge visible to a new layer is a very underrated function. I feel like not a lot of people use it. This create a separate copy of everything you see on canvas into a separate layer. If you want to add filter or noise or any other effect, it’s perfect! It will affect the entire painting and you will not have to worry about messing it up at all. It will always be separate.

 

After I apply the filter, I usually just turn down the opacity, so that I it is not too strong in the final.

In this case I did 50%, but you can pick anything you want. Whatever works best for your taste and the result you want to achieve.

Final

Here is the final result! I hope you enjoyed my journey and learned something new. Here is the link for the time lapse of the final below:

What are your favorite parts of the nostalgic art? Did you ever made nostalgic art before?

 

Let me know :)

Keep on creating and improving your skills!

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