Make your colorful illustrations better! This article is all about using color in Clip Studio Paint. I'll explain where to start and how to improve as you become more comfortable using color. If you're a beginner or used to line art / monochrome only this will be particularly helpful.

By the way- I use the tablet version of Clip Studio Paint but these tips will apply to any version.

Choosing Colors

Color Sets

If you struggle with choosing colors or just want to save time then ready to use color sets from Clip Studio Paint Assets can help you. You should already have a default set and many more are available. They're added similar to the way sub tools are added -except from the color set menu highlighted in the screen grab below. Clip Studio Paint Official has several sets including a skin color pallette which I highly recommend.

You can also find color sets online, but you will need to manually create a new set.

You'll usually need a lighter and darker variation of your main color for each object.

The color sets will typically have these colors organized together.

If you don't use a color set, an easy way to find these is by selecting a hue (pure color) then a tint and shade. This is what I've done in the example below with the check mark.

I recommend keeping the intensity relatively high. A simple way to do this is staying along the edge of the top right corner in the square color slider (It's the default in CSP tablet version). If the intensity is lowered the colors become muted and dingy.

Time saving tip - Create an extra layer with a sample of each color used on that canvas. If the colors get jumbled up in your color history, you'll still have them saved. This is particularly helpful with something that will take multiple sittings to complete.

You can hide the layer while you're using it.

Color Theory - How To Use It

If you didn't know - Color Theory is basically how colors relate to other colors. Analogous colors are close together on the wheel. They create harmony. Complimentary colors are opposite of each other on the color wheel and create contrast. As you add more colors it's just a variation of these two (Split Complimentary, etc.)

Color Theory can help you by providing a guide when you get stuck or just don't know where to start. You can adjust colors to create either more harmony or more contrast. Similar to how you would use a reference.

The main way I use it is by creating several simplified sketches before I actually start the full size canvas. This helps me decide exactly what colors to use and prevents the need to adjust later on.

After I've chosen a general color scheme I may still try out several variations of those colors in my mini sketches. I leave each element on a separate layer so that I can move them around and see what works best. I highly recommend trying this, it can save a lot of time in the long run.

Magnets

*Notice the use of magnets above (pink)*

Magnets are little bits of color that help pull the eye toward your focal point. That's usually your subject or just the most important part on the canvas. It's best to place it somewhere near the middle of the canvas.

If the focal point is mainly one color, just use that color. If the focal point is multicolored it is okay to use several colors for the magnets.

Either way it's important to use them somewhat sparingly for them to be effective. You don't want the magnets to take up the same amount of space as the focal point.

Speaking of focal points, color dodge is another way to draw attention to them. You can use any brush that will allow the blending mode to be changed to color dodge. It's sort of like a highlight but even better. I love using it with landscapes when the sun is shining through. Again, remember to use it somewhat sparingly.

Color Transitions

Color Transitions are especially important in realism and styles like digital oil or digital gouache. On a person's face for example, there are many different colors and shades of colors, but they don't just start and stop abruptly. They gradually change.

You can use the brush and/or blender to create smooth color transitions. I like to use the round mixing brush or oil brush because they have adjustable color stretch. Color stretch is basically how much the paint mixes when your brush touches another color on the canvas. I recommend setting color stretch to at least 20. I usually set mine to 50.

Below are examples of various brushes I recommend using for areas with color transitions. All are made by Clip Studio Official and should be with your default sub tools.

1 - Round mixing brush

2 - Oil brush

3 - Pointillism

4 - Dry oozing watercolor

5 - Pastel

Shadows and ambient lighting are when color transitions will likely be most important. Clip Studio Paint now has a shade assist feature that can be extremely helpful to beginners. You can find it under “edit” in studio mode with the Tablet version.

Tonal correction and color balance are helpful tools as well.

*Notice the color transition of the tree tops from light green to dark green*

The type of brush used can also effect colors. Partially transparent brushes will allow background colors to show through. In this case it's best to choose harmonious colors, or use under painting with a less transparent brush. Underpainting and gradients are useful in many situations and they can make your art more complex.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Push yourself to try something new! The finished product may not be something you want to display but that's fine. The goal is to improve and learn new skills. I recommend choosing something you've never painted (and may not even like) for a study. Use the colors you tend to avoid if appropriate.

I hope you found these tips to be helpful and informative. Remember to keep practicing, it may not happen overnight but you will improve!

Thank you 😊