clip studio paint by example: Mastering the Fill Tool in Clip Studio Paint: A Comprehensive Guide

clip studio paint by example: Learn how to unlock the full potential of the Fill Tool in Clip Studio Paint with this in-depth tutorial, covering its subtools, properties, and expert tips for optimizing your coloring workflow.

October 18, 2024 at 12:05

Mastering the Fill Tool in Clip Studio Paint

As digital artists, we often use tools without understanding how they work, leading to frustration when trying to achieve desired results. In this tutorial, we'll explore the functionalities of the Fill Tool and its subtools in Clip Studio Paint to help you master this essential tool.

About the Author

Nadiaxel, a professional, self-taught digital artist, shares her expertise and experience transitioning from Photoshop to Clip Studio Paint. Her insight will help you unlock the full potential of the Fill Tool.

Accessing the Fill Tool and Sub Tool Properties

To access the Fill Tool, select the Bucket icon in the toolbar. Two windows should open: the "Tool Property" window and the "Sub Tool" window. If these windows don't appear, go to the Window menu and ensure there's a checkmark next to "Tool Property" and "Sub Tool".

Default Settings

Don't worry about default settings; we'll be changing values throughout the tutorial.

Working with Lineart

Open a file containing lineart for your drawing. In the Layers window, the lineart is on its own layer, with a white background below. Structure your layers as desired; in this example, we'll use a single layer for flat colors, called "Flats".

Demonstrating the Fill Tool

Select the "Flats" layer and pick a color. Fill in color by clicking an area inside the lineart. The Fill Tool colors inside the lines, even when not on the same layer as the lineart. This is due to the "Refer Multiple" property in the Properties Window.

The "Refer Multiple" Property

The "Refer Multiple" property allows the Fill Tool to consider multiple layers when filling in colors. Options include "All Layers", "Reference Layer", "Selected Layer", and "Layer in Folder". When "Refer Multiple" is activated, the Fill Tool takes all layers into account when filling in colors. If "Refer Multiple" is unchecked, the Fill Tool only fills the currently selected layer with the same color.

Fill Tool Options in Clip Studio Paint

"All Layers"

  • "What you see, is what the Fill Tool sees"
  • The Fill Tool refers to all visible layers for guidance
  • Useful when working with multiple layers, but can lead to unwanted color bleeding behind characters or objects

"Reference Layer"

  • Allows the Fill Tool to ignore all layers except for the specified Reference Layer
  • Set a layer as a Reference Layer by:
    • Going to the Properties window and selecting the lighthouse-icon under "Refer Multiple"
    • Right-clicking on the layer thumbnail and selecting "Set as Reference Layer"
  • The Fill Tool will only refer to the Reference Layer, regardless of the number of color layers created

"Selected Layer" and "Layer in Folder"

  • "Selected Layer" only refers to the layers with a checkmark
  • Allows for flexible selection of Reference Layers that can be quickly turned on and off
  • "Layer in Folder" only refers to the layers within the currently active folder

"Close Gap" Property

  • Fills in small gaps in lineart as you color
  • Five bars represent the size of gaps that the Fill Tool will look for
  • Can specify a gap-size value by clicking on the arrow and typing in a number
  • Gap size depends on the size of the canvas and the size of the gaps in the lineart
  • Be cautious when using high values, as it may prevent the Fill Tool from reaching narrow spaces in the lineart
  • "Fill Narrow Areas" setting can be activated by clicking the Plus-icon next to the "Close Gap" property to avoid this issue

Fill Tool Properties in Clip Studio Paint

Unhiding Properties

  • Click the little Eye-icon to unhide any hidden properties
  • Ensure "Fill Narrow Areas" is turned on to access all parts of the lineart
  • If the Fill Tool still can't reach narrow areas, increase the value of the Tolerance property until desired results are achieved

The Tolerance/Colour Margin Property

  • Refers to the tolerance in the difference of colours when colouring or making a selection with the Selection Tool
  • Works in the same way as the Fill Tool's tolerance
  • Determines how close the next colour has to be to be regarded as the same colour
  • Example:
    • Gradient from white to black
    • Pick a colour, set Tolerance to 60, and click in the white area
      • Fills a big chunk of the gradient's range with the colour
    • Lower Tolerance to 30, fills less of the same range
    • Lower Tolerance to 5, fills only a small portion of the gradient's entire range
  • The value of the tolerance is set from the value of the pixel you click on
  • If you click in a different area, the tolerance runs from that point instead

Example: Changing Hair Colour without Affecting Skin Colour

  • Pick a new hair colour and fill it in with the Fill Tool by clicking on the hair
  • If the new hair colour bleeds into the skin, lower the Tolerance to distinguish between hair and skin colours
  • Try different Tolerance settings to find the sweet spot for your specific drawing

When to Use Higher or Lower Tolerance

  • Higher Tolerance:
    • Helpful when lineart is not solid and crisp (e.g. semi-transparent or textured brush)
    • Eliminates white or empty pixels along edges
  • Lower Tolerance:
    • Helpful when painting details without lineart
    • Allows for better differentiation between base colour and detail colour

The "Area Scaling" Property

  • Activating "Area Scaling" means the coloured area will extend itself a little further to avoid white or empty pixels by the border of your lineart
  • Ensure the "Area Scaling" property is using the "Scaling Mode" called "To Darkest Pixel"
  • Access the Scaling Property by clicking the little Plus-icon next to the Area Scaling property

Area Scaling in Clip Studio Paint

  • When using Area Scaling, the colored area will extend to the darkest pixel in your lineart, preventing the color from overflowing past your lines.
  • Example: Three identical sets of circles with different lineart thickness and Area Scaling values (0, 5, and 20).
  • High values of Area Scaling and Tolerance can give unexpected results and may require cleanup.
  • Area Scaling extends colors, while Tolerance determines which colors are considered different or the same.

Optimizing Coloring Workflow in Clip Studio Paint

Tip #1: Use "Enclose and Fill" to quickly create silhouettes for your colors

  • Select the Sub Tool called "Enclose and Fill" and pick your fill color.
  • Draw an area outside the object you want to fill and let go of your mouse.

Tip #2: Patch up white or blank pixels quickly using the "Paint Unfilled Area" tool

  • Select the Sub Tool window and choose "Paint Unfilled Area".
  • Mark the areas where there are white or blank pixels, and Clip Studio Paint will fill in the missing colors.

Tip #3: Turning off Anti-Aliasing when using the Fill Tool

  • Turn off anti-aliasing in the Properties window to avoid white or blank pixels along the edges of your colors.
  • Without anti-aliasing, Clip Studio Paint can better distinguish between colors when using Tolerance.

Tip #4: Changing all areas of the same color at the same time

  • Uncheck "Apply to connected pixels only" with the Fill Tool.
  • Replace all colors of the same color with a new one using a single click over the entire layer.

By mastering the Fill Tool and its various subtools and properties, you'll be able to streamline your coloring workflow and achieve professional-looking results in Clip Studio Paint. Practice and experiment with different settings to unlock the full potential of this versatile tool.