Clip Studio Paint Basics
Clip Studio Paint is a powerful artist software for drawing, painting, comic and manga making, and animation. With its vast library of 3D models, screen tones, and other features, it's no wonder why many artists choose it as their go-to creative tool. In this article, we'll cover the basics of Clip Studio Paint, from navigating the interface to using the various tools and features.
Interface Overview
When you first open Clip Studio Paint, you'll be greeted by the intuitive interface. On the left side, you'll find the toolbar, which holds all the tools you'll need. Next to the toolbar is the tool details section, where you can adjust the properties of the selected tool. Below that is the color wheel and color picker, where you can select and customize your colors. The canvas, or working space, takes up the majority of the screen, where you'll create your masterpiece. On the right side, you'll find the resources section, which includes screen tones, manga panels, 3D models, and more. The navigator, a mini view of your entire drawing, is located below the resources section. Finally, the layers section is located at the bottom of the screen, where you can manage and organize your layers.
Creating a New File
To create a new file in Clip Studio Paint, go to File > New and fill in the required information. You'll need to specify the use of your work (illustration, comic, or animation), enter a file name, and set the preset to custom. You can also set the units to pixels, which is recommended. In the canvas settings, you can set the dimensions, resolution, and paper color to your liking.
Navigation Shortcuts
Navigating your canvas is easy with these shortcuts:
- Zoom in and out: Ctrl + (or Command +) and Ctrl - (or Command -)
- Zoom to fit: Ctrl 0 (or Command 0)
- Pan around the canvas: hold Spacebar and click and drag
- Rotate the canvas: press R
Toolbar Overview
The toolbar is divided into two segments. The first segment includes the zoom, hand, and rotate tools. The second segment includes the drawing tools, such as the pen tool.
Pen Tool
The pen tool is a standard outlining tool for line work. It has subtools, such as the marker subtool. You can access the pen tool by pressing the shortcut key P. You can toggle between tools by pressing the shortcut key (e.g., P) to switch between the pen and pencil tools.
Brush Tool
The brush tool allows you to adjust the brush size using the slider or by using the [ and ] keys on the keyboard. You can also hold Control + Alt and click and drag to quickly resize the brush. The opacity of the brush can be adjusted using the slider or by entering a value directly. This affects how much of the underlying layer is visible through the brush strokes.
Eraser Tool
The eraser tool comes in three varieties: Hard Eraser, Soft Eraser, and Snap Eraser. The Hard Eraser is a standard eraser with high opacity, while the Soft Eraser is an airbrush-like eraser with lower opacity. The Snap Eraser is similar to the Hard Eraser.
Tool Box
The tool box includes several useful tools, such as the Operation Set Object, which moves the entire drawing around. The Select Layer tool selects the layers within a specified area, while the Move Tool (shortcut: K) moves the drawing around without selecting it. The Move Layer Tool is similar to the Move Tool, but selects the layer before moving it.
Selection Tools
The selection tools allow you to select specific areas of your drawing. The Lasso Tool creates a custom shape to select a part of the drawing, while the Rectangle Selection and Ellipse Selection tools select rectangular and circular areas, respectively. The Polyline Selection tool creates a polygonal selection area, and the Selection Pen tool is a pen-like tool that creates a selection area. You can use the Selection Pen tool in conjunction with the Erase Selection Tool.
Magic Wand Tool
The Magic Wand Tool (shortcut: W) selects areas of the drawing based on color and tolerance. You can set it to refer to the edited layer only or to all layers.
Eye Dropper Tool
The Eye Dropper Tool picks up colors from the drawing. You can set it to obtain colors from the display (any layer) or from the current layer only. Holding the Alt key temporarily brings up the Eye Dropper tool, allowing for quick color selection.
Using the Eyedropper Tool and Layers in Digital Art
When using the Eyedropper Tool, create a new layer for line art and set the opacity of the sketch layer to 45%. This allows for better visibility and makes it easier to work on your line art.
Layers and Opacity
Layers have opacity settings, which can be adjusted by clicking on the layer and using the opacity slider or entering a value. Lowering the opacity of the sketch layer helps to avoid distractions while working on the line art.
Outlining and Transforming
Use the Pen tool (shortcut M) to outline the drawing. Hold Ctrl + T to enter transformation mode, and use the rotation tool to tilt the eye. Hold Ctrl and drag a corner to skew the shape, or hold Shift to restrict transformations to one direction. Use Ctrl + Z to undo and Ctrl + Y to redo changes.
Flipping and Deselecting
Use the Navigator to flip the drawing horizontally or vertically. Click the eye icon on the layer to toggle its visibility and check the drawing. Use Ctrl + D to deselect the selection.
Coloring and Magic Wand
Create a new layer beneath the line art layer for flat colors and base colors. Use the Magic Wand tool (shortcut W) to select the outside of the drawing, and then invert the selection using Ctrl + Shift + I. Fill the selection with color using the Paint Bucket tool.
Pencil, Brush, and Airbrush Tools
The Pencil, Brush, and Airbrush tools share the same shortcut, B, and can be toggled through by pressing B repeatedly. Use these tools to add details and colors to the drawing.
Clipping Layers and Protecting Alpha
Create a new layer and clip it to the base layer using the "Clip at layer below" icon. This allows for coloring on the new layer while only affecting the base layer. Locking the base layer or using "Protect alpha" (pixel lock) achieves a similar effect.
Digital Painting with Clip Studio Paint
Brushes and Painting Tools
Clip Studio Paint offers a variety of brushes and painting tools to help you achieve the desired effect. The Watercolor Brush is an opaque watercolor brush with a more fluffy effect, while the Oil Paint Brush provides a more textured, oil-painted look.
By mastering these basic tools and techniques, you'll be well on your way to creating stunning digital art with Clip Studio Paint. Happy creating!