clip studio pen is slightly off tablet: Clip Studio Paint's Simple Mode Review: A Streamlined Drawing App for Mobile

clip studio pen is slightly off tablet: Discover the new Simple Mode in Clip Studio Paint, designed for smaller screens. Read our review to learn about its features, tools, and limitations, and how it compares to Studio Mode.

October 17, 2024 at 17:31

Clip Studio Paint's New Simple Mode Review

This post is sponsored by Squarespace, a platform for creating websites and portfolios. In this review, we'll be discussing Clip Studio Paint's new simple mode, which was first noticed by viewers in a previous Galaxy Tab S9 review.

Background on Clip Studio Paint

Clip Studio Paint was originally a desktop app with fully featured palettes and detailed interface elements. It was later ported to iPad and then Android, making it one of the best drawing apps across platforms. However, when ported to smaller screens like tablets and phones, the interface elements can become cluttered.

New Simple Mode Features

The new Simple Mode was launched in June and aims to streamline the interface even more for smaller screens. Users can switch between Simple Mode and Studio Mode, with Studio Mode having more interface elements and options, and Simple Mode having a cleaner and more minimalistic interface.

Simple Mode Interface

The Simple Mode interface is designed to be more accessible on smaller screens. It features three dots in the corner to switch to Studio Mode, a Clip Studio icon in the upper left to switch back to Simple Mode, a file picker and save icon in the upper left corner, and brushes, erasers, and move tool along the left-hand side. Tapping on these tools brings up options, but not all brushes are available in Simple Mode by default.

Brushes and Tools in Simple Mode

In Simple Mode, brushes can be duplicated by clicking the plus button, and can be imported from Studio Mode. New brushes can be searched for and imported from the internet, and imported brushes are categorized (e.g., pen, pencil, brush, eraser). The Eraser tool can be used with different textures and can be used as a brush. The Move tool and Select tool are also available in Simple Mode.

Tool Options

When a tool is selected, options appear at the bottom of the screen. For example, the Move tool has options to flip and manipulate objects. Many tools in Simple Mode have additional options and features when used.

Paint Bucket Tool

The Paint Bucket tool can be used to fill in shapes and lines and has options to close gaps and prevent paint from leaking out. It can be set to reference all layers, allowing for painting on separate layers while keeping lines and shapes separate.

Reference Layers

The Reference Layers feature is a simplified version of the reference layers feature found in Clip Studio. It allows for line art on one layer and painting on another layer, enabling separate editing of line art and colors.

Simple Mode Features

Simple Mode is more streamlined than Clip Studio and includes some of the most important features from Clip Studio, but with a simplified interface. It lacks some features, such as animation, adjustments, comic frame maker, and granularity of some tools (e.g. paint bucket tool). However, it includes some unexpected features, such as the ability to bring in materials and 3D models.

Usage Scenarios

For experienced Clip Studio users, Simple Mode may not be sufficient for certain tasks, and they may need to jump back to Studio mode. For new users, especially on mobile devices, Simple mode provides almost everything needed and is easy to use and accessible.

Importing Files

Clip Studio Paint can import files from other programs, such as Photoshop. However, there may be issues with importing Photoshop files into Clip Studio.

Clip Studio Simple Mode Experience

Error and Switch to Studio Mode

While trying to open a Photoshop file in Simple Mode, an error message prompted the switch to Studio Mode, where the file was successfully opened.

Availability and Limitations

Simple Mode is only available on iOS and Android devices, not on PC or Mac desktop computers, and requires a subscription to Clip Studio to use Simple Mode.

Features and Touch Gestures

Touch gestures, such as pinching to zoom and two-finger undo, are available in Simple Mode on mobile devices. It would be useful to have these features on desktop devices, especially for those using touchscreen devices like Surface products.

Activation and License Concerns

Activating the license on a new device may unactivate it on another device. There is a warning about a limited number of times a license can be transferred across devices, which is unclear and concerning.

Overall Experience

Simple Mode looks promising on mobile devices, but its limitations and unclear license policies may be a concern for some users.

Squarespace Sponsorship

Squarespace is a platform for creating websites and portfolios. It features a templating engine for creating custom pages, drag-and-drop technology for designing and customizing websites, an Asset Library for managing and organizing content, and analytics for tracking website performance and growth. Squarespace offers a free trial and a discount code (BRAGO) for 10% off the first purchase of a website or domain.

In conclusion, the new Simple Mode is a great addition to Clip Studio Paint, making it more accessible on smaller screens.