Clip Studio Paint Shortcuts for Artists
As a digital artist, mastering shortcuts is essential to streamline your workflow and increase productivity. Clip Studio Paint, a popular digital painting and comic illustration tool, offers a range of shortcuts that can help you work more efficiently. In this article, we'll explore the top Clip Studio Paint shortcuts that every artist should know.
Brush Tool Shortcuts
- B is for Brush: Pressing
B
will get you the Brush Tool, pressingB
again will select the Airbrush Tool, and pressingB
a third time will get you the Decorate Tool (similar to stamps). Keep pressingB
to cycle through these options.
Eraser Tool Shortcut
- E is for Eraser: Pressing
E
will get you the Eraser Tool. Unlike the Brush Tool, you can only hitE
once (no alternatives).
Pen Tool Shortcuts
- P is for Pen: Pressing
P
will get you the standard drawing Pen Tool in CSP. Pressing 'P' once selects the Pen tool, which simulates ink, and pressing 'P' again selects the Pencil tool, which simulates graphite.
Navigation Shortcuts
- Spacebar: Holding the Spacebar key and clicking and dragging on the screen allows panning around the canvas without zooming in and out.
Zooming Shortcuts
- Mouse Wheel: Using the mouse wheel to zoom in and out of the canvas is a convenient option.
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Pressing Ctrl + Plus to zoom in and Ctrl + Minus to zoom out (similar to Photoshop).
- Ctrl + 0: Zooms the camera out to fit the canvas within the viewport, helpful for quickly centering your work and reorienting yourself.
Selection Shortcuts
- M: Brings up the selection area, which includes the lasso tool. Note that CSP has all selection types under one roof, which can be confusing if you're used to pressing L for the lasso tool in Photoshop.
Tool Navigation Shortcuts
- Comma (,): Cycles up through the list of sub-tools in the tool palette.
- Full Stop (.): Cycles down through the list of sub-tools in the tool palette. These shortcuts work in every sub-tool, making it easy to select different paints, pens, etc.
Transformation Shortcuts
- Ctrl + T: Turns the layer into a transform box, allowing you to manipulate the size, scale, or other transformations like distort or skew. Right-click to access more options.
Top 3 Clip Studio Paint Shortcuts
- Alt for Eyedropper: Hold Alt while using the brush or pen tools to turn them into the eyedropper, allowing for color picking on the go.
- Selection Area Tools: Use these tools to turn specific selections into a transform box, enabling manipulation of key areas of the canvas.
- G for Gradient (and Fill Tool): Press G to access the gradient tool. Pressing G twice brings up the fill tool, which is considered easier to use and more effective than Photoshop's equivalent tool.
By mastering these Clip Studio Paint shortcuts, you'll be able to work more efficiently and focus on creating stunning artwork. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting out, these shortcuts will help you take your skills to the next level.