Getting Started with Clip Studio Paint EX or Pro: A Comprehensive Guide
Clip Studio Paint EX or Pro is a powerful digital painting and comic illustration tool that offers a wide range of features and options. In this guide, we will take you through the process of creating a new document in Clip Studio Paint EX or Pro, understanding the different options available, and getting started with the software.
Starting a New Document
To create a new document in Clip Studio Paint EX or Pro, go to File > New. This will open up the new document options window.
New Document Options
The new document options window provides several options to choose from, including Custom, Comic, and various Preset options. The Custom option is the most commonly used and provides the most flexibility.
Custom Option
When selecting the Custom option, you can set the Width and Height to 11 inches x 17 inches for a standard American comic size. The Resolution should be set to 300 DPI for high-quality printing. You can also choose from various Color Modes, such as Full Color or Grayscale.
Preset Options
Clip Studio Paint provides various preset options for different sizes and formats. These presets can be used as a starting point, but may not be suitable for all projects.
Creating the New Document
Once you have set your options, click OK to create the new document. A new canvas will be created with a paper color and a single Raster Layer. The Raster Layer is a normal layer that can be used for drawing.
Understanding Vector and Raster
It's essential to understand the difference between Vector and Raster. Vector is composed of ones and zeros and can be enlarged without losing quality. Raster, on the other hand, is composed of pixels and may lose quality when enlarged.
Webtoon Format
The Webtoon format is a long scrolling format for digital comics. The canvas allows for drawing directly on it or importing pre-drawn art. There are various preset sizes available, including A4, A5 (Japanese and European sizes), but tabloid (11x17 American comic size) is not available.
Understanding Comic Page Settings
The comic page settings tool allows for customization of various aspects of a comic page. This tool is likely to be more useful for creators of fan scenes, who may be familiar with these settings. For comic and illustration creators, this tool may not be as necessary.
Customization Options
The comic page settings tool provides various customization options, including:
- Border settings
- Inner size settings
- Template options (including Webtoon and Japanese print settings)
- Animation settings
- Default setting: 1920x1080
- Three resolution options: 720, 1280, or 1920
- Frame rate customization (up to 10 frames per second)
Getting Started with Clip Studio Paint
To get started with Clip Studio Paint, you can select from various templates, including the Music Template and the Basic Illustration Template.
Music Template
The Music Template provides a drawing area with a musical theme. To use this template, go to Window and click Timeline to enable it.
Basic Illustration Template
The Basic Illustration Template is the most commonly used template and provides a basic drawing area with no additional features or themes.
Important Settings
To access the drawing area, make sure to go to Window and click Timeline (especially when using the Music template).
Additional Resources
For more tutorials and guides, check out the Clip Studio Paint tutorial playlist. If you have any questions or would like to see a specific topic covered in a future tutorial, leave a comment.