Drawing Animated Illustrations with Clip Studio Paint

The following is an introduction to functions used for drawing a simple animated illustration with Clip Studio Paint.

 

Prepare to create a moving illustration

Before creating a moving illustration, create a new file and decide on the cel (layer) structure.

·To create a new canvas (file) → "New" >"New dialog box (Illustration) [PRO/EX]", "New Dialog Box [DEBUT]"

You can configure various settings in "New dialog box (Animation) [PRO/EX]" to create a full animation. You can also set [Story Information] in EX. EX also allows you to create long animations over 24 frames long.

·To overlap cels → "New animation layer"

·To create a cel → "New animation cel"

Animation folders are folders for managing animation cels. Layers and layer folders in an animation folder are treated as cels creating the movement of the animation. For details, see "Explanation: Animation folders and cels".

·To create cels using layers for specific purposes → "New Layer"

·To organize cels and animation folders → "New Layer Folder"/"Create folder and insert layer"

·Layer folders are convenient when creating layers for each process of each cel, such as the draft, inking and coloring. Each layer folder created in an animation folder is treated as one cel. ·If you want to roughly divide processes such as layout, drafts and creation of the video, create an animation folder for each process in a layer folder.

 

Draw on the cels

For information on how to draw cels, see "Drawing Illustrations with Clip Studio Paint" & "Drawing Comics with Clip Studio Paint".

·To draw cels → "Pencil Tool"/"Pen Tool"/"Eraser Tool"

·To color cels → "Fill Tool"

If you cannot draw on a cel, check if it is specified in the [Timeline] palette. Cels cannot be drawn or edited if they are not specified. Specify the cels in the [Timeline] palette. For details on how to specify cels, see "Cel specification operations" > "Specify the cel".

·To refer to other cels when drawing → "Animation Cels palette"

·To change the angle or position of reference cels →"Light Table Layer Operation" >"Using the light table tool"

·To show the previous or next cel → "Enable onion skin"

 

Check movement

Check the movement of drawn cels and adjust it via the [Timeline] palette.

·To check a moving illustration → "Play/Stop"

·To check the movement of an animation using the mouse → "Operating the timeline editing tools"

·To change the allocation of cels → "Change the cel specification position"

·To change the cel numbers → "Specify other cels"

·To delete unneeded cels → "Delete the cel specification"

 

Export to a file

Export the moving illustration.

·To save a file → "Save"

·To export as an image sequence → "Image sequence"

·To export as an animated GIF → "Animated GIF"

·To export as a movie file → "Movie"