Sozoroo TEAM

Learn the basics of coloring using a drawing software in Seo-sensei’s anime coloring course

When asked how to color anime illustrations, how many people are able to describe those steps in detail? If you’ve just started drawing, you probably use colored pencils, paints, color pens, etc. to add colors to the pictures you drew on paper. On the other hand, if you’ve been drawing for a long time, you may think the coloring process is by using a drawing software on the computer such as Illustrator or Clip Studio Paint.

By using the latest technology, in this course we’ll explain the process of coloring an illustration piece beautifully in detail using tools from Clip Studio Paint. In this day and age, there are of course manga artists who draw from scratch on paper and color with colored pencils or pens. But most of them have digitized their work in some way. Digitization means using a computer software and for this course, we’ll be using a software called Clip Studio Paint. This is because the software is used on a standard basis among Japanese manga artists and illustrators. You’ll not be surprised to learn that with this technique, even people who have just started drawing can finish up a piece with beautiful anime-like coloring style that is unrecognizable at first glance!

Nowadays, music is also made by using a computer software. Even if you don’t have the skills to play piano or other musical instruments on your own, you can create music using the tones of those instruments on your computer. The same goes for coloring illustrations. You don’t have to mix and create pretty colors every time. You can choose your favorite colors from color palettes and paint them and also be able to erase and redraw as many times as you like.

The great thing about drawing software’s such as Clip Studio Paint is that by separating layers, it’s easy to fill in parts where you want to color in or paint over it. For example if you draw a picture of a person on paper and decide to add shadows to the clothes, it’s not easy to imagine where the sun hits or where the shadow’s casted. Coloring them with the right colors within the perfect border is also quite difficult. However by using the layering technique, you can roughly paint out the entire outfit and create shadows by layering colors on areas that have been shadow casted. This may seem obvious to those who’ve already done it several times. But for those just starting out, it’s a technique that improves the quality of your work. Just like the artisans of the past, you don’t have to spend years learning to create with your hands. By memorizing how to use the software and steps properly without making any mistakes, you can create even more beautiful illustrations than drawing by hand.
To completely master this, in this course Seo-sensei gives detailed instructions from Clip Studio Paint’s selection menu. It’s also made to help you learn the method by taking steps gradually. First, let’s follow sensei’s instructions from start to finish. You’ll be able to visualize on what you’ll need to do when coloring anime illustrations. For those who have already done coloring with Clip Studio Paint several times before, let’s go back to the basics and follow the same steps. You’ll be able to review your methods and see what you are missing and where to improve.
By doing this frequently, you’ll learn how to color anime illustrations with Clip Studio Paint! Even if you’re a beginner and have once mastered everything, you’ll be able to try and create your own original illustrations as beautiful as your imagination. For those who want to improve, a Manga Airbrush Painting course will be release soon so please look forward to it!