This last option not only creates a new selection layer, but also saves your image layer selection as an area on the new layer. Alternatively, you can use the Convert Selection to Layer button (located on the Layers palette next to the Selection title) instead of selecting the function from the main menu. There are technically no limits to the number of selection layers you can create. The only real limit is your computer hardware, as having too many layers of any kind can hinder your computer’s performance, especially if you’re working on a low-end machine or don’t have a lot of RAM available. You can adjust the opacity and color of your selection layers by bringing up the Layer Properties palette. (Press F7 on your keyboard or choose Window ➪Properties from the main menu.) Creating and editing selections on a selection layer Working on a selection layer is just like working on an image layer. That means that you can draw and erase a selection just like you would if you were laying down some line art. So, there are a number of ways you can lay down and edit a selection area: ߜ By using any of the drawing tools (Pen, Pencil, Marker, Airbrush, or Pattern Brush tools) to outline or add effects to a selection area ߜ By using the Marquee or Lasso tool to select the area, much like you would use on an image layer ߜ By using the Fill tool to fill in the area you’ve outlined or selected ߜ By using the Eraser, Marquee, or Lasso tools to remove excess parts of the selection area What you create on the selection layer won’t look exactly like a selection. In fact, it’s just going to look like a green blob. (You can’t easily tell in this black- and-white book, but in Figure 9-22, the character’s hair is that green blob.) The idea here is that you aren’t creating a selection so much as you’re block- ing off an area that you’ll be using later on to create a image layer selection. By creating a selection area, you can now tweak and adjust, add and remove as much or as little as you want. You can come back to it later and tweak as need be. And all of it’s easier to do than if you try to do that with an image layer selection. 177 Chapter 9: Working with Selections and Selection Layers 14_129869 ch09.qxp 11/29/07 11:57 AM Page 177 Converting selection layers to image selections Converting an area you block off in a selection layer into an actual selection to use on an image layer is a pretty simple process. You can do it in two ways: ߜ Use the Magic Wand tool to select areas from the currently active layer. ߜ From the main menu, choose Selection➪Convert Layer to Selection (Ctrl+F; Ô + F on the Mac), which converts all visible selection layers into a selection. When converted, you see the familiar marching ants selection around the area(s) you’ve chosen. (See Figure 9-23.) From there, it’s a matter of highlight- ing the image layer you want to work on from the Layers palette and doing whatever you want to with your selection! Alternatively, you can use the Convert Layer to Selection button (located on the Layers palette next to the Selection title) instead of selecting the function from the main menu. Figure 9-22: Block off areas on a selection layer that you’ll later convert to an image layer selection. 178 Part II: Roughing It 14_129869 ch09.qxp 11/29/07 11:57 AM Page 178 You can also take any visible selection layers you have and add them to or subtract them from an existing image layer selection. (See Figure 9-24.) This works like changing the Selection Type of a selection tool. (See the “Additional functions” section, earlier in this chapter, for an explanation.) You can use either of these functions from the main menu by choosing Selection ➪Add Layer to Selection or Selection➪Subtract Layer From Selection. Figure 9-24: You can convert selection layers to add to or remove from an existing image layer selection. Figure 9-23: Convert a selection layer to a selection and see the marching ants. 179 Chapter 9: Working with Selections and Selection Layers 14_129869 ch09.qxp 11/29/07 11:57 AM Page 179 For EX Users: Quick Mask and Quick Select Like many of the other exclusive features of Manga Studio EX, you can use the Quick Mask and Quick Select features to save a little bit of time and add a bit of convenience to your Manga Studio experience. Quick Mask The Quick Mask feature is for those of you who aren’t necessarily looking to save a selection for later use, but want the ease of use that working with a selection layer can bring you. To create a Quick Mask, follow these steps: 1. From the main menu, choose Selection➪Use Quick Mask. Or you can press Ctrl+M on your keyboard ( Ô+M on the Mac). A new Quick Mask layer appears on the Layers palette. From here, it’s just like working on a selection layer. 2. Use the Selection or Drawing tools to block off the area you want to make a selection from. 3. When the selection area(s) has been created, choose Selection ➪Use Quick Mask. The Quick Mask disappears, and you have your image layer selection all ready to go! See Figure 9-25. Quick Select You use the Quick Selection feature to convert a selection layer into an image layer selection. But wait, isn’t that what the Convert Layer to Selection function is for? Yes, but unlike that function, the Quick Select command focuses on only one layer at a time. What’s more, you can switch between selection layers, and the pro- gram automatically converts the active selection to match the active layer’s selection area. So, you don’t need to go back to the Convert Layer to Selection command every time you switch selection layers. 180 Part II: Roughing It 14_129869 ch09.qxp 11/29/07 11:57 AM Page 180 That’s what makes it quick. To use this function, follow these steps: 1. Highlight the Selection layer you want to work from. 2. From the main menu, choose Selection ➪Use Quick Select. Or you can press Ctrl+Shift+M on your keyboard ( Ô+Shift+M on the Mac). All of the selection layers are turned invisible, and the current selection area is converted to an image layer selection. (See Figure 9-26.) 3. Highlight the image layer you want to work on, and use the selection however you’d like. 4. If you want to use a different selection, highlight the selection layer you want to use. The old selection is converted to match the active selection layer. 5. Repeat as necessary. 6. When you’re all done, choose Selection ➪Use Quick Select from the main menu to turn it off. Figure 9-25: Use the Quick Mask to create a temporary selection area. 181 Chapter 9: Working with Selections and Selection Layers 14_129869 ch09.qxp 11/29/07 11:57 AM Page 181 Alternatively, you can use the Quick Mask and Quick Select buttons (located on the Layers palette next to the Selection title) to toggle the functions on and off. Figure 9-26: Use the Quick Select function to quickly convert and switch between selection layers. 182 Part II: Roughing It 14_129869 ch09.qxp 11/29/07 11:57 AM Page 182 Part III Refining and Exporting Your Work 15_129869 pt03.qxp 11/29/07 11:58 AM Page 183 In this part . . . Y ou have the roughs scanned in, cleaned up, and tweaked exactly how you want them on the page. Now it’s time to add the finishing touches to give your work that professional look. Chapter 10 is all about inking, whether you’re planning on scanning in your inked work or you’re going to use your drawing tablet to add virtual inks to your roughs. Chapter 11 covers how you can add screen tones to your work to give it that extra pop, as well as a few tricks to help add depth and dimensionality to the tones by adding shadows and highlights. Chapter 12 helps you lay some words and sound effects down on the page so that the reader knows what’s going on during that intense conversation scene, or exactly how plates crashing to the ground sounds in your world. Finally, Chapter 13 explains how you can take your completed work and prepare it for display on the Internet, print it for family and friends, or prepare it for professional printing. 15_129869 pt03.qxp 11/29/07 11:58 AM Page 184 Chapter 10 Inking Your Work In This Chapter ᮣ Discovering the benefits of inking your work ᮣ Scanning in your line art ᮣ Creating a new layer for your line art ᮣ Using the Pen and Marker tools ᮣ Filling large areas with the Fill tool ᮣ Using the Join Line tool ᮣ Adding effects with the Airbrush and Pattern Brush tools I have to admit something: When it comes to inking my work traditionally, I’ve never felt comfortable doing it. The thing I always like about penciling is the ability to erase and refine my lines as I go along. Not so with inking — I can get one or two do-overs before the correction fluid becomes too thick. What I like about working digitally with a program such as Manga Studio is the ability to erase and rework my inks as much as I need to. Now, I don’t have to stress over getting the inks correct the first (or second) time. If something doesn’t look right, I can just remove the offending area, rework it on the pencil layer if need be, and re-ink, without the need to throw out the whole paper and start over. A pleasant side-effect is that my confidence in inking has increased, and I feel more comfortable inking traditionally. So, if you’ve never inked digitally (or never felt comfortable inking at all), try the tools I discuss in this chapter. You may be surprised at what you can accomplish. In this chapter, I briefly recap how to scan in your line art, if you’re planning on using the Pen tools primarily to touch up what you create with traditional tools. (For more detail on the process, check out Chapter 5.) I then cover the basics of using the three important inking tools you use in Manga Studio: the Pen, Magic Marker, and Fill tools, as well as closing any gaps in your line art with the Join Line tool. Then, I discuss some of the cool special effects that you can add to your line art with the Airbrush and Pattern Brush tools. 16_129869 ch10.qxp 11/29/07 11:58 AM Page 185 Why Ink at All? Truth be told, there’s nothing stopping you from using your tight pencil line art in place of inks. Some artists actually prefer using pencils, as they create a softer shade over the solid black of inks. A great example of a comic done with just pencils is Fred Gallagher’s uber-popular webcomic, MegaTokyo (www.mega tokyo.com ). If you look through some of the pages of my own webcomic (cheap plug warning), Chibi Cheerleaders From Outer Space (www.chibi cheerleaders.com ), you’ll also see many pages that are either pencil only or pencil with some grayscale shading. (Actually, there are pages of all of different styles as the story goes along. I like to experiment a lot.) If you like the look of your pencils and are planning on coloring your work, I say go for it. However, there are a couple arguments towards using inks, at least when working on a black-and-white manga or comic: ߜ Inks do create crisper, darker lines than pencils and may look better in the final print form (unless, of course, you’re going for the rough look). Unless you’ve got tight pencil line art without any need for cleanup, consider inking for a more professional look. ߜ If you’re planning on screentoning your line art, consider that the pure black of the screentones may clash with the lighter shading of your pencils. ߜ If you’ve scanned in your roughs or you drew them at a lower resolution, the pencils may not be crisp enough for print. In that case, you either have to repencil or ink at a higher resolution anyway. Scanning in Your Line Art Some artists like to get their hands dirty with a good dip pen, India ink, and correction fluid and would rather just scan inked line art into Manga Studio for touch-ups and screentoning. I cover the scanning process in more detail in Chapter 5, but here’s a quick run-through (and a few suggestions) for scanning your inked art preparing your new ink layer: 1. If you haven’t already set up your scanner in Manga Studio, choose File ➪Import➪Select TWAIN Device and select your scanner in the Select Source dialog box. 2. Choose File ➪Import➪TWAIN. Select Normal from the Import method dialog box. Your scanner’s program opens. Follow its directions to prepare your line art. 186 Part III: Refining and Exporting Your Work 16_129869 ch10.qxp 11/29/07 11:58 AM Page 186 [...]... using Manga Studio EX, you may notice that I’m skipping over some tools, like the Vector pen I devote Chapter 15 to all the exclusive items that Manga Studio EX has to offer, including an entire section devoted to vectors Stay tuned! 16_ 129 869 ch10.qxp 11/29/07 11:58 AM Page 191 Chapter 10: Inking Your Work Figure 10-3: The various strokes you can create with the Pen tool Here’s a semi-advanced trick for. .. versatile tool for your inking, the pen can provide a wide variety of line strengths to help bring your work to life Manga Studio provides a preset number of common pens to use You can access the Pen tool in two ways: ߜ Press P ߜ Click the Pen button on the Tools palette Holding the pen icon down for a couple of seconds brings up a list of all the pens that come preinstalled with Manga Studio, as shown... Figure 10-1: Create a new layer for inks in the New Layer dialog box  16_ 129 869 ch10.qxp 11/29/07 11:58 AM Page 189 Chapter 10: Inking Your Work Inking in the Lines Whether you’ve scanned in your line art and you’re just planning to touch up your art or you’re inking totally within the program, Manga Studio has you covered The program provides most of the common tools for inking a comic And if they... over the area you wish to check for gaps When you let go of the selection, the Join tool searches for the gaps and fills them in, as shown in Figure 10-9 That’s all! Figure 10-9: Before and after using the Join Line tool The Tool Options palette gives you two options for the Join Line tool, as shown in Figure 10-10 Figure 10-10: The Join Line Tool Options palette 197 16_ 129 869 ch10.qxp 198 11/29/07 11:58... result in a darker shade See Figure 11-7 for an example 17_129 869 ch11.qxp 11/29/07 12:00 PM Page 209 Chapter 11: Tone It Up! Figure 11-7: The difference between tone with 5% density (top) versus 50% density (bottom) The Tones palette in Manga Studio Debut Before you can start adding tones to your page, it would probably be a good idea to find them in the program Fortunately, they’re very easy to find:... other small shapes instead of a uniform series of dots (think TV static) • Figure: Tones with crosses, squares, diamonds, and ellipses instead of dots ߜ Computones: While Manga Studio EX has an additional function devoted to Computones (which I cover in the “Computones” section, later in the chapter), a collection of those tones has been adapted for use in the main Manga Studio program Located in the Default\Computones... background image you would like to use • Sample: Tones that are patterns and photographs that you can use as backgrounds to a scene The Tones palette in Manga Studio EX Manga Studio EX users have almost twice the number of tones available to them compared to Manga Studio Debut So the folder structure in EX’s Tone palette is set up differently from Debut’s EX breaks down its tones into Basic and Computones (not... 207 17_129 869 ch11.qxp 208 11/29/07 12:00 PM Page 208 Part III: Refining and Exporting Your Work Unlike some programs that use digital tones, the ones in Manga Studio are vector based Much like the vector layers available to Manga Studio EX users for their ink work, the vector tones allow you to scale as large or as small as you like, without any loss of quality This is an amazingly important feature,... looking to use Manga Studio for producing webcomics, I still recommend working at the size you’d like your pages to be if they were going to be printed You never know what the future holds, so you don’t want to be caught without any print-quality pages! (Just remember to export your webcomic file in RGB — I explain why in Chapter 14.) Terminology you should know As you work with tones in Manga Studio, there... the Gray Use Pen tool, use this for adding a shade of gray to a layer ߜ Marker 1/Marker 2: A cool function of Manga Studio is the ability to adjust the thickness of a drawing tool This is best shown with these two options, which are just markers that have been adjusted to a rectangular tip, instead of a round one You can use these markers for a calligraphic design, for example Much like in real life, . Selections and Selection Layers 14_129 869 ch09.qxp 11/29/07 11:57 AM Page 179 For EX Users: Quick Mask and Quick Select Like many of the other exclusive features of Manga Studio EX, you can use the Quick. add a bit of convenience to your Manga Studio experience. Quick Mask The Quick Mask feature is for those of you who aren’t necessarily looking to save a selection for later use, but want the ease. take your completed work and prepare it for display on the Internet, print it for family and friends, or prepare it for professional printing. 15_129 869 pt03.qxp 11/29/07 11:58 AM Page 184 Chapter