Clip Studio Paint Animation Tutorial

Introduction

• Sponsored by Celsius, the makers of Clip Studio Paint
• CSP (Clip Studio Paint) is highly recommended for its one-time payment and versatility

Starting a New Animation Project

Steps to Create a New Animation Project

1. File -> New: Create a new project.
2. Select Animation under the "use of work" tab.
3. Name your animation and select a preset (preferably 1920x1080 for widescreen).
4. Timeline: Name your timeline and set the frame rate to 24fps (industry standard).
5. Playback Time: Set to frame numbers starting from 1.

Workspace Customization

• CSP offers a blank space surrounding your workspace that can be resized.
• Use the Window -> Timeline to manage your timeline.

Working with the Timeline

General Tips

• Frame rate: 24fps is recommended for standard animation.
• Extend the end of the animation by dragging the blue bar on the timeline.
• Animation Folder: Contains all animation frames.

Editing Tools

• Scrubbing: Click and drag on the frame numbers to scrub through the timeline.
• Timing Adjustment: Click and drag at the beginning of a frame to adjust its duration.
• Toolbar Functions:
  • New Timeline: Create new timelines (not covered in detail).
  • Zoom In/Out: Adjust view of the timeline.
  • Go to Start/End: Navigate to the beginning or end of the animation.
  • Previous/Next Frame: Quickly navigate through frames (shortcuts can be set).
  • Play Button: Play the animation.
  • Loop Play: See the animation in a continuous loop.
• New Animation Folder: Creates a new layer for animation.
• New Animation Cell: Adds a new drawing, known as a cell.
• Delete/Specify Cell: Manage individual cells on the timeline.

Onion Skinning and Tweening

• Enable Onion Skin: See frames before and after the current frame.
• Enable Keyframes: Use keyframes for automatic tweening of animations.
• Tweening Options:
  • Hold Interpolation: Keeps the frame static (no tween).
  • Linear Interpolation: Creates a smooth transition between frames.

Animation Process

Keyframing and Sketching

• Key Poses: Focus on major poses like contact and pass positions in a walk cycle.
• Overlapping Action: Animate elements like tails and hair separately for natural movement.
• Improvised with trial and error method rather than pre-defined timing charts.

Inbetweens

• Inbetweening: Add in-between frames to smooth out the animation.

Clean Up and Line Work

Using Vector Layers

• Advantages: Easy to edit, adjust line width, and clean-up.
• Control Points: Edit control points for better accuracy.
• Vector Tools: Pinch, bloat, and redraw tools for refining vectors easily.

Lining and Clean-Up

• Start with the initial keyframes and use onion skin for reference.
• Vector Eraser: Smart feature for cleaning up overlapping lines.

Coloring

Reference Layers and Fill Tools

• Reference Layers: Set lines as reference layers for effective color fill.
• Fill Bucket Tool: Use 'refer multiple layers' to fill colors efficiently.
• Texturing and Shading: Add gradients and individual frame textures for a hand-made feel.

Exporting Animation

Export Options

1. Export as Movie: MP4, AVI formats.
2. Export as Animated GIF: For loops and short animations.
3. Export as Image Sequence: Highest resolution for each frame.

Export Settings

• Name your export files (e.g., LeafCat).
• Choose file type (PNG recommended).
• Select export area and number of frames.
• Review and confirm export settings.

Conclusion

• Author's first-time experience animating in Clip Studio Paint was positive.
• Encourages artists to try CSP for animation.
• Acknowledgment and gratitude to Celsius for support and feedback collection.