What do you use to make your comics/manga?

[tushantin]

Since this seems to be a similar thread as this one, I thought I'd post this here too (although a bit more detailed).

Operating System -- Ubuntu (or similar Linux distro; can't live without it)
Painting -- Krita and MyPaint
Vectors -- Inkscape
Image Editing -- GIMP
Concept visualization -- Alchemy (in case of artists block)
3D Visualization -- Blender (obviously)

[jmhenry]

Drawing:
-Mechanical pencil- non-photo blue lead
-Ink Pens

Colors
-Colored Pencil(Prisma)
-Markers
*Will Sometimes Use:
-Pastel Pencils
-Watercolor

Post Scanning
-Manga Studio EX4(general clean-up, fixes, dialogue)
-Gimp 2.6(For tones, unless in color)

[digital_nxs]

To make Prodigious/ OBLIVION I use Manga Studio 5 it seems easier to sketch with than Photoshop, coloring is pretty good especially for water color style.

[imass21]

Inking in Sai and coloring in photoshop?

Is there a reason why? This is coming from a person who does all his work comic work completely in Sai.

[FUrbina]

For traditional, I prefer colored pencils or Copic markers.
For digital, Photoshop. I would gladly master other softwares such as Paint, must find some time for that.

[gulpy1189]

I've heard from a handful of people across the internet that Manga Studio's pretty good. Would you recommend it?

[Sinejorine]

Im wondering.. How do you scan your drawings?

[jmhenry]

It depends really. From personal experience, Manga Studio 5 is really good if you're a digital artist and have no need to scan work, if you're not in that category, then EX4 is a pretty reliable prog.

@Sinejorine
You'd just need a scanner

[kotaotan]

I used to do the same thing. I drew in SAI and colored in PS. I did it that way because photoshop has a wider range of options for what I do and the colors don't blend. I go for a more cell shaded/animation look with my comics.

As for my process. . .

I'm doing all my line art and layout in Manga Studio 5 and then coloring and doing word balloons in Photoshop CC. I love using MS because of the panel tool. It lets me do full bleed with floating panels very easily. The other great thing is that when I export to Photo shop I don't have to worry about any work going outside the panels thanks to the layer masks and such.

[newtn]

I have a wacom intuos 5 Large that I use as a medium. Of course I have to figure out with pencil sketches before that how my comp will work. After that I use photoshop to color and create the last lines. I find it really useful with photoshop because it has a big variaty of adjustments, like levels,curves hue/saturation and it makes it easier for me to adjust colors and stuff that might not work in an overall comic strip!

[Sleepingmarlon]

i use sketchbook mobile app.

[vonhollde]

I use Paint Tool Sai for everything, sketch, coloring, and Photoshop for the lettering and adding textures. When I have to make difficult backgrounds I help myself with SketchUp :).

[taihendechu]

At the moment I'm using MS5 for everything. But reading the posts in this topic using MS just for the outlines and coloring in PS could also be an option. I just really like the smooth outlines that MS does
I never tried SAI but I hear so much about it. Why is it your program of choice? I'm really curious :3

[Mooncity]

I used to do everything the old fashioned way (or tried to). Draw everything on bristol, then scan it. Now I do everything in the magic paintbox, digitally. Saves me a ton of time and is cheaper, too (bristol is pricey these days!). Also way easier to correct my many mistakes. I was using PS, but these days I use maybe 90% Manga Studio 5. I still use PS for lettering, though; easier than MS's lettering process. Brushes in MS are just fantastic! Especially if you get Frenden's set (it's like five bucks, and totally worth it).

[collinsrussell7]

My partner and I use Manga Studio 5 EX, almost exclusively. There's a bit of a learning curve, but I find it to be much better than PS once you get the hang of it.

[tomversation]

I draw on a Wacom Cintiq using Manga Studio, I color on on the Cintiq using Photoshop.

[thededucers]

I work almost exclusively on my iPad. I was using Sketchbook Express - free app, works great. The biggest limitation is you can only use 3 layers. I just got a free download of Sketch Club ($3 app). On first run it looks to be a great program.
It's pretty easy to post and share from the ipad.

[kotaotan]

Let me ask you. Is there a way to cut the blending of colors off? I try to go for a more cell shaded look and if I could could out extra programs it would be great.

[collinsrussell7]

Oh yeah, there's options for all of that stuff. I'm not a colorist, so I can't recall all of the settings, but I think that a lot of people miss the advanced options icon when they use a tool. I know that I did for a long time, and there's really some stuff that should be on the tool options from the get. Like when you pick the paint tool. There should be a little symbol that looks like a cog that you click, and you'll see other options that you can enable and play around with. But there is also a hardness and density slider under in the paint tool window, that I think should clear any of that up. You could also paint different colors on different layers. Also, if you're going for a more cell shaded look, you might want to check out some tutorials on "flatting" using manga studios Magic Wand tool. Using the Magic Wand and the Fill Bucket, you could lay out some solid colors 10 x faster. But I would definitely check out some tutorials, because there's some really cool tricks witht hat magic wand, that would be too hard for me to explain here.

[Jeffcat]

Sketch on paper, scan it, put it on photoshop cs6, and then draw with the pencil tool (not brush).

Coloring is actually the easiest. All I have to do is select inside the drawings, add new layer under, and use a paint bucket tool with anti-alias off and tolerance at 0. Sometimes I make a layer above and draw the shades. Most of the time I just draw it with the color layer. Then add text above all layers with speech bubbles or not.

-- text -- 5th
--outlines-- 2nd
--shades-- 4th
--coloring-- 3rd
--sketch-- 1st

Sometimes I have the habit of merging and publishing.