Dec 2013
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Dec 2013
Jun 2015
unihaks
Dec '13
2

So what, according to you is the easiest and most useful (in other words most efficient) software for only coloring anime and manga? Here I'm basically talking about manga covers and posters. I've never tried digital painting before and I don't intend to buy a tablet in the near future so I'm going to use the mouse. I already have Photoshop but I'm finding it a bit hard to color with it. Of course, I've just started on it and practice would give better results but I'm asking if there are any better alternatives. So, you know, what would you recommend? Something that is made just for coloring and just for mouse users? (I know that's too much to ask for but still lol).

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    Dec '13

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    Jun '15
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tushantin
Dec '13

There IS NO COLORING-ONLY software out there that is good enough for any production use. XD However, I'll try to help where I can.

For me, Krita does WONDERS (though I use it on Ubuntu, mostly)! There are many different ways of coloring with Krita, and it takes a while to figure out the techniques for each purpose, but I usually stick to the tried and true, painstaking method: using the brushes and hand-painting things in.

However, since you mentioned Photoshop, I'm assuming you're using Windows. So if you already have Photoshop, then brilliant! You may not need anything else at all! Since you're using mouse only, then just use the Pen-tool to create your colored forms.

OR you could get Paint Tool Sai, since that has been many artists' tool of choice when it comes to coloring. I remember using it in times when I didn't have a tablet, and it worked smoothly for me (though I had to be a bit cunning to make it work for me; see, it doesn't have a pen-tool, so I had to use "vectors" in the way traditional animators use -- Black outlines for outlines, Red for color-shade borders, Blue for Highlights, etc. -- and put in the colors in those regions with Bucket tool, and remove the Blue and Red outlines later).

But if you really just want cell-shaded look, like anime does, then you're better off simply using Inkscape's vector tools85. If you want to do line-arts as well, you'll learn coloring with it. However, if you already have a pre-sketched art that you want to color, here's what you do -- a white block on the bottom layer, art on the top layer, and coloring taking the middle layer. Of course, the art layer wouldn't let you see the coloring layer, so you simply turn that art layer to "Multiply" mode, and start coloring on the coloring layer!

Hope that helps. Happy coloring!

arisutwin
Dec '13

I'm a Manga Studio/Clip Studio Paint fan, so i recommend it. it has both vector and raster tools and is more user-friendly than sai, imo. i use tablet, but pretty sure that with mouse you will be fine too.

arisutwin
Dec '13

yep. basic version (good enough for non-sequential) has same price as sai, and i say, it worth it^^
//in fact, it doesn't matter what software you use. try all, choose the one most comfortable for you.

wr4ith0
Dec '13

If you're looking at paying for manga studio, or something similar anyway you might want to consider picking up a tablet. Monoprice is supposed to have a pretty solid model for fifty bucks. (monoprice.com/Product?c_id=113&cp_id=11303&cs_id=1084101&p_id=6251&seq=1&format=2)

That being said, manga studio, photoshop, and adobe illustrator tend to be top of the line for professional artists (including colorists). Paint tool sai's pretty high up there too. Open source software like Inkscape and GIMP attempt to duplicate functionality of the higher end programs, and do a pretty good job for the most part. But they always lag behind a bit, simply as a matter of funding differential.

Really, it's a matter of personal preference. Still, consider a tablet. They're lifesavers when it comes to doing digital art.

11 days later
1 year later
SandraMJ
Jun '15

I recommend uhhh rescuing Photoshop. Don't, DON'T, use SAI. It's buggy, messes up saves, and it has no CMYK option.

winglesscomic
Jun '15

I really fucking hate colouring in Photoshop. I use SAI to colour because I love the blending bushes and just do the rest of my work on the page in Photoshop. Plus, I use really thick lines in order to magic wand+fill for my colouring base, and doing that in Photoshop with its magic wand tool takes like 3 different commands to make it work the way I want it to. In SAI you just adjust a bar and after 1 click, your shit is selected.

noreth
Jun '15

I started with Photoshop but now, I prefer ClipStudioPaint/Manga studio for painting or drawing. It's a simple and intuitive software.

decisiveorigin
Jun '15

for all the previous comments, I think whats a big point is the fact that you're using a mouse, not a pen tablet. Programs like Sai, art rage, Mstudio all need a tablet to work best.

With a mouse, stick to photoshop or illustrator and instead of the brush tool, use the poly lasso and pen tool with air brush, gradients or textures. You can't really get a painterly like look with out a tablet, but you can get some really nice cell colored art work with just a mouse.

serenitysquirrel
Jun '15
arisutwin

I can agree with this one. I have Sai, the newest version of photoshop, as well as Manga Studio on my PC. I am in love with Manga Studio.

IT should be noted, though, that coloring with a mouse isn't going to be easy in any program. You may want to consider using markers or water paints. If your lines are already done, you can print them on a laser printer and then marker over them for a nice look and scan it back in at high quality. With no tablet, I would HIGHLY suggest moving to a more traditional media. There's some really awesome comics out there made that way!!