How I use Comic Works

[pilot_star]

This is how I use Comic Works.
It may not be the best way. Or even a good way. But it's MY way.
>__> Heh.

1. In which I open a new document
   
   
   Nothing too special here. New document at 300 dpi, because 600 is too much for my computer to handle, and I hear it doesn't make a visible difference when it goes to print anyway. I use A4 sized paper because it was there.
   
   
   
2. In which I layout the page
   
   
   I have a very general script that I follow very generally. It's not numbered by panels, it's just a script. I'm also pretty flexible with it, changing dialog along the way. In fact, I do that a lot.
   
   Before I start drawing anything, I have a pretty rough idea (in my head) of what I want the page to look like. Note: very rough. Anyway, I just use the rectangle tool and do some spiffy rectangles.
   
   
   
3. In which I make a draft layer
   
   
   I make a draft layer to pencil on. Self-explanatory, right?
   
   
4. In which I adjust the opacity of draft layer
   
   
   I dunno, I use 75%. You can do whatever the hell you feel like.
   
   
   
5. In which I pencil
   
   
   I do some pretty rough pencils. Like, rough. Like, really rough. Like, seriously. I just do those nifty cross things to let myself know where the eyes are and a circle for the head. That's how rough it is.
   
   
   
6. In which I create an ink layer
   
   
   I'm done pencilling, so I make an ink layer. Follows logic pretty logically.
   
   
   
7. In which I adjust opacity for draft layer
   
   
   Note: You can NOT adjust the opacity of your ink layer. So if you want to pencil on an inking layer, that's fine, but it's hard to ink on top afterwards.
   
   
   
8. In which I select my pen tool
   
   
   Oh pen tool, how I love thee.
   I feel that 1 mm is a pretty good, flexible size.
   
   
   
9. In which I ink
   
   
   I ink. No real technique here, it mostly involves me scratching at my canvas until I think it looks adequate.
   
   
   
10. In which I am done inking
    
    
    Yeah!
    
    
    
11. In which I start to tone
    
    
    I set up the tone tool. I hate toning. No real technique here either. I just slap on the tone where I think it belongs and erase outside the lines.
    
    
    
12. In which I make spiffy speedlines
    
    
    I just use the line tool, with extracting selected to it tapers at the end spiffily.
    For some reason, clicking shift does not automatically make the line horizontal or vertical, so I just adjust it until I think it lines up with the grid.
    
    
    
13. In which I add text
    
    
    This took me a while to figure out. The option for adding text is actually called "Add String". Who woulda thought of that?
    
    
    
14. In which I make a oval
    
    
    I used to put the oval, then the text inside it, but it's actually a lot easier to put the text down first, then make the oval fit around it.
    I then draw the tail by hand and erase around the outside.
    
    
    
15. In which I use the white layer.
    
    
    I make a white layer to fill in the box over the thingiemabob.
    
    
    
16. In which I fill in the white layer with white
    
    
    I go ahead and use the paintbucket, but a funny thing about comic works is that each layer is NOT independent of each other. So if you don't want the bottom layers to interfere with the layer you're filling, you have to hide the layer underneath it. That means: make SURE you click the little eye icon to hide the text inside the boxes/ovals before you fill it, or else the counter inside the O's and D's will still be transparent.
    
    Another thing about the white layer is that even if you're filling it in to be white, you actually have to use the colour black. It's more like a... reverse layer. Or something.
    
    
    
17. In which I am completed
    
    
    Done! That wasn't so bad!
    
    Edit: Apparently some people thought this tutorial contains a spoiler. So.
    IT IS A SPOILER NO MORE.