My comic coloring software.

This the software that I use to color my art. I find it very very easy to use compared to photoshop 3 elements which I also have but still have not figured out how to color with. Despite it's simplicity I find that I can mimic just about any color technique/ style that you would see in a professional comic done by Marvel or DC.The software also comes with a handy pullout manual and 50 other pieces of art in which ( in PLAY EVENT MODE ) you can see first hand how the art pieces were colored.The only drawbacks that this software has , is that it does not enable custom SHAPED brushes. Sizes- YES. SHAPES- No.And the biggest drawback is that it only works in RGB. Which is perfectly fine for printing at home on your home printer and also posting on the web for your My Space page or webcomic.But to have your work printed at a real print shop you would need software that saves your art in CYMK ( the standard four color mode ).But since I'm not doing any printing this software is perfect for me. If you feel it may be perfect for you , you can visit www.akadotretail.com to purchase it. Akadot retail is a webstore for manga supplies and tones and software.But be forwarned they also sell yaio and similiar style manga. I haven't come across any cuz I'm not looking for it, but they do have banner ads for them.This software usually retails for $125. But the site has web specials very often. I snatched mine up of $65. A great deal if you watch for it.Anyways just thought I would share for those of you who may be starting out. This software is perfect for novices and pros. And No I do not work for this company.LOL

I just stick with the basics with that on MS Studio. Only thing on pro version is more tones if you do a lot of toning. Yeah I can understand about the price, I bought mine w/ my student discount (still in grad school for about $76 or $80 I think). Thing about Manga Studio is that I just now learning how to do each of the individual panels. I would ink my pages scan in photoshop
to clean them. Import the pic in Manga Studio to add small effects such as the speedlines/effect lines but I mainly use Manga Studio to do the Panel maker to help with my panels and to help w/ bleeds and stuff if I want to make a manga page. Create my panels then rasterize panel layer at 300dpi since lineart at 300dpi. Then import the page to photoshop to color. I may try to get comicworks eventually (in fact before getting manga studio I was really close in buying comicworks). I had a lot of help and tutorials with Manga Studio, compared to my Photoshop CS I think I can navigate photoshop better sometimes. But Manga Studio is great w/ a wacom tablet because what I do is adjust the marker tip on there and still get some really nice lines. I have better control in there than if I inked in photoshop. Its very pressure sensitive for the heavy handed such as myself. *wink*

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Comments

mike July 20, 2009 at 9:19pm

I recently had an artpiece that I colored, printed out on a comic and the colors changed ALOT. I was kinda disappointed by the change from RBG to CYMK. So this software should mostly be used for internet and web posting instead of highend printing.

A new version of this software is available ( ver. 4.5 ) but I haven't come across whether or not it deals in CYMK or just RBG. I want to know before I buy it. But I'll probably buy it anyways....lol
Earnest Graham June 18, 2009 at 5:16am

I like the review of the coloring software. If teh conversion from RGB to CMYK is not availalbe in CG Illust, you, or a printer, should be able to open up the doc in Photoshop, and convert it to CMYK.
SusanTheCat January 9, 2009 at 10:41am

My understanding was that K was chosen for blacK since B was Blue in RGB.

Susan
Shandra Koger January 8, 2009 at 11:18pm

I just stick with the basics with that on MS Studio. Only thing on pro version is more tones if you do a lot of toning. Yeah I can understand about the price, I bought mine w/ my student discount (still in grad school for about $76 or $80 I think). Thing about Manga Studio is that I just now learning how to do each of the individual panels. I would ink my pages scan in photoshop
to clean them. Import the pic in Manga Studio to add small effects such as the speedlines/effect lines but I mainly use Manga Studio to do the Panel maker to help with my panels and to help w/ bleeds and stuff if I want to make a manga page. Create my panels then rasterize panel layer at 300dpi since lineart at 300dpi. Then import the page to photoshop to color. I may try to get comicworks eventually (in fact before getting manga studio I was really close in buying comicworks). I had a lot of help and tutorials with Manga Studio, compared to my Photoshop CS I think I can navigate photoshop better sometimes. But Manga Studio is great w/ a wacom tablet because what I do is adjust the marker tip on there and still get some really nice lines. I have better control in there than if I inked in photoshop. Its very pressure sensitive for the heavy handed such as myself. *wink*
mike January 8, 2009 at 10:23pm

Hi Miss Shan! Yes ,I do have MangaStudio ( debut version ) but its very similiar to photoshop and I'm still trying to figure it out, lol. But I bought Comikworks, which is another great 'toning' software and it's made by Deleter, the same that makes my color software. It's very easy to use also. Before that, I would only use MangaStudio for adding speedlines. I couldn't figure out how to add tones very well with MS becuz of vectors. MS EX doesn't have that problem but is like $200! ouch.
Shandra Koger January 8, 2009 at 8:44pm

Have you tried Manga Studio? I have Manga Studio EX Professional and it works with similar color/tones. I intergrate my lineart in there because of it will convert your lineart in there and limited colors/tones for output in Photoshop.
Rob Marsh December 22, 2008 at 5:55am

I'd like to check this out, but I'm so hooked on PS Elements I'd have to retrain myself... :)
Besides, I usually just work in grayscale with halftones, so I usually get what I need with PS.

BTW - Thanks for the December Sun comments. I tried to comment back on your main page, but it wouldn't load (either it's the ning site, or Google Chrome is acting up. Who knows... :)
mike March 18, 2008 at 12:27pm

Thanks guys. Unfortunatley my PS 3 elements does not have cymk mode. But I do have Corel Painter X but have yet to install it. Also I heard that when you convert from RBG to CYMK that the colors may change a little. Mostly the yellows. But I plan on using CYMK someday.
Christina Cheek March 18, 2008 at 9:41am

If you got Photoshop there Mike, all you have to do is open the file that you saved from this program there and when opened in Photoshop go to Image>Modify>CMYK Format then save, that's all you have to do and so that way you can print, if you want, a 4 color :D
James Tenney March 17, 2008 at 1:48pm

Thanks for the post, and if you have elements you can probably import your rgb file into it and change it. Then presto one more step to the printer.

God Bless,

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