BUT the option is there to enter all text at once, under Story – Edit Text – Open Story Editor, if you want to try it out. There is a way in MS5/CSP to enter all your text in with a ‘word processor’ type format, but I don’t use it too often because every line of text then needs to be moved in to its corresponding panel and I’d rather just go through and click with the text tool and type it in. Then I go through and put any dialog and/or narration on each page, in the appropriate panel. All I did to make it was make a copy of the “Text” subtool and then change the settings in the new tool to the font face, size, and line spacing I use for Adrastus. I have a custom lettering subtool specifically for my comic. No fussing over making sure the panel borders are where they need to be! And for panels that bleed off the edge of the page, the borders can be easily moved off the edge of the page to create space. Note: I do use the Material library panel templates as well when I can, to save time and because the Panel Templates automatically adjust to the size of your safe area when they’re pasted in to the page.

I start with one large panel and then use the “Divide Frame Folder” tool to break this large panel up in to smaller panels. Once I have the rough layout of each page figured out I go through and cut in the panels accordingly. five pages in a row with the same panel layout, too many splash pages, etc). I do this for every page in the chapter, following my script and double checking to make sure I don’t have too many repetitive elements throughout the chapter (i.e. The next thing I do, as you can see in the beginning of the time lapse video, is go through with a blue pencil and roughly sketch out the frame layout (and usually the characters or other important things in the panels). If any do, I can simply click on those pages and drag them to their new position, which is really handy! This also allows me to catch if any scenes need to be shifted to earlier or later in the chapter. I love being able to look at the entire chapter at one time. Since I do a story comic instead of gag-a-day or a comic strip, having the multi page file option is essential, which is why I use Clip Studio Paint EX. I create a new CSP file and load this template, which even has my page count and cover page preferences saved in it, and make a new file. This includes the measurements for the ‘safe area’ as well. I have a custom page size saved in CSP called “Adrastus” that is set up for the size my books are printed at. Now for those of you who want a step by step, here’s the written out process! There are, of course, many ways to go about putting together a page, but for those of you who are struggling, here is my method! Being that I am something of an ‘expert’ on Clip Studio Paint (Manga Studio 5) I get asked a LOT about how to put together a comic page.

Manga studio 5 vs clip studio paint