What this book covers

Chapter 1, Up and Running with CSP, provides a brief introduction to CSP with its pros and cons, analyzing the software in relation to others on the market and teaching you some common stuff, such as creating a brush, setting up a canvas, and creating an auto-action. Plus, you will find a small glossary of the functions relating to illustration, concept art, and comics that you can use to find a topic easily.

Chapter 2, Adding Brushes to CSP, talks about how to create brushes in CSP, how the brush engine works, and how to create a basic multipurpose brush and a seamless random texture brush.

Chapter 3, Creating 3D Backgrounds in CSP, talks about how to use 3D in CSP. With the addition of Clip Studio Modeler (CSM) bundled with the purchase of CSP, it is essential to talk about it, because with this you can import and rig characters easily (less easy is creating a character from scratch) and create reusable and editable scenes and props with just one click.

Chapter 4, Using Your 3D Props to Create a Scene, talks about how you can use previously created 3D props to create reusable changeable scenes.

Chapter 5, Implementing 3D Characters in CSP, explains how to create a 3D human character in Blender. This chapter will give you some basic skills on modeling, retopo, and UV mapping for creating 3D human models in Blender. Bear in mind that this isn't a guide to make a game-development-standard 3D model but a guide in which we will use those basic concepts to create 3D assets to use in CSP.

Chapter 6, Importing 3D Characters in CSP, explains how to import a character in CSM. This chapter will give you some basic knowledge on texturing human characters and rigging skills. Plus, you will get a pretty advanced understanding of how to use CSM to create posable characters to use in CSP.

Chapter 7, Making Your Own Illustration, teaches you about illustrations and how to set up your workspace and use the CSP tools to make cartoon and realistic illustrations with some tricks that will speed you up. Plus, we will look at creating brushes that you can use as workhorses to give you a realistic feeling.

Chapter 8, Creating Your Own Comic, shows how to set up your workspace, creating brushes fitted for the job and using the tools of CSP to go through the phases of creating a comic, from storyboarding, using the story editor and material folder, to the printing phase, using CSP and other software.

Chapter 9, Building Your Own Concept Art, shows how to integrate the 3D functions in CSP, materials, auto-actions, and everything at your disposal to speed up your concept art. We will see how to create props (from tile sets and weapons to a small house/cabin), an environment (a basic natural environment, a city environment, and a fantasy environment), and character concept art (sci-fi, fantasy, and normal).

Chapter 10, Creating Your Own Portfolio, presents a practical use of your skills. We will create together three portfolios for each of the sections (illustration, comics, and concept art). I will explain how you will need to construct them based on the subject and where to publish your artwork and portfolio.

Chapter 11, CSP Vocabulary, provides a glossary with a brief explanation of all the main CSP functions with a reference to the page on which it is talked about extensively in the book.