First, here are some pencil sketches (drawn using Sketchbook Pro):
Here are the inks using Manga Studio Pro:
And here’s a gray scale version colored in Photoshop:
Manga Studio Pro EX4 is a very complex program – it takes some getting used to, particularly if you’re already comfortable with another program (like Photoshop or Sketchbook Pro). Folks on Twitter have been kind enough to refer me to some useful tutorial sites, like cartoonist Byron Wilkins’ Manga Studio primer, Mario Live and select tutorials on DeviantArt. (If you have a useful Manga Studio Pro link, please share it with me in the comments below.)
Manga Studio Pro comes with 2 manuals: a Quick Start guide and a more in-depth Guide.
Given the program’s complexity, the manual is not light reading. What makes the manual doubly-frustrating for me is the poor quality of the screenshot images. Zooming in on the PDF makes the screenshots pixelated to the point that you feel like you’re looking at an impressionistic painting. I’ve been referred to the Manga Studio for Dummies book as a replacement. (The book does not cover version 4.0, which I have). Before I purchased the program, I knew there was going to be a learning curve, but I didn’t plan on it being so steep.
The inking “engine” in Manga Studio Pro, from what little I’ve used so far, seems to be far superior to Corel Painter – both in terms of line quality and overall responsiveness. I’m currently looking for a way to transition from Corel Painter over to Manga Studio Pro for all my inking. I think I will still use Photoshop for coloring and text, until I develop the necessary proficiency with Manga Studio Pro’s toolset.
More impressions to come soon. Hit me up with questions, tips, or resources and I’ll do my best to answer and share them.
-Krishna
Cool. Ive always been curious about manga studio, and heard great things about it from artists who do alot of inking. I think I might give it a shot too….
Manga Studio Pro is daunting – and what makes it frustrating for me is the lack of a really solid primer in the form of a user manual. I do plan on making the most of learning it, but I almost feel like I’m stumbling around in the dark trying to figure out where the light switches are.