How to Use Sai Tool Using Drawing Tablet

This is instructables about how to use Sai tool which is a nice software for drawing, and some tips from my experiences.

Materials

• Laptop
  (I don't think you need high spec computer or laptop to use Sai tool whether your laptop cannot even open Sai tool software.)
• Sai tool software
  -You can download it from here -official site
  https://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/ (This is 27 days trial, but you can also get this in illegal... just kidding.)
• Drawing tablet
  -I am using Hanvon Artmaster, but Wacom Intuos has nice, cheap tablets.

If you already have tablet and know what to do, you can skip this step.

But if you are new to drawing tablet, you should download the tablet software. Because tablet is just a mouse without software. There should be instruction about downloading software, so follow the instruction.

And after you finished download it, you through the links that I gave, download the trial version of Paint tool Sai.

If you successfully installed Sai tool, you will get this page. First of all, There is a tool bar up-stair. Our major focus, File(F), is used for make drawing canvas, which is called layer. If you press File-New, you can create a new canvas. You can choose preset canvas, such as A4 size. Or you can choose width and height in pixel or cm. If you want to draw the perfect background for your laptop, figure out size of your computer(mine is 1920x1080 pixel) and put the number on it high resolution can bring a nice quality, but you don't have to set it in really high number. You can also open the screenshots with File-Open if you want to draw on already taken pictures.

There are lots of tools like pencil, air brush, brush or so on. But actually, for drawing, I only use air brush, brush, marker, and blur. Air brush or brush is first used to make clear lines. And it is up to painter, but marker is good to express shadows.

If you realized, blur is a tool to make dull color. It is really necessary tools in Sai tool.

You can select density, which can make your brush dull or deep. If you have to use slight color, you better decrease density of your brush.

If you open the box of the mode in Paints effect, you can see the modes; Normal, Multiply, Screen, Overlay, Luminosity, Shade, Lumi&Shade, Binary color. This modes will help you expressing the color in more creative way.

-Normal: Just normal layer.

-Screen: It helps you to put soft and bright color. It is useful when you want to draw lights.

-Overlay: It puts thick and dark color. It is useful when you want to draw shadows.

-Luminosity: I usually use this mode to draw sun or stars. Like the word 'Luminosity', it is for drawing lightning color. You can also use this to draw eyes.

-Lumi&Shade: It is kind of same as overlay. It makes color darker.

-Binary color: Saturation of the color changes.

Luminosity is the most important mode in the Sai tool, so I just wanted to show how it works.

-Using Airbrush in Luminosity layer, the moon looks more better than not just using normal layer.

If you want to use draw a picture of water color theme, using this settings will help you.

1. Paints Effect

-Texture (Watercolor A) Sacle 100%, and put 16 in the box next to the scale box

-Effect (Fringe) and you don't have to change the setting of Width.

2. Go to the brush that you want to use, and change the setting

-Min size 100%

-Density 100% (You can freely change min size and density.)

-Change (simple circle) to (Spread)

Based on what I explained in tip 1, you can create a pencil tool, really similar to a real pencil.

Screenshot couldn't take the specific details of the tool, but it actually looks like a pencil.

Layer works like the explanation on the picture. You cannot erase what you draw on layer C in other layer.

Also, if you colored something on layer c, you can over-draw it on layer a or b, because it is located higher then layer c.

You should practice controlling layer. Organize it properly, and it will help you draw more comfortably.

We need

-Brush

-Bucket

-Noise airbrush

-Noise Blur

Use Bucket, and make all layer dark purple, and then draw some land with grass. (Layer which you drew land should be higher than the layer you drew the sky). Using Luminosity layer, put bright colors with noise airbrush tools, and slowly make a color soft with your noise blur. And in another luminosity layer, put some dots which can represent shiny stars in different size and color.

There are still lots of things to explain, but if I write all things about Sai tool, I have to create one novel, so I tried to summarize the major tools and some important things that you should know to use Sai tool. I know that my explaining skill is terrible, so I will try my best to answer the question if you write a question or unclear part on comment section.

p.s. Try Stabilizer in the software. It is really good when you have to draw clear lines.