Painting brushes that are somewhat based on the ones from Sai. This brushes are loosely based on some Paint Tool Sai brushes. Replies sent from Celsys are only for individual customers’ use. This user has contributed greatly to the management of the community, by posting many great responses to the questions asked. These are the next-best contributors to the community after MVPs. Chosen out of all MVP awardees, who are already proof of excellence, this is a testimony of outstanding correspondence in the community. Moderators are official CELSYS staff members who are fluent in Japanese as well as various other languages. Moderators are not experts on the software or illustration, so they are not able to directly answer your questions. Save the current search conditions. (Max. This user has contributed greatly to the management of the community, by posting many great responses to the questions asked. These are the next-best contributors to the community after MVPs. Chosen out of all MVP awardees, who are already proof of excellence, this is a testimony of outstanding correspondence in the community. Moderators are official CELSYS staff members who are fluent in Japanese as well as various other languages. Moderators are not experts on the software or illustration, so they are not able to directly answer your questions.
Within Clip Studio Paint (CSP), brushes are a central tool for achieving diverse textures, line quality, and painterly effects. This article compiles practical guidance on selecting, importing, and tweaking brushes-especially those echoing Paint Tool SAI styles-to help you craft polished illustrations, comics, and concept art.
Foundation: understanding CSP brushes and their Sai-inspired roots
Here at CSP Brushes, I’d like to remind all followers that this space is 100% supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement and will continue to be supportive of this and other anti-racist, anti-fascist movements. Though this page is mostly focused on brushes, it’s important for us all to support Black artists and artworks. Recently, they updated it to add more artists and links to their pages in this Google spreadsheet. This is a massively helpful link that shows what field the artists work in, their social media links, and if they’re looking for work or not!
Clip Studio Paint offers a versatile brush system with native tools in the .sut format and support for importing Photoshop brushes (.abr). You can import brushes into CSP to expand your toolkit beyond the default set, allowing you to emulate Sai-like textures and linework. Drawing apps like Clip Studio Paint come with a variety of default brushes, from pens and pencils to oil brushes and watercolor brushes.
SU Cream Pencil, Nong Pen, Pen Pen, and other named brushes illustrate common types used for sketching and inking in digital workflows. These brushes respond to stylus pressure, provide texture, and vary in line quality, making them ideal starting points for recreating Sai-inspired strokes in CSP.
Practical brush choices for sketching, lineart, and coloring
My Absolute Favorite CSP Assets: This is my go-to lineart pen! I use this for my drawing/animation/comic, which means pretty much everything. It has a texture, and I don't have to control the pen pressure so much. It's simple, but I can make clean lines.
This is the ESSENTIAL tool when I do coloring 100+ comic/reel panels. This is a filter/plugin, not an asset... but still, this is one of the filters I use a lot!! When I want to thicken/thin the lineart. This filter/plugin is for people who use a lot of 3D models and TL(the Convert to lines and tones) features! It makes the lineart smooth.
As well as brushes for painting, it also includes heavily textured brushes to add final details to your paintings. If you’re not sure where to start, ARTIST21 is a comprehensive brush pack that includes sketching pencils, watercolor brushes, and markers. It also has custom blending brushes and erasers so that you can paint with a cohesive look.
Managing brushes: search, import, and customize
To search for more brushes on Clip Studio Assets, you can search by keywords to filter or brushes you want. You can import brushes in .sut or .abr format from other sites to Clip Studio Paint. Native brushes are in the .sut format, and you can also import Photoshop brushes (.abr). You can try making your own brushes by editing the settings of an existing brush. Make a copy of the brush from the Sub Tool palette menu, then adjust the settings in Tool Properties and test the brush on the canvas as you customize it. See here for an example on making custom brushes.
One of the benefits of digital art is the access to a huge variety of pattern brushes and stamp brushes to add detail. This expands your ability to simulate Sai-like textures, mixtures of hard and soft edges, and painterly stippling that can enrich linework and shading in CSP.
Recommended workflow for creating Sai-inspired textures in CSP
- Start with a reliable lineart brush that provides texture but clean lines, easing the transition between sketch and final ink.
- Layer in color with textured or dry-brush styles to mimic traditional media variations.
- Experiment with 3D models and conversion-to-lines features to achieve smooth linework when composing complex panels.
- Utilize a dedicated thick paint brush set for base colors and then apply smaller texture brushes for detail work.
- Incorporate pattern and stamp brushes to add consistent textures across backgrounds or repetitive motifs.
Tips for importing and tweaking brushes
Native CSP brushes offer a solid foundation, but importing .sut or .abr files can dramatically expand your palette. When importing, test each brush on a canvas to observe how it responds to pressure, tilt, and stabilization settings. Adjust brush properties in Tool Property panels to achieve the Sai-inspired look: pressure dynamics, texture, opacity jitter, and spacing. If you’re unsure where to start, you can explore Brush Packs like ARTIST21 for a cohesive starter kit that spans sketching, watercolor, and markers.
Visual aids and example setups
These resources and assets are designed to help you replicate Sai-inspired textures and linework in CSP, while also supporting diverse artists within the community. By combining different brush types-lineart pens, textured paints, and stamping patterns-you can build a workflow that suits your style from rough sketches to polished final renders.
For illustration completeness, consider integrating 3D models to block proportions or determine light source, then applying 2D brushes for final detailing and atmosphere. 3D models are especially helpful for hands and complex poses, making the drawing process faster and more accurate.
How to Make Your Own Stunning HAIR BRUSHES for Webtoons etc. in Clip Studio Paint
Ultimately, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, there’s something for everyone in CSP. When getting started with digital art, it can be overwhelming to choose the perfect brush to sketch with, do lineart with, or use to color your art with. You can search for digital brushes on online stores or creator blogs, as well as official asset libraries like Clip Studio Assets. In this article, we’ll introduce some of the best and most popular brushes for sketching and painting in Clip Studio Paint that you can download directly to the app for free on Clip Studio Assets, as well as tips for importing or creating your own brushes.
Summary of key brush types and their uses
- Sketching pencils with subtle textures (e.g., SU Cream Pencil) for light, expressive lines.
- Soft and dynamic pens (e.g., Nong Pen, Pen Pen) for versatile line weights and shading.
- Ink-like brushes for bold lines and hatching with dense texture.
- Thick paints and textured brushes for natural color variation and painterly effects.
- 3D-model assisted linework and conversion-to-lines tools to streamline inking workflows.
- Pattern and stamp brushes for added detail and consistent motifs.
Importing and creating custom brushes: quick steps
Make a copy of the brush from the Sub Tool palette menu, then adjust the settings in Tool Properties and test the brush on the canvas as you customize it. You can try making your own brushes by editing the settings of an existing brush. See here for an example on making custom brushes. You can import brushes from other sites in .sut or .abr formats and also search Clip Studio Assets for more options.