How to create dynamic action scenes in Clip Studio Paint

art tutorial
(Image credit: Jolene Yeo)

Action scenes can be daunting, as these illustrations tend to lean on the more complex side with so many factors to consider. Developing an understanding of movement and anatomy, coupled with framing and lighting, can help bring a scene to life, even in a 2D still. Together, they can create a suspenseful atmosphere.

At a young age, I tried to draw a couple of action scenes, but quickly realised it was not as simple as I thought. The character’s pose had to be impactful enough, and it ended up looking lacklustre and lacking any action at all. I realised I needed to study movement, and how real people or animated characters moved in battle in films, cartoons, anime or games. Breaking down the movement frame-by-frame helped me understand how the human body functioned in those scenes.

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Jolene Yeo

Jolene is an illustrator for Collateral Damage Studios. She paints in a variety of styles and has worked on colouring books. Jolene has also co-written a book, How to Draw Manga, which is due for release in 2024. 

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