How to Use PaintTool SAI: 10 Steps
1. Download and Install PaintTool SAI:
First, download PaintTool SAI from the official website (https://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/). Make sure you are downloading the latest version of the software. After downloading, follow the installation instructions provided to install PaintTool SAI on your PC.
2. Launch PaintTool SAI:
After installing the software, launch PaintTool SAI by clicking on its icon on your desktop or in your Start menu.
3. Create a New Canvas:
Once PaintTool SAI is open, create a new canvas by clicking on “File” in the top left corner, then selecting “New.” Choose the canvas size you want to work with by adjusting the width and height parameters.
4. Familiarize Yourself with the Interface:
Take some time to familiarize yourself with PaintTool SAI’s interface, which includes menus, toolbars, layers panel, color wheel, and brush settings. Learning where everything is located will help streamline your work process and improve your efficiency.
5. Choose a Drawing Tool:
Select a drawing tool from the toolbar on the left side of the screen. This toolbar includes tools such as Pencil, Brush, Airbrush, Watercolor, Marker, Eraser, and more. Adjust each tool’s settings such as size and opacity in the brush settings panel.
6. Pick Your Colors:
Choose colors for your artwork using the color wheel and swatches in the right panel. Click on a color in either panel to select it as your current paint color.
7. Work with Layers:
PaintTool SAI supports working with layers for efficient editing and organization. Create new layers by clicking on the “+” icon at the bottom of the layers panel or duplicate existing layers by right-clicking them and choosing “Duplicate Layer.” To hide or show a layer, click on its visibility icon.
8. Experiment with Brushes and Textures:
Experiment with brushes, textures, and blending modes to create unique effects in your artwork. You can modify your brushes’ properties by adjusting parameters within the brush settings panel.
9. Utilize Shortcuts and Hotkeys:
Speed up your digital painting process by memorizing the commonly used keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys in PaintTool SAI. This will help improve your workflow and save valuable time while working on your project.
10. Save Your Work:
Don’t forget to save your work frequently to avoid losing progress in case of a software crash or system failure. To save, click on “File” in the top left corner, then select “Save As” or “Save.” It’s highly recommended that you save your project as a .sai file to preserve all layers and settings within the project, although you can also export your work as other formats like JPEG, PNG, or BMP for sharing or printing purposes.
Now that you’ve taken these ten steps, you’re ready to create stunning digital art using PaintTool SAI. Happy painting!