Comic Illustration Tool MangaLabo Help : About Window

About Window

Navigator

While editing a high resolution image, it is not very convenient to check the overall image so often.
Navigator shows you the overall image without zooming in&out the actual image.
The entire image is shown as a thumbnail, and the displayed area is indicated with the red frame.

Control

You can specify the center of document by dragging.
You can find what can be "undo"(<<) and "redo" (>>) in the status bar below the window.
Unavailable button is invalid. (In case of the above image, Undo/Redo are not available)

Function

<Zoom In>

Show the one level zoomed-in image.

<Zoom Out>

Show the one level zoomed-out image.

<100%>

Show the active document in 100 % scale.

<Rotate Left>

Rotate the active document at 90° towards left.

<Rotate Right>

Rotate the active document at 90° towards right.

<Flip Vertically>

Flip the active document vertically.

<Release Rotation/Flip>

Release the rotation/flip condition.

<Undo>

Erase the last change done to the document reverting it to an older state.

<Redo>

Reverse the undo.

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Color Window

Select an active color.
An active color is in front with red frame. This is called foreground color.
Background color is in back. This color will be used for gradient range or right-drag with brush tool.
[ xxx% ] indicates the density at filling color in the 8bpp layer.

To exchange foreground and background colors, you can use simply hit "X" key.

To reset foreground and background colors as default (B&W), you can simply hit "D" key.

By clicking on #000000　text, pop-up menu will appear. You can copy the text data as web color to clipboard.

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Palette Window

Palette Window lets you save the frequently used colors. You can select the color by left-click.
You can organize the multiple palette sets with the drop down menu on upper-right.

The color order can be changed by drag-and-drop.

You can select the background color by right-click.

Save color

Create your color in Color Window and simply click on "+" button in Palette Window.

Delete color

Select the color that you want to delete from Palette Window and simply click on "-" button.

Use color

Select an active (foreground) color by clicking the palette.

Change the color setting

Change the name and RGB value by double-click on the palette.

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Layer Window

Layer Window lets you edit the image and layer settings.
You can set up the layer property by double-click on layer or from [Layer] -> [Property].
Layer Mode/Opacity/Alpha Protection can be edited in Layer Window.

Left circle indicates the layer visibility. You can click on the circle to turn ON/OFF the layer.
By clicking on the circle while pressing down the Shift key, you can invert the visibility condition of selected layer and other layers.

By clicking on layer while pressing down the Ctrl key, you can select an opaque area of the layer as a selection.
If you click while pressing down both Ctrl and Shift keys, you can add the new selection to the existing one.

If you check on "Do not Refer/Rasterlize (Use as Draft)," the layer will not be available for the Fill and Auto Selection tools.
This function is useful when you create a draft layer.

1. About Layer Type

There are 4 types of layer.

1bpp Layer (Monochrome)

1 bit/pixel layer that can only recognize whether a pixel exists or not.
It is useful when you edit simple line drawings without AntiAliasing.
Comparing to 32 bpp layer, it can take tremendously small data size.

You can set up Layer Color (*see below).

8 bpp Layer (Grayscale)

8 bit/pixel layer that can express 256 levels of opacity (transparency).
It is useful when you edit the Grayscale data or create a draft data.
Comparing to 32bpp layer, it can take tremendously small data size.

You can set up Layer Color (*see below).

32 bpp Layer (Color Layer)

32 bit/pixel layer that can express ARGB (Alpha/Red/Green/Blue) and 8 bit per each color.
It is useful when you edit color data or image with alpha channel.

Vector Layer (Vector Layer)

MangaLabo lets you use the vector layer that does not drop the image quality after multiple editing.
Currently, rectangle/polygon/ellipse/text/frame/image are available to be drawn on a vector layer.
As for the further detail, please refer to "About Vector Layer" and "Object Window."

2. About Layer Mode

Layer Mode is a type of effect applying to a layer.
There are 4 types; Normal, Multiple, Adding, and Reverse.
You can find these options in the "Mode" pop down menu of Layer window.

Normal

This is a standard mode.

Multiple

If you multiply colors, it will make a darker color.

Adding

It will give you the luminescence effect that will be added to the image colors.

Reverse

Darker color produces stronger reverse. It gives the strongest effect to black, but it does not apply to white.

3. About Layer Opacity

It indicates the opacity level of layer.
You can find the opacity adjuster under "Mode" of Layer window.
"0" is completely transparent. Closer to "255" makes more opaque.

4. About the alpha protection

Only with 32 bpp layer, you can protect the opacity while editing.
This is useful when you want to edit only the image area (exlucing transparent area).
Below is samples; first image is without alpha protection, and second image is with alpha protection:

[Without alpha protection]

[With alpha protection]

5. About Layer Lock

If you check the "Lock" option in Layer window, you will not be able to edit the layer.
It is useful when you do not want to touch the layer after finished editing the layer.

6. About Half Tone Display

Only with 8 bpp layer, you can show the layer as Half Tone condition.
Half Tone is to show the multiple levels of data (e.g. 8 bpp layer has 256 levels) as black-and-white dots.
You can create the Japanese cartoon-like tone effects.
Number of Half Tone lines will be determined per an inch(L), thus please carefully consider the image resolution setting.

Layer with Half Tone takes a longer processing time in general.

[60L Half Tone]

[30L Half Tone]

7. About Layer Color

1 bpp and 8 bpp layers can be shown in a different color other than black.
For example, you can create a draft layer with 8 bpp Grayscale and set its color as red or blue etc.. Thus you can differentiate which layer is the draft one.
Also, the layer including main lines can be set in a different layer color. It will decrease the mistakes tremendously.
When you rasterize the layer, you can check "Ignore Layer Color" before rastering.
Please refer to "About rasterizing."

[In case of using red as Layer Color]

[In case of using blue as Layer Color]

8.Menu

[Layer]

[Add 1bpp]

Add 1 bpp Monochrome layer.

[Add 8bpp]

Add 8 bpp Grayscale layer.

[Add 32bpp]

Add 32 bpp Color layer.

[Add Vector]

Add Vector layer.

[Duplicate]

Duplicate an active layer. (A new layer will be created.)

[Rasterize]

Rasterize a Vector layer as 32 bpp.

[Clipping Beneath Layer]

Apply the under layer's opacity level to the current layer temporary.

[Apply Beneath Layer's Mask]

By using the current layer, make the under layer transparent where the current layer overlaps.

[Apply Beneath Layer's Inverted Mask]

By using the current layer, make the under layer transparent where the current layer does not overlap.

[Property]

Open the dialog box that you can set up the layer name or opacity.

[Delete]

Delete the active layer.

[Edit]

[Merge Down]

Merge the active layer with under layer. (These layers have to be a same type.)

[Scale Up/Down]

Zoom in and out the layer's visible range. (The image size is not changed.)

[Rotate Layer][Flip Vertically]

Rotate/flip the layer vertically. (The image is not changed.)

[Rotate Layer][Horizontally]

Rotate/flip the layer horizontally. (The image is not changed.)

[Expand]

Expand the opaque pixel area. (1, 8bpp layer only)

[Shrink]

Shrink the opaque pixel area. (1, 8bpp layer only)

[Homogenize]

Equalize the opacity level in the opaque area. (8bpp layer only)

[Set Foreground Color As Layer Color]

Set the foreground color as the layer color. (1, 8bpp layer only)

[Set Layer Color As Foreground Color]

Set the layer color as the foreground color. (1, 8bpp layer only)

[Convert]

[Convert to 1bpp Layer]

Convert a 8 or 32bpp layer to 1bpp layer (refer to density/brightness levels.). In case of the 8bpp layer, it uses Halftone at conversion.

[Convert to 8bpp Layer]

Convert a 1 or 32bpp layer to 8bpp layer (refer to density/brightness levels.).

[Convert to 32bpp Layer]

Convert a 1 or 8bpp layer to 32bpp layer (refer to density/brightness levels.).

[Fix Halftone]

Apply the Halftone information of 8bpp layer in order to make the image with 2-level tones type.

[Apply Opaque on Transparent Area]

Make 32bpp layer opaque. Alpha value becomes 255.

[Convert to Main Line]

Convert the brightness info to opacity info. It is useful when you convert the scanned image to line drawing data.

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About Layer Information Window

When 1bpp, 8bpp, or 32bpp layer is active, Layer Information window will appear.
When 8bpp or 32bpp layer is active, histogram will appear.

You can edit levels by double-clicking on the histogram.

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About Vector Layer

Different from 1,8,32bpp bitmap layers, Vector Layer holds vector data instead of pixel.
Vector data is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon(s) to represent images in computer graphics.
For example, a rectangle shape has vertices at top-left, top-right, bottom-left, and bottom-right. Then you can select a color to fill in the shape.
When you do the same thing with a bitmap Layer, on the other hand, many small pixels fill in the selected area.

Therefore, the Vector Layer cannot be edited per a pixel level, same as the bitmap layer (1,8,32bpp).

<Rectangular>

Draw a rectangular object.

<Ellipse>

Draw an elliptical object.

<Polygon>

Draw a polygonal object.

<Frame>

Draw a frame object.

<Line>

Draw a line object.

<Text>

Create an editable text.

<Image>

Import an image from a file or clipborad. You can specify dpi and zoom level of the image. You cannot edit the image.

<Comic Draft Line>

Draw draft lines.

<3D Perspective>

Create a 3D space to help drawing a perspective.

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Object Window

You can use multiple Vector objects in Vector layer.
Positioned objects (such as rectangle, ellipse, text, etc) are appeared in Object Window.
Same as Layer window, you can set up the property by double-clicking.

Left circle indicates the object visibility. You can switch the ON/OFF visibility status by clicking.
Clicking while pressing down the Shift key, you can invert the visibility status between the object and others.

Display speed of Vector layer gets slower by adding more and more objects. We recommend you to use the Vector layer as a draft purpose.

Different from the Layer window, you can select multiple objects.
Clicking while pressing down the Shift key, you can select multiple objects from the selected one to next clicked one.
, you can invert the selection.

1.Characteristic of Each Object

Rectangular Object

Draw a rectangular object that can be modified with four corners and four sides. By specifying the corner roundness, you can create a rounded corner rectangle.

Elliptical Object

Draw an elliptical object that can be modified with four corners and four sides.

Polygonal Object

Draw a polygonal object that has multiple vertices. You can rotate. By changing the roundess ratio, you can make a waggly object.

Frame Object

Draw a frame object that has multiple vertices. You can rotate.

Rectangular Frame Object

Draw a rectangular frame object that can be modified with four corners and four sides. It is useful for a comic framework. You can divide the frame by right-clicking on the frame.It is convenient to add a new framework.

Line Object

Draw a line object that has multiple vertices. You can rotate and deform the line.

Text Object

Draw a editable text object.

<Font Name>

Select a font. (Font,size, etc. cannot be changed partially)

<Size>

Specify the font size.

<Unit>

Specify the size/gap/specing of text. (pt/pixel)

<AntiAliasing>

By checking this option, make the edge cleaner.

<Column>

If you choose the vertical writing font, it will be automatically checked.

<Outline>

Add an outline.

<Bold/Italic/Underline/StrikeOut>

Apply each option.

<Text Gap>

Specify the gap distance between texts.(pt/pixel)

<Spacing>

Specify the spacing between rows.(pt/pixel)

<Color>

Specify the color of text.

<Align>

Specify the begining of each row.

<Margin Color>

Specify the margin color.

<Margin Width>

Specify the width of margin by pixel unit.

Image Object

Image Object lets you edit the object's position and size.

Comic Draft Line

Draw a draft line at editing a comic. Guide line does not show up at rasterizing or printing.

<Auto Setting>

Set up the standard setting.

<Basic Frame>

An inner frame of comic (guide line).

<Finish Frame>

An outer frame of comic (guide line). This indicates the printing size.

<Extra Fill>

An extra space in order to fill colors to the edge of printing size.

<Spread Offset>

Set up the two-page spread comic setting.

3D Perspective

3D Perspective lets you create 3D space. This is a guide line to draw a 3D object, therefore it does not show up at rasterizing or printing.

[Object]

[Add Box]

Add a cubic shape. You can specify the width/height/depth in centimeters by using XYZ.

[Add Plane]

Add a plane. You can specify the width/depth in centerimeters by using XZ.

[Add Roof]

Add a roof shape. You can specify the width/height/depth in centimeters by using XYZ.

[Add Stair]

Add a staircase object. You can specify the number of steps.

[Add From File]

Add Obj or Mqo formats object. Snaps become a bounding box （cubes surrounding object).

[Ground]

Place a bottom of object on the ground.

[Point to Front Always]

Set the front of object always facing to the front side.

[Camera]

[Save Current Camera]

Save the current camera position. Once you determine the angle, we recommend you to save the view point.

[Set up Standard Camera]

Set up the standard camera.

[Focus to Object]

Draw focus to the active object.

[Initialize Camera]

Initialize a view point of camera.

[Scene]

[Do not Display Backside]

Set up not to show the back side of object.

[Drop Shadow]

Drop shadow on the ground. This option slows the processing. If you have a complicated object, you can make processing faster by removing this option.

[Overlap Canvas]

Overlap canvases to check matching of the main drawing and its background.

2.Menu

[Object]

[Add][Rectangular]

Add a rectangular object after specifying its size and location.

[Add][Ellipse]

Add an elliptical object after specifying its size and location.

[Add][Polygon]

Add a polygonal object by using parameter.

[Add][Text]

Add a text object. Text dialogue box will appear.

[Add][Image]

Add an image object. File selection dialogue box will appear.