Manga Studio® for Dummies®

Chapter 12. Words Speak Louder than Actions: Adding Text to a Page

In This Chapter

• Adding text to a panel

• Explaining the Text tool properties

• Editing text you've added

• Finding fonts that you can use on your page

• Avoiding common text formatting pitfalls

• Creating word balloons in Manga Studio Debut

• Creating word balloons in Manga Studio EX

• Creating custom word balloon templates in Manga Studio EX

I was once told that if you lay your pages out properly, the reader can follow exactly what's going on without the need for text. That's true, and it's a practice that I think more artists should use. But it wouldn't hurt to know what the characters are saying to each other. Pretty much the only way you're going to convey the sound of people talking is through text and (optionally) word balloons. The reader throws in just the right amount of suspension of disbelief to "hear" the characters on the page with words and some means of directing them to the speaker's mouth.

For the most part, Manga Studio can help you do that. Depending on whether you bought the Debut or EX version, there may be a few more steps involved, but the end result will be the same.

This chapter covers all you need to know to create text and word balloons in both Manga Studio Debut and EX versions. I first discuss the various kinds of narrative balloons you may want to use, depending on the situation. Then, I go over how to add and edit text, using the Text tool. After that, I explain how to create a simple word balloon in Debut ...