Since my last tutorial about the basics of drawing comics, I've been asked more info about how to make screen tone (or half-tone screens or toner screens, etc.).

Note that this tutorial is for the black and white printing media with the use of Adobe Photoshop.

First, of course, you will need art. A black and white drawing scanned in black and white at 600dpi. Or a black and white CG also at 600dpi.

Note: When I say BLACK AND WHITE, I see people scanning in grayscale or drawing CG with anti-alias tools. The words black and white mean there are two colors. Black and white. If you have 2 millions, 256 or 3 shades of gray, that's not black and white, that's grayscale. If your lineart isn't in black and white only, it will be screwed up when you convert your coloring to screen tones later. I'm gonna write black and white one more time just for fun.

Now convert your lineart to Grayscale: Image/Mode/Grayscale Size Ratio 1

Then in the Layer window, Right-Click on the Background layer and select Duplicate Layer. This will create a transparent copy of your lineart.

Still in the Layer window, select your Background layer and fill it with white. Then select again your Background Copy.

If the Background layer is hidden, you'll see only the black lineart remains.

Now, use your artistic skills to color with shades of grey. You can use gradiants but try not using Anti-Aliases as much as possible. Although it's not dramatic..

When you select a color, set your color to pure white and use the K value to chose a purcentage of Black. With flat colors, try not using over 75% unless you're really confident in the quality of your printer.

Rule of thumb, never trust a printer.

Ok, once you're happy with your coloring (Don't color skin with screen tones unless th character is black, dark skinned or standing in the dark. This is just for an exemple.) you can save a copy in PSD format. Because once you've made your screentones, you can't change them back.

Flatten your layers and goto Image/Mode/Bitmap.

The Output Resolution will most likely be the same as the Input. Leave it like that. Select Halftone Screen... (unlike this exemple...) and press OK.

Now this is probably the most important part and it can be good to know the quality of printing your print shop, business center or photocopy place can give you.

• Frequency: Or Dpi (dots per inch) are usualy measured in lines/inch. If you're unsure of the quality of your printer, go for 53, it's the best bet. For a good quality printer, you can go to 80. But don't go further than that. Or it will be either too small or you will loose the screen tones effect most mangas have.
• Angle: At which angle your dots are aligned. Whatever floats your boat. But don't use 0, 90, 180 or 360 degrees angles, it looks weird.
• Shape: Round, usualy. But you also have a choice of diamond, elipse, square, lines, cross. Experiment, it's fun!

Then press OK! And ta-da! you have your screen tones. If you want, you can even convert to Grayscale again and using the same method, put other screentones, at a different angle on your previous screentones. It can make for cool fucked-up effects. Save your file in Tiff format. It's universal printing format (and quite lite when compressed).

Now looking at this, you're probably saying, well this looks like shit! But like I said, this isn't for the web, but for the print media.

Look at how it will appear to your eyes when printed on paper. Nice, no?

Note: If you changed the size of your picture after you have made your screentones, it will change the Dpi resolution. So it's better if you apply your screentones at the final size.

To finish this, if you're wondering where to print your art or your own comics, look in the Yellow Pages for photocopy shop and business centers. Some place will even place your pages, fold them and staple them to make a little book. Usualy for cheap. So shop around.