Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Panel Flow • Color Flats • Lettering

Screen Tones

Term from Comic Book Creation industry explained for recruiters

Screen tones are special patterns or textures that comic book artists use to add shading, depth, and visual effects to their artwork. Think of them like pre-made patterns that can create shadows, highlights, or special effects without having to draw every single dot or line by hand. In the past, these were physical sheets that artists would cut and paste onto their work, but today they're mostly digital tools found in art software like Clip Studio Paint. When you see grey areas, gradients, or texture effects in comics or manga, these are often created using screen tones.

Examples in Resumes

Created dynamic action scenes using digital Screen Tones in manga-style comics

Applied traditional and digital Screen Tones and Tone Sheets for shading in comic panels

Developed custom Screen Tones and texture libraries for studio's comic projects

Typical job title: "Comic Artists"

Also try searching for:

Manga Artist Comic Book Artist Digital Comic Artist Comic Illustrator Graphic Novel Artist Comic Inker Comic Book Colorist

Where to Find Comic Artists

Online Art Communities

Professional Resources

Learning Resources

• Digital Comic Creation Courses
• Comic Art Tutorials

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you approach training junior artists in screen tone usage?

Expected Answer: A senior artist should discuss their teaching methods, including demonstrating both digital and traditional techniques, explaining when to use different patterns, and how to achieve professional-level effects efficiently.

Q: How do you maintain consistency in screen tone usage across a long-running series?

Expected Answer: They should explain their system for organizing and documenting tone patterns, creating style guides, and ensuring uniform application across multiple pages or volumes.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What's your process for selecting appropriate screen tones for different scenes?

Expected Answer: Should explain how they choose patterns based on mood, lighting, and composition, and demonstrate knowledge of both traditional and digital application methods.

Q: How do you handle screen tone effects in action scenes?

Expected Answer: Should describe techniques for creating dynamic effects, speed lines, and emotional impact using various tone patterns and densities.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What basic screen tone patterns do you use most often?

Expected Answer: Should be able to describe common patterns like basic dots, lines, and gradients, and explain their basic application in simple scenes.

Q: How do you apply screen tones digitally?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate familiarity with basic digital art software tools for applying screen tones and understanding of layer management.