Quick answer: To use MediBang Paint, download the free app for your device, create a new canvas at the size and resolution you need, and sketch on one layer with a pencil brush. Add a new layer for clean line art (turn on the correction/stabilizer setting for smoother lines), then add color layers underneath using the bucket and brush tools. Use clipping for shading, add text or comic panels if needed, and export as PNG, JPG or PSD when finished.
MediBang Paint is one of the most popular free drawing apps, especially for comics and manga. It runs on Windows, macOS, iPad, iPhone and Android, and it packs in tools that many paid apps charge for: comic panel tools, screentones, fonts and cloud storage. The catch is that its interface can feel busy at first.
This guide shows how to use MediBang Paint step by step, from setting up a canvas to exporting a finished piece, with beginner tips, a comic workflow and fixes for common problems. If you are still choosing between MediBang and its main rival, our comparison of MediBang vs ibis Paint X covers which app suits which kind of artist.
What Is MediBang Paint?
MediBang Paint is a free digital painting and comic creation app developed by MediBang Inc. Its core features include:
- A library of brushes, with more available to download.
- Layers, including special layer types for comics (such as halftone and 1-bit layers).
- Panel creation tools for comic pages.
- Screentones, backgrounds and other materials.
- Fonts and text tools for speech bubbles.
- Cloud saving and project sharing when signed in to a free account.
Mobile versions show ads, and an optional premium subscription removes ads and adds extra cloud storage, brushes and features. Exact premium benefits change over time, so check the app for current details.
Getting Started: Download and Set Up
- Download from the official MediBang website for desktop, or from the App Store or Google Play for mobile.
- Create a free account (optional but recommended). It unlocks cloud saving, extra brushes and materials.
- Connect your stylus or pen tablet. On desktop, make sure your tablet driver is installed so pressure works.
- Check pressure settings. On desktop, look for pen pressure options in the preferences; on mobile, check stylus settings in the app menu.
How to Use MediBang Paint for Beginners: Your First Drawing
Step 1: Create a canvas
Choose New Canvas (desktop: File, New). Pick a preset or enter custom dimensions.
| Purpose | Suggested size | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Social media illustration | About 2000 x 2000 px or 2000 x 2500 px | 72 to 150 dpi is fine for screens |
| Print illustration | Final size in inches | 300 to 350 dpi |
| Comic page for print | Use MediBang’s comic templates | 350 dpi color, higher for black and white |
| Practice sketch | About 1500 x 1500 px | Any |
Larger canvases use more memory. On older phones and tablets, start smaller.
Step 2: Sketch on its own layer
Open the Layers panel and add a new layer named “Sketch.” Choose a pencil brush and draw loosely. Lower the layer’s opacity to around 20 to 40 percent when you are done so it acts as a faint guide.
Step 3: Ink clean line art
Add a new layer above the sketch named “Lines.” Choose a pen brush, such as a G-pen or mapping pen style brush. Turn on the correction or stabilizer setting, which smooths shaky strokes; higher values give smoother but slower-following lines. Draw your final lines, then hide the sketch layer.
Step 4: Add flat colors
Create a “Colors” layer beneath the line art. Use the Bucket tool with its reference option set to the canvas (or the line layer) so it fills areas enclosed by your lines even though you are painting on a different layer. Increase the bucket’s expansion setting slightly to avoid white gaps along edges. Fill remaining gaps with a brush.
Step 5: Shade with clipping
Add a new layer above Colors and turn on Clipping. Anything you paint now only appears where the Colors layer has paint. Set this layer’s blend mode to Multiply and paint shadows with a soft or hard brush. Add another clipped layer in Add or Screen mode for highlights.
Step 6: Add a background
Place a background layer at the bottom. Use gradients, a simple color, or one of MediBang’s background materials.
Step 7: Save and export
Save in MediBang’s native .mdp format to keep layers. Export a copy as PNG for online sharing, JPG for smaller files, or PSD if you want to continue in another program.
Understanding MediBang’s Layer Types
| Layer type | What it does | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Color layer | Full color painting | Most illustration work |
| 8-bit layer | Grayscale only | Shading for comics, values |
| 1-bit layer | Pure black and white, no anti-aliasing | Crisp manga line art and print-ready black |
| Halftone layer | Converts gray into dot screentone | Manga-style tones |
| Folder | Groups layers | Organizing characters, backgrounds, effects |
Essential Tools Explained
Brush tool
Choose from pencils, pens, airbrushes, watercolor-style brushes and more. Adjust size and opacity with the sliders. Download additional cloud brushes after signing in.
Eraser
Works like a brush that removes paint. You can often switch any brush to eraser mode for a textured erase.
Selection and Lasso
Select areas to move, transform, recolor or protect. Use the Magic Wand to select areas by color.
Transform
Scale, rotate and distort selected content. Useful for fixing proportions after sketching.
Snap tools
Parallel, radial, perspective and curve snaps help draw straight lines, speed lines and backgrounds. Look for the snap icons in the toolbar.
Text tool
Add speech, captions and titles with installed or cloud fonts.
Eyedropper
Samples color from the canvas. On desktop, a keyboard shortcut makes this quick.
How to Make a Comic in MediBang Paint
- Use a comic template when creating a new canvas. It includes guides for trim and bleed areas.
- Create panels with the panel or frame tool, then divide them to create panel layouts.
- Sketch each panel inside its panel folder; content is clipped to the panel shape.
- Ink on a 1-bit or color layer.
- Add tones using halftone layers or screentone materials.
- Add speech bubbles and text with the bubble materials and text tool.
- Export pages as PNG or PSD, or use MediBang’s publishing features to share online.
Desktop vs Mobile: What Is Different?
- Desktop uses menus and keyboard shortcuts and pairs with pen tablets or displays. It is better for long sessions and large comic pages.
- iPad and Android tablets use touch gestures and a stylus. Interfaces are compact, and some tools sit behind icons.
- Phones work for sketching but are cramped for detailed work.
Cloud saving lets you start a piece on one device and continue on another, which is one of MediBang’s practical strengths.
Useful Shortcuts and Gestures
Exact shortcuts can differ between versions and platforms, so check the app’s settings, but these are common:
- Undo: Ctrl/Cmd+Z on desktop; two-finger tap on many tablets.
- Redo: Ctrl/Cmd+Y or Shift+Ctrl/Cmd+Z; three-finger tap on many tablets.
- Brush size: Bracket keys on desktop.
- Pan and zoom: Space plus drag and scroll wheel on desktop; pinch and drag on tablets.
Customize shortcuts in the desktop preferences to match habits from other apps.
Choosing and Managing Brushes
MediBang includes a default set of brushes and a larger library of cloud brushes available to signed-in users. A beginner kit of five or six brushes covers almost everything:
| Job | Brush type to look for | Setting tips |
|---|---|---|
| Sketching | Pencil | Low opacity; pressure affects size |
| Line art | G-pen or mapping pen | Correction/stabilizer on; pressure affects width |
| Flat color | Hard round pen or fill tool | Anti-aliasing on for smooth edges |
| Soft shading | Airbrush | Large size, low opacity |
| Painterly blending | Watercolor or blur brush | Use on a separate layer to test |
| Texture | Cloud texture brushes | Use sparingly for clothing, foliage, backgrounds |
You can also create custom brushes by importing an image as a brush tip and adjusting spacing and pressure. Keep favorites at the top of the brush list so they are easy to reach.
A Simple Coloring Workflow for Character Art
- Organize layers into folders: Lines, Colors, Shading, Background.
- Fill each major area (skin, hair, clothing) on its own layer so you can recolor easily.
- Clip a Multiply layer to each for shadows, using a cool, muted shadow color rather than gray.
- Clip an Add or Screen layer for highlights, especially on hair and eyes.
- Recolor line art in places by locking its transparency and painting a darker version of nearby colors.
- Finish with a subtle Overlay layer over everything to tie colors together.
Is MediBang Paint Good?
| Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Free with generous features | Ads on mobile unless you subscribe |
| Strong comic and manga tools | Interface can feel cluttered |
| Runs on most platforms, including low-spec PCs | Brush engine less advanced than some paid apps |
| Cloud sync between devices | Some features require an account |
| Large library of materials and fonts | Occasional performance issues on big canvases with many layers |
Is MediBang Paint a good app? For beginners, comic artists and anyone who wants a capable free tool across devices, yes. Painters who want advanced brush customization or realistic paint simulation may eventually prefer another app. Many artists compare it directly with ibis Paint X before settling; the full breakdown of how MediBang and ibis Paint X compare on features and ease of use can help you decide.
MediBang vs Other Free Drawing Apps
MediBang is often compared with ibis Paint X, Krita and Fire Alpaca. In broad strokes, MediBang’s advantages are its cross-platform cloud sync and comic-focused tools. ibis Paint X is mobile-first with a very large brush library and process recording. Krita is a desktop painting powerhouse with a steeper learning curve. Fire Alpaca, from a related developer, is simpler and lighter. Many artists try two or three before settling, since all are free to test.
How to use MediBang Paint efficiently once you know the basics
- Save canvas presets for sizes you use often.
- Create a template file with your usual layer folders already set up.
- Keep a short list of favorite brushes and hide the rest.
- Use reference windows or a second device for reference images.
Troubleshooting Common MediBang Problems
Pen pressure does not work
On desktop, reinstall or update the tablet driver and check MediBang’s pressure settings. On some Windows setups, switching the tablet input mode in preferences fixes it.
Bucket fill leaves white edges
Increase the bucket’s expansion or gap closing setting, and make sure it references the line layer or canvas rather than only the current layer.
The app lags
Reduce canvas size, merge finished layers, close other apps and lower stabilizer values, which can add lag.
Lost work
Save often, use cloud saving if signed in, and keep local backups. Check the app’s autosave or recovery options after a crash.
Exported image looks blurry
Your canvas resolution is too low for the output size. Create future canvases at the final size and resolution you need.
FAQs
Is MediBang Paint free?
Yes. The core app is free on all platforms. A premium subscription is available that removes ads and adds extra features and storage.
Can I use MediBang Paint without an account?
You can draw and save locally without an account, but cloud saving, some brushes and materials require a free MediBang account.
What file format does MediBang Paint use?
Its native format is .mdp, which keeps layers. It also exports PNG, JPG and PSD, among others.
Is MediBang Paint good for beginners?
Yes. It is free, runs on most devices and covers all the basics. Expect a short adjustment period to learn where tools are located.
Can I use MediBang Paint for animation?
MediBang is designed for illustration and comics rather than animation. For frame-by-frame work, a dedicated animation app is a better fit.
Can MediBang open Photoshop files?
It can import and export PSD files, though some Photoshop-specific features, such as certain adjustment layers or effects, may not carry over.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to use MediBang Paint comes down to a solid layer routine: sketch, clean lines, flat colors, clipped shading and export. Once that is second nature, explore panels, tones and snaps for comic work. If you are weighing it against the other leading free option, read our full comparison of MediBang vs ibis Paint X for beginners and comic artists before committing to one workflow.
