The Basics
In its simplest form,drawing manga,the bottom-up sum up for any beginning artist,is that...manga isn't too hard to master.I've heard about people who've been drawing manga style for years,but didn't get much better at it.Well,the thing is,learning to draw manga is like learning to ride a bike.You first pedal your first pedals,but fall almost always at time. Time progresses,then you learn to balance the bike,then you get better and better.
Soon then,you'll take off,and you'd learn to pop wheelies,do tricks and endos....errr...you get my drift. So really. In my opinion,people can get better at anything through rigorous practice,and it's pretty much a fact.
The truth is,you can't become a great manga artist overnight.Learning to draw manga-style properly can take years,and it's true for almost any profession.But with these guides provided here,it should take way less than years.Learn a little about manga drawing every day,apply it to your practice everyday,and you'll basically see yourself emerge from that cocoon.Well,cut the cheesy parts,and ikimasho!
Chapter One:Manga Fun-Damentals
So you want to be a manga artist? Well,you'd better be prepared to go through piles of frustrating practice sessions,hit the infamous "artist's wall", go through fields of barbed wire,and go through toxic waste swamps!
...
Wait,that's not right. We're talking about manga here!
The rule of thumb is,you gotta know how to play the game before you go actually play it.In this sense,manga,of course. Knowing the fundamentals to manga is a great head start to your manga drawing career.Here,we will talk about preparation for drawing manga,supplies needed,and basic skills.Enough doo-hickey,let's get started.
Chapter One,Part 1 razz reparation
Prepare,prepare,prepare.You need to prepare.Prepare prepare prepare.Okay i'll stop annoying you now.Preparation.It's essential that preparing before manga drawing is vital to having a good practice session.A good clear mind,supplies ready,and a quiet environment are the best aspects of a good practice mindset.
1.Take a breather.People don't always do this,but trust me,it'll help in a way.Taking a moment to take a few,sleep deep breaths or meditating before drawing will put you in that creative mode.It will clear away distractions and make you focus solely on your work.
2.Have supplies ready and organized.Even if it be just a pencil,paper,and eraser,be sure that your supplies are where you can see them and are organized for quick access.
3.Follow up.When you are going to practice,make it a serious one.Practicing seriously instead of practicing for a few minutes will improve your skills much more.
Part Two:First Steps
For some of you,your attempt at manga-style drawing is along the lines as this:
If you're the true manga beginner,it should like this.Yeah,you know its bad,but don't be pressured. Reading this guide is all about making your art look a little more like this:
Now that's what I call a picture! W-wait! I'm not trying to degrade you! You can get to this step in all a matter of time. First of all,let's analyze the first picture.
As you can see,the notable errors in this drawing is clearly pointed out.One of the common errors of beginners is that they tend to focus solely on making the face look perfect while exerting little effort on the body.Other errors are things like straight limbs,curveless bodies,flat clothing,and the "HBB Syndrome" or "Hands Behind The Back Syndrome". You may not draw like this,but if you do,there's hope for you.In the next part,you'll go over basics in proportion and anatomy,and then go onto more detailed pieces,such as hair,noses,eyes,etc.
The Face
The manga and anime face is almost instantly recognizable with its denoting features,most apparently,the large,colorful eyes,the wild hairstyles,and the small nose and big mouth.The face is key to all character's personalities,even if they just blend into the background.With the face being so apparent and striking,beginners can probably guess that it's also the most important.
The Simplified Manga Face
Drawing The Face
Step 1:You will begin drawing with a circle.You don't have to make it too perfect at first.
Draw two straight lines,one vertical one from the exact middle of the circle,and one horizontal one. The first vertical line will separate one side of the face from the other,and the horizontal line will establish where the eyes will go.I will go in more depth in the next step.
]Draw the chin and cheek. "Kodomo" or "childish" characters have more rounded jawlines than teens or adults.This will be explained in detail in the next chapter. Use the vertical line to ensure that both sides of the cheek and jawline look the same.
Draw the facial features:the eyes,nose,eyebrows,and mouth. Use the vertical line to ensure that the features on each half of the face look identical.
Draw the hair. To draw hair,make flowing,serene lines for preferably,long and curly hair,and for spiky hair,use straight and uneven strokes.
Draw the actual hair about a little bit above the actual head. This is to give the hair form,as hair that falls directly on the skull gives the viewer an impression that hair is "pasted on" or "flat"
Hair will be covered in detail in later sections.
And that's it! Easy? It was easy.right? Hard? Ok maybe.
So now that you've drawn a front view of face, analyze your drawing. See how the eyes are the same size and everything seems to be symmetrical? This is not always so,as you might know.
Next,we will draw a 3/4 view of the face,or the face turned a little to the side.
3/4 View
1.Again,draw your circle. However,where the lines where the facial features will be based upon is different from the frontal view. Depending on if your character is facing left or right,the vertical line that separates two halves of the face rather follows the shape of the circle. (remember,all figures have form,a manga character may not be 3D,but in a form sense,it is a bunch of 3D cubes and spheres!) The curve hints that the circle is a 3D form. Next,the horizontal line is also different. Instead of going straight across the circle,it curves, following the form of the circle.
2.Draw your eyes and facial features. Notice how the farther eye is smaller than the closer eye. This is called perspective,how far or close something is. Draw the farther eye about 1/2 the size of the close eye, remembering to follow the form of the circle. Draw the nose slightly slanted towards what direction the character is facing. Draw the mouth above where the two chin lines meet.
3.Hair. Keeping mind of 3D form and perspective,hair is also affected. Hair follows form. Observe how the hair wraps around the area of the head. Also,be sure to draw the back of the head large. This is because the head is turned,the back of the head is exposed.
