The Art of Drawing Manga
The Art of Drawing Manga
The Art of Drawing Manga
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foulsham
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Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following for their invaluable help in
creating this book:
Kim Loh from Malaysia
[email protected]
website: http://www.neo-epiphani.com
Kim created the groovy red bikini girl (page 71).
&
Dan Fielding aka Cloud from the UK
[email protected]
website: http://www.cloudsgallery.com
Dan is the talented artist of the warrior maid (page 81),
the running girl (page 97) and the action pic of the girl
with two guns (page 142).
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Last but not least a big thanks to my brother James Krefta for his
invaluable help in putting the text together.
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Conte
Introduction
12
HEADS
20
STYLES
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
FACES
36
EYESSTYLES
38
EYESSTEP-BY-STEP
40
42
EXPRESSIONS
44
HAIRTYPES
46
STYLES
50
STEP-BY-STEP
52
HANDS
48
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FIGURES
54
BASIC SHAPES
56
PROPORTIONS
57
58
62
66
72
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tents
CLOTHING
76
STYLES
78
DRESSING A CHARACTER
80
82
ACCESSORIES
84
WEAPONS
85
ACTION
86
FALLING
88
JUMPING
90
RUNNING
94
PUNCHING
98
COLORING
100
COLORS
102
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106
108
PHOTOSHOP
112
STORYBOARDING
116
CREATING CHARACTERS
128
CHARACTER CREATION
130
BENGOSHA
132
TEMPEST TRIPLETS
136
NIKKI
138
RUDY ROUGHNIGHT
140
SHOOT-OUT
142
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INTRODU
T
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descriptive titlepseudo
manga.
Manga literally translates as irresponsible
pictures and it is argued
that the first examples were
Chinese temple wall
paintings of Shaolin monks
practicing martial arts.
More recently, Japanese
comics proved popular
throughout the 1960s with
the serialization of
numerous stories, including
Osamu Tezukas Mighty
Atom, which later became
a long-running anime
between 19631966.
Ironically, the origins of
early Japanese animation
were heavily influenced
by the American cartoons
of the 1950sBetty Boop
for example, with her
big, wide eyes. These were
then adapted by Japanese
artists and were a notable
inspiration for modern
anime character design.
Why has manga
become so popular and
how is it different from
Western comics?
For many years, it has
been a widely accepted
art style within Japanese
culture, and it is here that
manga was born.
In Japan, manga artists
and writers are as celebrated as best-selling authors
and artists in the West.
Every week in Japan, huge
volumes of manga comics
are printed and read by
millions of people of all
ages. Indeed, the popularity of manga can be largely
attributed to the diversity of
genres within it which
appeal to every age and
gender. Subjects can vary
from romance to high
school sports teams, from
outer space battles with
huge, mechanical warriors
to occult horror, and even
traditional folkloreto
name but a few.
It is here that we notice
the first difference to
Western comics; few
manga stories, for
instance, are based on
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DUCTION
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10
areasthe male/female
head, face, hair, and body.
The budding artist can then
move on to designing
character clothing and
accessories, finally mastering the creation of his or
her very own characters.
It is my hope you will
enjoy this book and have
a lot of fun generating
wonderful manga artwork.
The key is to keep on
practicing.
With this solid grounding, youll soon be producing manga as good as that
of your favorite professionals. Keep this thought in
mind and remember
that there was a time
when even THEY
couldnt draw!
Everyone has
to start
somewhere
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MATER
& TOOL
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ERIALS
OLS
I
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f youre new to drawing and just want to get stuck in, youll need three
basic items: a pencil, an eraser, and paper. As you become more skilled
and confident at drawing, you should try experimenting with better-quality
materials and different tools to make the most of your work.
Using good-quality materials will give better results and enhance your overall
picture. The next stage should be using several pencils of varying densities for
shading purposes and heavier-grade paper.
You may want to ink and color in your pictures as well, in which case youll
need to use more tools for these tasks, all of which are detailed in this section.
Experienced artists have their own preferences for materials, depending on
their style and favorite medium. This is something which youll develop gradually,
but in the meantime, have some fun playing around with different materials.
Its just as important to discover a material that you dont like as it is to find one
that you love.
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On the following pages, well go through the array of materials that you can use as a
budding manga artist and outline the advantages and disadvantages of each medium.
The pros and cons of each medium shouldnt be pitted against one another in order to
find the perfect tool, but merely taken as points of consideration.
The first tool youll need to acquire is a pencilideally, a range of pencils varying
from a hard 3H to a soft 2B. In manga artwork, you need to maintain smooth, clean
lines, so using anything darker than 2B will result in smudging that cannot be easily
removed with an eraser. Not only that, but clean line art makes the inking stage easier
to do (where black outlines are put down on the illustration and shadows added).
Whether you choose to use a mechanical pencil or an ordinary wooden one, pencils
are the standard medium used to draw mangafrom layouts and sketches to the final
illustrationso its crucial to practice using them.
VARIOUS
MATERIALS &
TOOLS
PENCILS
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
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PENS
MATERIALS &
TOOLS
Pens can be divided into two major types: quill pens and ballpoint pens. Quill pens
draw lines that have depth. The ballpoint pen gives clean, consistent lines and is much
simpler to use.
If you look closely at a manga drawing, you will notice that the line thickness is often
inconsistent, with lines thinning out at the end. To create this effect, simply control the
pressure exerted on the pen. If used correctly, quill pens give nice, delicate lines and
add a lot of depth to your illustration. Rotring rapidograph pens tend to be used for
drafting purposes, but work really well for manga, too, so make sure that you use
them! You dont have to worry about dipping the pen in the ink and the line texture will
always be consistent.
VARIOUS
ERASERS
Youll use this more than you probably want to, but remember, erasing mistakes is no
bad thing! Residue from an eraser may spoil the overall tone effect if it remains on the
paper, so be sure to keep your desktop clean. You may want to purchase a pen-type
eraser for helping to get rid of small and narrow spots. Plastic erasers work very well
as they dont lift the ink from your paper.
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After the picture is drawn, artists will often outline their work and paint in shadows
with black Indian ink. The inking stage is important if youre doing a finished piece
because it makes the lines look bolder and more suitable for print.
If you look through existing manga, youll see that every panel is inked, giving the
impression that pencils were never used in the first place.
There are three tools that you can use to apply ink to a picturea pen and nib, a
paintbrush, or a marker pen.
Many artists have days when they hate inking but they do it anyway. Use India ink,
not only because it dries fairly quickly, but also because it is waterproof. An effective
way to ink is to keep your strokes moving in the same direction and work as swiftly as
possible. This way you will reduce the likelihood of unwelcome drips, splodges,
and wrinkles. Using a blowdryer on your illustration also reduces wrinkles!
VARIOUS
MATERIALS &
TOOLS
INK
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
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WATERCOLOR
With the penciling complete, watercolor painting provides subtle tones and delicate
pastel washes. Your drawing will have a loose and fluid feel rather than the bold and
graphical effect you get with inking. Watercolors are very organic in the way they are
applied and appear on paper, so suit a fine art style of working.
One renowned manga artist who regularly uses such coloring is Masamune Shirow.
Although Shirows early work was painted using traditional brushes, he has embraced
computer technology and now does most of his coloring digitally.
Both methods are viable but working digitally gives you more control over the
medium.
VARIOUS
DISADVANTAGES
MATERIALS &
TOOLS
ADVANTAGES
RULERS
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Try to use your ruler as little as possible and practice drawing straight or curved lines
without it instead. In the end, the only thing youll really need your ruler for is drawing
frames or borders around your comic, or for helping cut out your illustration. However,
as you will no doubt use it initially heres a quick tipthose of you who have tried inking may have noticed that the ink tends to bleed or smear if you aren't careful.
The easiest way to avoid this is to use a ruler with an elevated edge. You can raise
your ruler simply by taping a coin (about the size of a quarter) to the underside.
It works really well!
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VARIOUS
MATERIALS &
TOOLS
CELLULOIDS
WITH ACRYLIC
Acetate is the thin plastic sheet that pictures are painted on for use in animation.
When the acetate has an image on it, it is called a Celluloid or Cel for short. If youre
keen on painting and using color, making cels might appeal. Although most manga is
black and white, cel works are always in color and you can create manga images in
the style of your favorite anime! Much of the art in this book lends itself well to the
anime style so why not give it a try?
Acetate sheets are available from good art shops and come in various sizes and
thicknesses and are affordablemuch like paper. The size of the sheets used in
professional productions are 10.3 x 9 for 4:3 ratio series or 13 x 9 for
widescreen presentations. However, if youre planning to make individual pictures, just
choose the size you want. To create a background for your cel, you can paint on a
sheet of cartridge paper using watercolors.
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
DIGITAL ART
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
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OTHER TOOLS
Of course, there are other tools and materials available to encourage your creativity,
which is just as important as the technical stuff. Items such as paper, templates, and a
light box can help you to achieve effective results not forgetting your workspace, which
should be kept clean and tidy with everything youll need to hand.
MATERIALS &
TOOLS
VARIOUS
WORK AREA
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Keep it clean and lean like a well-oiled machine. Poor rhyming aside, your workstation
is vital to producing good illustrations. You must be comfortable (get a decent chair!)
and have everything you need easily to hand. Avoid clutter, and ensure the area is
well lit. You may also want to keep a number of books and other reference materials
close to hand for quick and easy inspiration or guidance!
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HEA
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ADS
T
his is the initial focus of your manga character and the first thing that youll
start to drawthe head is key to your creation. Drawing the head can help
you to define two main areas: proportion and pose. If you flick through this
book, youll see a particular style to the artwork that is typical of most mangaa
standard body-sized representation. Other styles include Chibi (child-bodied) and
Super Deform, abbreviated to SD (simplified miniature creations).
The head can be used as a tool to measure the proportions of the whole body
so sketching this correctly is the first step to a competent-looking drawing. More
information on this can be found within the Body section but lets not get ahead of
ourselves!
A head doesnt look much by itself. Only when the facial features are added
does it begin to take on personality. However, youll want to make the character
appear dynamic and this is largely achieved by the pose, not only of the characters body but also the angle of the head.
When starting off, its good to begin by practicing a lot of front-view angles to
get the style and facial features right, then move on to an angle of the head and a
side/profile angle, all of which have been illustrated in this section.
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Good luck!
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HEADS
STYLES
HEADS
Drawing the head (and the face to fit it!) is one of the most important, and often
daunting, tasks of manga character illustration. In this section there are a number of
step-by-step examples to help you become a confident creator of craniums, but to
begin with, always bear these points in mind:
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HEADS
STYLES
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Step 1!
HEADS
All heads start by simply drawing a circle with a center line through it.
You do not need to draw a perfect circle. Note that these lines are guide
lines and are not all supposed to be left on your final drawing so remember to draw them lightly so that they can be erased later.
"Step 2
Step 3!
Fill out the proportions of the face by adding in guide lines. Near the bottom
of the circle you can see the eye and eyebrow lines which are spaced apart
equally. Mark in where the beginning and end of each eye goes. Remember
to keep things symmetrical by using the central guide line to help you. Draw
a square down from the center of the bottom of the circle. The base of this
square will mark where the nose ends. Draw two equally spaced horizontal
guides below the squarethese are the lip guides. Ive also marked in where
the bottoms of the ears gojust above the slope of the jaw.
"Step 4
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Step 5!
HEADS
MALE FRONT VIEW
Step 6#
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Look at magazines, manga, and comics for reference to see how the professionals do it.
As soon as you understand what makes up an anime style and why artists draw the way
they do, the learning process becomes easier.
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Step 1!
HEADS
"Step 2
Step 3!
"Step 4
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To create the nose, extend the line down from the central line to the corner of the guide box. Create a box
for the ear. The first neck line comes down from near
the center of the chin, the second comes down from
the ear.
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Step 5!
HEADS
MALE 3/4 VIEW
Step 6#
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Step 1!
HEADS
"Step 2
Step 3!
Add eye line guidesthe top guide runs horizontal and parallel to
the existing intersecting line. Add in the eye, which is triangleshaped. Add guides for the bottom of the nose, mouth, and bottom
lip. Also note where the bottom of the ear starts.
"Step 4
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Add in some facial details such as the eyeball and eyebrow. Begin a vertical guide line and box in the ear. The
biggest step is to chisel out the mouth and chin. Add in
the neck lines and indicate the top of the hairline.
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Step 5!
HEADS
MALE SIDE VIEW
Step 6#
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Step 1!
HEADS
Remember that all heads start by drawing a circle with a central line. It
is not necessary to draw a perfect circle. As before, remember to draw
guide lines lightly so that they can be erased later.
"Step 2
Step 3!
Fill out the proportions of the face by adding in more guide lines.
Mark in where each eye goesnote these will be bigger than male
eyes. Remember to keep things symmetrical by using the central
guide line to help you. Draw a square down from the center of the
bottom of the circle. This square will form the mouth.
"Step 4
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Step 5!
Define the eyes inside their guide boxes. The eyes should
be big and bold as this is a strong feature of manga
female characters. Add detailing to the insides of the ears
and begin to sketch in the hair around the shape of the
face. Turn the neck lines into a curved shape to suggest a
more graceful female form.
HEADS
FEMALE FRONT VIEW
Step 6#
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Step 1!
HEADS
"Step 2
Step 3!
Draw the eye lines parallel to the chin. The top eye
line meets where the circle meets the cheek line.
"Step 4
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Extend the line down from the central line to the corner
of the guide box for the nose. Create a box for the ear.
The first neck line comes down from near the center of
the chin; the second comes down from the ear.
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Step 5!
HEADS
FEMALE 3/4 VIEW
Step 6#
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Step 1!
HEADS
"Step 2
Step 3!
Add in the eye line guidesthe top guide runs horizontal and
parallel to the existing intersecting line. Add in the triangle-shaped
eye. Space the horizontal lines equally and add as guides for the
bottom of the nose, mouth, and bottom lip. Also add in the point
where the bottom of the ear starts.
"Step 4
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Step 5!
HEADS
des meet
e.
Step 6#
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Do your drawings look a mess after constant erasing? Try pressing your pencil more
lightly on the paper and use a pencil like a 2H. When you are happy with your work,
you can go over the lines with a darker pencil (B) or ink if you like.
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fac
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ces
O
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nce the head is drawn, you naturally need to add a face and this is the
really fun part! It is important to pay attention to detail here because the
face will give your character personality and a lot will depend on the
size and shape of the features. Drawing the face allows you to show whether a
character is male or female, young or old, or even if they are good or evil.
When we see manga faces, we can immediately tell them apart from real-life
portraits and other cartoon styles because of the particular techniques used to
create them. Consider what you would have to think about when drawing a
life-like picture of a persons face. There are a lot of details that we see including
the size and shape of the features, bone structure, and textures such as skin tone.
To animize a face, we use a degree of simplification and suggestion-this is true
for all cartoon styles but the application is unique in manga.
Manga faces are often idyllic and beautiful; they will have a flat, smooth skin
tone (wrinkles are only used to represent very old people) and simplified features.
The eyes are often large and reflect a lot of light and the nose and mouth are
represented by simple dashes or curves. As easy as this might sound, there are
right and wrong ways to draw features as outlined in this section.
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FACES
EYES
Its time to get going on the face so Ill begin with the eyes which are the hardest
part to master I think. The hair comes a close second!
Why is drawing eyes the hardest thing to master? Primarily because the eyes play
such an important role in expressing the character of your creation. Not only do you
have to make sure that the eyes are balanced, you also have to draw the eyes so
that they show the emotion inside the character. Hair might be difficult to draw but
mastering it isnt hard when compared to doing eyes.
There are many different types of eyes (and eyebrows!), and Ive included a few
examples to give you some ideas. Eyes can take many different shapes and sizes,
and they may appear fairly easy to drawthey are, but only when done badly!
Looking at the range of samples that Ive provided, do you think you can easily
spot the different male and female eyes?
EYESSTYLES
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FACES
EYESSTYLES
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Ste
"Step 1
Step 2!
EYESSTEP-BY-STEP
FACES
"Step 3
The eye in a relaxed state hides some of the iris behind the
lids. Notice how the iris takes up most of the surface area of
the orb. This really only occurs in manga. Also sketch in your
eyebrowas you may have already guessed, this is a female
eye so the eyebrow is thin. Youve now got the basics of your
eye in place.
Step 4!
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Up unti
eyelids
weight
face. It
lashes w
Obviou
females
sexy ad
areas
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Step 5!
Up until now, the eye has been left fairly plain. Flesh out the
eyelids with some heavy-duty, fluttering lashes. This adds
weight to the eye so it's not simply floating around on the
face. It also draws the viewers attention. The thickness of the
lashes will depend on the character you are creating.
Obviously male characters won't have this trait and younger
females should have a thinner line. This eye is right for the
sexy adult female. Also note the small x in certain
areasthis is to show where Im going to add solid color.
large
w two
eye and
ull.
EYESSTEP-BY-STEP
FACES
"Step 6
nd the
area of
in your
a female
s of your
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FACES
Manga-style noses and mouths are pretty straightforward, so rather than taking you
through various types step-by-step, I have included a number of examples to give you
an idea of the styles that you can use.
The basic style for nose and mouth consists of three simple steps: a wedge for
the nose; a long, thin line for the mouth; and a shorter line to define the lower lip
(although this lower line is not always included). With frontal views, you can get
away with using very few lines to define the nose and mouth. The size and shape
of each feature varies with each character.
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FACES
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EXPRESSI0NS
EXPRESSIONS
FACES
This is all pretty much self-explanatoryyou put an expression on a face to give the
viewer as clear an idea as possible of the emotion that your character is expressing
or experiencing.
On the following pages, you will find a number of expressions that will cover most
of the basic emotions that your characters are likely to feel. Try drawing the expressions one by oneyoull soon get a feel for placement of the various features and
how different expressions can radically change your characters look!
"ANGRY
This is the face of someone who is really, really mad!
The eyebrows come down sharply, the pupils shrink, and
you get a pulsating vein on the forehead. Fanged teeth
help convey the emotion!
ANNOYED!
The pupils are still small but there are no popping veins or
fanged teeth! The mouth goes up in an upside-down lopsided u. The eyebrows still come down but not as far.
"EVIL
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FRIENDLY!
The eyebrows are up. A thin line follows the upper curve
of the eye to convey a relaxed state. The mouth is a sideways D.
FACES
"HAPPY
EXPRESSIONS
SAD!
The eyebrows are up, the mouth is a downturned line, and
the open eyes have more sparkles in them to convey a wet
look. Tears are visible in the corners of each eye.
"SURPRISE
The eyebrows are up! The eyes are very wide open but
the pupils are small. The mouth takes the shape of a sort
of lopsided o.
F4D04C65-ADD5-4359-9F34-905F4B2136E6
Having trouble with drawing faces and expressions? Try keeping a little mirror with
you as you draw. Just pull the type of face youre after and draw what you see!
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HAIR
FACES
Hair can be particularly difficult to draw but, unfortunately, its just something that
takes practice and cannot be taught with a simple step-by-step. The different styles
are just too numerous to cover in this book!
Depending on the style, manga hair can be very complex. However, if you break it
down into its basic components, the process of drawing manga hair becomes a little
simpler.
HAIRTYPES
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FACES
HAIRTYPES
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air by
e.
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F4D04C65-ADD5-4359-9F34-905F4B2136E6
HAN
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NDS
H
F4D04C65-ADD5-4359-9F34-905F4B2136E6
ere I will be talking about drawing hands. Hands are absolutely vital to
the overall look of your finished artwork. Many people treat them as an
afterthought and yet think about how much you use your hands every
day. So, take your time to get the basics right to ensure the hands are every bit
as good as other aspects of your character studies.
The basic form and procedure for creating hands is similar to that of figure
drawing. You break the overall shape down to simpler sizes, and then connect
them all together. With good composition, you can draw hands from
any possible angle.
When drawing hands, try not to think of detailed contours but rather about the
composition of the hand structure broken down into simpler terms. Remember how
many different aspects there are to a handin effect, its a torso with five limbs!
It can also take on many different shapes and forms, all adding particular
aspects to your character and the overall composition. A clenched fist, a wave,
a thumbs-upthey all project very different stories and are vital to enforcing the
image of your characters actions.
However, if youre still struggling with the complexities of hands after going
through the advice in this section, dont panic! The great thing about manga is
that you are encouraged to be creative with your drawings. If you cant draw
a human hand then make it something else!!!
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HANDS
STYLES
HANDS
Hands can be a nightmare for most artists. Its hard to create a hand in basic
shapes so break it up into major forms and really pay attention to where it
folds and bends.
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HANDS
It is essential to recognize
how the joints in the
fingers and wrist work if
you are to draw an
accurate representation of
a hand in action.
STYLES
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!Step 1
Step 2"
STEP-BY-STEP
HANDS
!Step 3
Step 4"
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Now that its beginning to look like a hand, start shaping the
overall form. Erase your initial guide lines.
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Step 5"
STEP-BY-STEP
HANDS
!Step 6
Step 7"
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FIGUR
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URES
H
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BASIC SHAPES
FIGURES
Look at the shapes below. Seem simple, huh? Well, practice them until you cant
draw anymore, and then practice some more, because these shapes form the
cornerstone of all the figurework you are ever likely to do in manga.
Whenever youre bored, doodle these shapes and practice shading and
developing them, maybe even linking the shapes together. Over the next few
pages, youll discover just why they are so important.
SQUARE
3
4
BASIC SHAPES
PYRAMID
CIRCLE
Th
Twice
eye
CUBE
SPHERE
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TRIANGLE
6 12
56
CYLINDER
CONE
Sligh
the ne
elb
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PROPORTIONS
Average Manga Proportions
Note: The body is in proportion with the size of the
eyes and the head.
BODY HEIGHT
LOWER ARM
LEGS
HAND
KNEE
EYES
A little more than one
eye width apart.
BUST
FOOT
Its length is slightly more than
the height of the head.
SHOULDERS
WAIST
MOUTH
NECK
UPPER ARM
Slightly less than the width of
the neckthe distance from the
elbow to the armpit is one
head height.
HIPS
134 2 times the
width of the head.
PROPORTIONS
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CHEST/HIGH BUST
FIGURES
HEAD
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Step 1"
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FIGURES
!Step 2
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Step 3"
FIGURES
!Step 4
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Step 5"
FIGURES
!Step 6
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FIGURES
FEMALE FRONT VIEW
!Step 7
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Step 1"
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FIGURES
!Step 2
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Step 3"
FIGURES
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g
to use
more
e of
e held
here,
down
gh.
at
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Step 4"
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FIGURES
!Step 5
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FIGURES
!Step 6
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Step 1"
FIGURES
!Step 2
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Step 3"
FIGURES
!Step 4
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Step 5"
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FIGURES
4:09 pm
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FIGURES
FEMALE 3/4 VIEW
!Step 6
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FIGURES
!Step 7
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FIGURES
FEMALE 3/4 VIEW
Step 8"
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Step 1"
FIGURES
!Step 2
!Step 3
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Step 4"
FIGURES
!Step 5
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73
Kenneth Torgerson
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Step 6"
FIGURES
!Step 7
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FIGURES
FEMALE REAR VIEW
!Step 8
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CLOTH
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THING
C
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CLOTHING
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STYLES
CLOTHING
Ive included some examples of basic folds. Notice the movement in each instance.
The fabric flows downwards if pulled down by gravity, but folds become more
horizontal than vertical the further they are stretched. Also notice how the folds
are sometimes nested within one another. Folds follow the direction in which the
cloth is being pulled.
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CLOTHING
STYLES
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Remember to use
shading to give your
subjects more form.
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DRESSING A CHARACTER
CLOTHING
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CLOTHING
DRESSING A CHARACTER
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Having trouble with clothes? You can buy realistic paper dolls featuring
styles from every decade to traditional clothes from other cultures!
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ACCESSO
& WEAPO
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SSORIES
PONS
I
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The most important point to remember when creating accessories, whether clothes,
weapons, or jewellery, is to draw them with the necessary amount of detail. Be
imaginative by all means but make the effort to fill in the details.
ACCESSORIES
ACCESSORIES &
WEAPONS
It is possible to
draw the necklace by placing 6 circles
next to one
another, but
does it look
effective?
Why go to
all the effort
of creating a
visually stunning
character but then
rush the accessories?
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ACCESSORIES &
WEAPONS
WEAPONS
kle of
w but
resent
e box
ne. A
on to
make
ration
arper.
buckle
here
strap
ng the
of the
kness
sible.
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F4D04C65-ADD5-4359-9F34-905F4B2136E6
Act
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tion
N
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othing helps with action drawing like good reference material. Get your
friends to pose for you or clip pictures from magazines. Any time you see
a pose that you like, GRAB IT! You never know when you might need it.
After a while, you'll be able to draw from your imagination.
When choosing a pose for your character, think about his or her personality and
how he or she moves. For instance, when walking, one character may strut along
confidently while another may drag his or her feet and walk along with his or her
head hung low. The mood you show depends on the pose, as well as the facial
expression. Try to imagine how you stand or move in different moods.
The only way to get good at drawing action shots is to practice. In the following
examples, Ive covered running, jumping, fighting, and falling. Think about all the
things you have learnt so far about figure drawing and clothing and bring them to
bear on the examples that follow.
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FALLING
ACTION
F4D04C65-ADD5-4359-9F34-905F4B2136E6
88
Draw! Draw! Draw! Bored? Take out a piece of paper and doodle.
Tired of watching TV? Draw that favorite anime character! When you
draw every day, it makes a big difference!
Use oth
such
clo
acc
em
speed
Everythi
upwar
the wind
past a
of gra
the
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FALLING
he
on.
, curvs from
he
head,
body
e,
ild the
on this
sh out
er
ACTION
F4D04C65-ADD5-4359-9F34-905F4B2136E6
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JUMPING
ACTION
Step 1!
"Step 2
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ACTION
JUMPING
"Step 3
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JUMPING
ACTION
Step 4!
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ACTION
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JUMPING
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ACTION
"STEP 1
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RUNNING
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ACTION
RUNNING
Step 2!
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Before you ink, try and relax your hands in some way
a shaky hand will leave the line art looking messy.
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RUNNING
ACTION
Step 3!
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As you can see, this is an unbalanced pose resulting in the figures falling motion. She won't
fall, of course, because she is
running at high speed and will
have to put one foot in front of the
other before hitting the ground.
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ACTION
RUNNING
Step 4!
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97
PUNCHING
ACTION
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With a fighting
illustration youve
got to make
the picture as
dynamic as
possible if it is to
have any effect
on the viewer.
Rough out your
illustration using
the tried and
tested ovals and
sticks. It doesnt
look like much to
begin with but
already you can
see the movement in the
composition.
As you start to
flesh in the two
figures, you can
begin to see the
dynamics of the
punch. The force
of the punch is
shown in the
shape and
position of the
characters.
Choosing an
angle that shows
the moment of
impact really
pulls this action
piece together.
When
th
cleanin
work a
in
sure t
rate
translate
ta
The ed
fist an
quick
lowing
tion th
is tra
T
kno
from
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Booo
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PUNCHING
rt to
e two
u can
ee the
of the
e force
ch is
he
ACTION
the
.
an
shows
nt of
lly
ction
ther.
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Booooom!
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color
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oring
A
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101
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COLOR
HUE
COLORING
INTENSITY
This refers to the brightness of a color. In order to lower a colors intensity (dull down),
add a small amount of its complement, its opposite color (more about complements
later). For example, to dull down red, add a bit of green. If equal amounts of red and
green are mixed, the color becomes brown, not a dulled-down red.
VALUE
COLORS
This refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. For example, to lighten a color,
simply add white.
PRIMARY COLORS
Red, yellow, and blue. They are the basic colors that make up all the other colors of
the color wheel. For example, if you mix red and yellow, you get the secondary color
(orange). Mix red and blueyou get purple. Mix blue and yellowyou get green.
And, from there, you can create tertiary colors like turquoise (a blue-green color) or
fuschia (a red-purple color).
SECONDARY COLORS
Orange, violet, and green. These are made mixing any of the primary colors as
explained above.
TERTIARY COLORS
NEUTRAL COLORS
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When equal amounts of two complementary colors are used, a neutral gray or brown
is made.
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COLOR MOODS
COLORING
Before we get into the real coloring tips, its worth bearing a question in mind. Have
you ever experienced looking at your drawing and saying I cant stop looking at this
or that but I don't know why! The answer probably lies in the color. Look at the
following list. It shows which colors are likely to make the most impact, from the one
that gets most attention in a picture to the one that gets the least.
YELLOW
ORANGE
PINK
COLORS
RED
YELLOW-ish BROWN
LIGHT-GREEN
GREEN
LIGHT BLUE
BLUE
PURPLE
VIOLET
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So before you go crazy with colors, bear this in mindthe little yellow hat you give
your character could gain far more attention than you wanted.
Be careful!
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COLORING
SHADOW
SHADING
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INKING
2:44 pm
AND
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COLORING
SHADOWS, SHADING & INKING
Page 105
F4D04C65-ADD5-4359-9F34-905F4B2136E6
Rushing your inking might leave mistakes or unwanted and stray lines, so take your time.
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SCANN
& CGING
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NNING
NG
W
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SCANNING &
CGing
SCANNING
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SUMMARY
SCANNING &
CGing
depending on the
scanner and what type of
work you are scanning.
Make sure the scanner is
scanning in GRAYSCALE
and not B/W (black and
white) or RGB/CYMK
(color). The bad thing
about B/W is that the
scanned lines are black
and white pixels only, and
the lines are not antialiased. The downside of
RGB is that the scanner will
pick up unnecessary colors, when all you want is
the black and white line
art.
If your picture takes up
more than the scanners
surface area, you will
need to scan it in two
halves and join it up later.
Once again, while
scanning, make sure the
lid is pressed down where
the second half overlaps
or youll end up with a
big, faded gray area near
the edge of the scan.
Though this is important,
dont press down REALLY
hard so that it leaves a
great big crease in the
middle of the work. After
scanning the first piece,
scan the next with exactly
the same settings as the
first (300dpi, gray scale
etc).
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109
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SCANNING &
CGing
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SUMMARY
If you draw anything that includes nature, get some nature books. Or look at the nature
around you. Many people draw trees in the same way or use the same colorsbrown
and green. Have a lookyou will notice theres more to trees than brown and green!
COLORING
If you want to digitally
color your line work, there
are many ways to do this.
Heres a very simple
method to get you started.
To begin with, adjust the
image mode to color:
Image Mode RGB.
Then, in the layers tab,
drag the background layer
onto the new layer icon,
which will create a copy of
the background onto a
clean and adjustable new
layer (otherwise you wont
be able to move the outlines on to the top in the
layers tab).
Delete the bottom background layer and rename
the copy-of-background
layer to outline. Next,
check the preserve transparency box for this layer.
While the outline layer is
selected, go to the layer
drop-down menu and
select multiply.
After that create a new
layer and call it BG or
Background. Now, on the
background youll be able
to color underneath the
lines of the outline layer,
but on top of the white of
the outline layer!
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!
!
These illustrations
show the simple
steps from initial
drawing to
the completed
color picture.
SCANNING &
CGing
F4D04C65-ADD5-4359-9F34-905F4B2136E6
Alternatively, go to the
channels tab and click the
circular channel selection
icon. The image should be
filled with dotted lines.
Next click deletethis will
get rid of all white areas.
Deselect the channel selection and then move back to
the layers tab. Since the
preserve transparency box
is checked, you can then
reapply black to the outlines by using the pencil
SUMMARY
!
!
layer into an adjustable
outline layer
Multiply the layer, then
color underneath
OR:
Delete the white area
of the outline layer by
using the channel
selection icon
Then re-color the black
lines with the pencil
tool while preserve
transparency is checked.
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PHOTOSHOP
SCANNING &
CGing
PHOTOSHOPTOOLS/BASICS
The following tutorial covers the basics of learning Photoshop in relation to CGing or
comic book and anime-style coloring. Theres more than just one style of coloring.
Keep in mind what you want to achieve. If youre already familiar with Photoshop,
then this might not be as helpful, but you might still pick up a few tips.
For this tutorial, Im using Photoshop 6 on a PC, but most tools are the same as
earlier versions of the program.
Ok, so you want to CG color your line artwork or line art and have just discovered
that Photoshop is the thing to do it. The package is used in all sorts of illustration and
graphic design fields, and most importantly, industry-standard comic books!
The tool bar is very similar to Microsofts Paint, so Im sure that youre already
familiar with the layout and interface. First Id recommend checking out the Tool Bar
overview in the PhotoShop help (F1). Some of the icons contained on the bar are very
important, others not so important but most are used for a CG, so heres what they do:
MARQUEE TOOLS <M>
I use these a lot for what I call post production. When the CG is all finished, Ill add
extra shapes (details) to backgrounds and foregrounds. Tip: To create an outline from
your selection, go to Edit >Stroke (or right-click, stroke) and choose the line width.
The color of the line will be the same as the primary color selection. Also Ill use it to
select individual frames (on a sequential page).
MOVE TOOL <V>
Moves selections, layers, and painted areas. Useful but I dont use it too often during
a CG.
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avoid a filled flat from looking as though its all scummy around the edges. At the
resolution I work at, Ill usually expand an extra 46 pixels without my selection going
over the lines. Very thin lines might not work with this method, plus you might need to
SHIFT add with the other selection tools to reach areas that the wand cannot get to.
CROP TOOL <C>
Only used at the very end to trim your finished art, or if your scan needs clipping
back.
SLICE TOOL <K>
Never needed it!
SCANNING &
CGing
PHOTOSHOP
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SCANNING &
CGing
PHOTOSHOP
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PHOTOSHOP
So now you know what the tools do, youll need to know what layers are. Layers work
like sheets of acetateyou know, like they use in animation? The stuff you paint onto
one layer wont affect another layer in the layer tab. If you paint on a layer above the
one below, youll cover up the bottom layer BUT not paint over it. Go to Photoshop
Help (F1) and read the info about layers, while experimenting on your own. Layers are
a very important part of the CGing process and you need to know how you use them
and how they work.
Once youve laid your flat tone, its ready for CGing, so lock it. By locking that layer,
it effectively creates a mask so you can only paint on the flat and nothing else, which
is the best thing about layers! By putting different colors on different layers, you can
render each individually without adding unwanted color to the girls face or tone on
the guys jacket. I could write a book on layers and CGing alone, but Photoshops
Help files have the same info and practice really will make perfect!
SCANNING &
CGing
SUMMARY
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I hope this gives you an idea of the tools that are involved in coloring your work
in Photoshop. There are similar programs, such as PaintShop Pro, which is a great
alternative if you cant get hold of Photoshop.
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STORYBO
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BOARDING
T
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here is nothing better than taking a character that youve created and putting
them in their own comic strip. However, this can be a very time consuming
process and also hard work! Here are a few useful things to remember:
The first and most important lesson when drawing a manga page is not to waste
too much time on setup. Every page that you waste on boring setup brings the
whole project closer to being a dull end product. Ideally, the setup at the
beginning of the comic is either so brief it fits on a few pages or, even better,
in a few panels. You could also throw it out as a text-only prologue or even just
flash back to it later. Either way, do the bare minimum of setup and get to the meat
of the story as quickly as possible.
You need to keep several things in mind while figuring out the page layout.
For example, you should remember that a manga describes action. Thus, timing
is important. Another aspect to keep in mind is the importance of the panel that
you will be drawing. How much impact does the panel carry? In general, the
bigger panels attract more attention than smaller ones. Therefore big panels should
be reserved for important scenes that need emphasis while the small ones are
used for panels that aid the fluency among the panels.
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STORYBOARDING
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Over the next few pages, youll find an example of a storyboardI hope it helps.
Ideally, the setup for your panels should always be brief and to the point, each page
telling its own important part of the overall story.
Have a look at the panels oppositethis is a classic setup for a Western comic
page, with the reader reading across from left to right. Plan out your whole story
before you begin so you know exactly what will appear in each panelremember, the
fun is in the drawing, not agonizing over whether youve got enough panels!
It's a mistake to draw a manga page without writing the script in advance and
storyboarding it as well. But dont waste your time planning/writing scenes dozens of
pages in the future. It just saps your energy from actually drawing the current pages,
and, by the time you get there, your hard work will probably be obsolete anyway.
Start sketching your panels out very roughly to see how they hang together on the
page.
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STORYBOARDING
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STORYBOARDING
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Its important to keep the story moving at all timesa dead panel makes for a dull
story! Basically, if you're not interested in drawing some event, just have a character
allude to it and keep going.
With the panels here, Im setting up a cliffhanger ending, forcing the reader to want
to get to the end of the page. Whos the boy? Where is he? Whats he doing? Why is
that dangerous-looking character following him? Is that a knife? As a comic book
artist, you are constantly building expectation and tension, drawing the reader into the
plot.
Notice how the first panel gives you the big picture but without any of the detail. It is
the smaller, more precise panels that unfold events.
STORYBOARDING
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Its a good idea to draw as big as possible! Its easy to draw details on a huge
sheet of paper, but adding tiny details on a small character can be very fiddly.
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STORYBOARDING
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Writers often use the phrase to murder your darlingsthis refers to beautifully written
scenes or characters that writers are loathe to cut even though they don't add to the
story as such. Cutting these elements is even more important in comics than in prose.
Sure, it may sound great now, but when it comes to the time to draw it, and draw it,
and draw ityou'll be tearing your hair out halfway through from boredom. And if it
bores you, think of what it'll do to your readers.
Cut mercilessly to the good stuff as soon as possible on the page. Similarly, if you
find yourself writing basically the same dialogue twicefor example, a situation that
has to be explained a couple of times to different charactersyou're doing something
wrong.
Look at how this is now coming together. As the artist (and storyboarder), you are
implying a particular turn of events. Is your friendly, happy, harmless teenager about to
be attacked for no reason by a knife wielding-maniac? What will happen? The reader
has to turn the page to find out. It is very important to create this element of suspense
with your images.
Alternatively the boy could have dropped his knife and the other guy is chasing after
him to give it back. But this seems unlikely given the way the characters have been
drawn. Your work on expressions and figures will come in extremely handy here!
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STORYBOARDING
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Notice how this whole plot has been created without using one single word of text,
and yet the reader knows exactly what is going on. We can now use coloring to hit
home a few points. The good guy is wearing bright colors to match his cheerful disposition. He has no worries and no enemies.
The bad guy, on the other hand, is wearing black, has dark hair and shadows
around his eyes. Look at those sharply raised eyebrowsscary! Notice as well how
the technique of foreshortening is used to make the knife seem much larger and more
frightening than it actually is.
Ive also used action lines to suggest the speed and surprise of the attack, and a
lens flare on the knife to give it a wicked glint.
STORYBOARDING
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If you feel you have no new ideas for drawings, redraw your old
sketchesyoull be pleasantly surprised by the improvement and hopefully it
will give you the inspiration to get over your creative block!
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STORYBOARDING
Here is where you bring it all together. The gray, industrial coloring of the background
ties in with the gritty, dangerous situation of the storyline. The teenage boy seems out
of place roaming these shadowy, deserted streets. But the man in black seems perfectly
at home in this dark environment. It becomes clear who is the outsider.
In just five panels, we have created an exciting, suspenseful plot, with interesting
characters and a great cliffhanger. Everything in these pictures helps build the story,
from the expressions to the coloring. Try your own storyboardits a fantastic way to
get the most from your character creations.
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STORYBOARDING
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CREATIN
CHARAC
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TING
ACTERS
M
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STYLES
CREATING
CHARACTERS
CHARACTER CREATION
130
A big part of developing a character is knowing what kind of body language they use.
A big mistake beginners make when drawing pin-ups of their characters is to ignore the
personality of the character they are doodling. I often see illustrations posted by artists
that have a character standing with a weapon like they are sitting in a Sears studio for
family photos...NO! Try and avoid using the normal stance. Think about your
character...think about what it is your character does and what effect that would have on
the way they carry themselves. Are they graceful? Are they clumsy? Do they laugh, skip,
play, mope, drag, or cry? Picture this in your head before you put pencil to paper. You
can say a lot with just a stick figure. Get your stick figure exactly right before you flesh in
your character. A good foundation is important if you want your piece to have the right
impact.
Check the following examples of creations to help you along your way.
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CREATING
CHARACTERS
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SYTLES
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BENGOSHA
CREATING
CHARACTERS
132
Sometimes it can be a good idea to plan out more complicated scenes or poses before
you draw them properly. I sometimes draw 4 or 5 thumbnail sketches to plan out
just one picture. It can save a lot of time in the long run by getting rid of
your mistakes at an earlier stage.
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CREATING
CHARACTERS
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BENGOSHA
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CREATING
CHARACTERS
There are a number of influences on the look of this character, and hes very much a
combination of samurai warrior and mecha
Hes Bengosha a Japanese cyborg warrior from the future where monsters, demons,
and dragons have become a real problem in Tokyo after a parallel dimension portal
opened up in Shinjuku 100 years ago! His father was a world-famous samurai master
of Yosake Dojo and the secret owner of the legendary Murasame sword. After his
father died in battle while he was still a boy, Bengosha inherited the Murasame and
now acts as an lite defender of Tokyo.
NAME: BENGOSHA
WEIGHT: 265LBS
HEIGHT: 6 FEET AND 5 INCHES
WEAPONS: MURASAME SWORD
BENGOSHA
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Bengosha
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BENGOSHA
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TEMPEST TRPILETS
CREATING
CHARACTERS
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If you look very carefully, youll notice that these lovely ladies are all very similar in
terms of facial features and physique. It therefore makes you realize how important the
detailssuch as hair, clothes, and accessoriescan be in developing personalities
and individual characteristics in your creations.
These battling teens are not just pretty faces.When their younger brother was badly
injured in an unprovoked attack by a rival high school, the triplets took it upon themselves to seek justice, vowing to find those responsible. The trail led to the notorious
Ring of Skulls Gang and a showdown with their ringleader, Cranium. Using a
combination of ju-jitsu and street fighting, the triplets defeated Cranium and avenged
their brother. They now continue their role as righters of wrongs, meting out justice as
the Tempest Triplets for those who have no other recourse.
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FIGHTING
CREATING
TEMPEST TRIPLETS
CHARACTERS
TEMPEST
TRIPLETS
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CREATING
CHARACTERS
Theres not a lot I can say about Nikki, although the use of color was very
important in getting the illustration just right! This was a Christmas card I
designed and it brought a lot of cheer to those who received it! Joking
aside, you can see many of the techniques I mentioned earlier, such as
the shaping of the hair, the use of speculars, the folds of the clothes, and
the importance of facial expression.
Nikki is the ultimate stealth operative! A famous fashion model, she is in demand
around the world, but her high-profile lifestyle also gets her close to the rich, famous,
and influential, and proves the perfect cover for her real skills as a seeker and seller
of information. People underestimate Nikki at their peril!
NAME: NIKKI
AGE: 24
HEIGHT: 5 FEET 6 INCHES
WEIGHT: 120LBS
OCCUPATION: SPY FOR HIRE
SKILLS: LOCK-PICKING, HACKING,
EQUIPMENT: JUST HER CHARM!
NIKKI
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Nikki
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SMUGGLING
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CREATING
CHARACTERS
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NIKKI
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RUDY ROUGHNIGHT
CREATING
CHARACTERS
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What can you tell about Rudys background or personality from this picture?
Little features can make all the difference.
What does the band-aid signify?
Is Rudy a fighter or did he cut himself shaving?
Is the frown one of aggression or confusion?
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CREATING
RUDY ROUGHNIGHT
CHARACTERS
Rudy
Roughnight
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SHOOT-OUT
CREATING
CHARACTERS
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SHOOT-OUT
FUN!!!
CREATING
CHARACTERS
Thats
it
for
now
get
drawing
and
have
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Ben Krefta
Ben was born in Kent, England, in 1982. He currently enjoys his role as a freelance designer specializing in character design for games or company mascots,
as well as website and graphic design. Ben has had no formal training in any of
the fields he works inannoyingly, its just natural talent! He has been drawing
for as long as he can remember.
Ben has been a big anime and manga fan for years. Influenced by the style since
playing on the Super Nintendo and having seen Akira for the first time, Ben
knew this was a style of art he wanted to get into.
Having always enjoyed drawing and designing his own characters, Ben started
applying the clean, crisp manga style to his designs. They took on a new life,
and his illustrations improved with every new designsince manga is so diverse,
its allowed Ben to have lots of fun experimenting with different style variations
and the anime and manga stories themselves have opened up new possibilities
and ideas.
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Ben hopes to continue drawing, designing, and creating. As Ben himself says,
hes got a fair few years ahead of him yet to develop and improve, so who
knows what big, fun projects hell be working on in the future!!
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