How to start drawing in a manga style.
Aspiring manga artists can learn by trying to replicate particular comics or cartoons that inspire them. The first step is to allow yourself this period of complete lack of originality, says author and manga instructor Mark Crilley. Consider yourself like the apprentice learning from a master. Writer and illustrator Mildred Louis began that way too. I started drawing by basically copying anime, she says.
As you learn the skills, consider yourself like the apprentice learning from a master.
Not only will you sharpen your eye, but youll get your hand accustomed to the pen or stylus. Your muscles are not trained yet and so much of drawing is muscle memory, comics artist Ethan Young says.
However, copying is very different from plagiarism. While replicating other work as a drawing exercise is valuable, dont pass it off as your own.
Understanding manga proportions.
Manga characters anatomical proportions are part of what makes it instantly recognisable. Manga eyes tend to be bigger than in real life, while mouths are smaller and the heights of chins, noses and foreheads all differ significantly from a real human body. Manga hair often defies gravity and facial expressions look nothing like what youd see in art striving for realism. This stylisation, however, doesnt mean drawing manga is simple.
When I started drawing manga faces, I went through this two-step process, says Crilley. I thought, This cant be that hard. Its cartoony. But once you start trying to do it, you realise it really is hard. Theres this careful balance with the facial features that you have to pay attention to if you dont nail it, the whole thing falls apart.
The biggest thing I recommend is life drawing.
While it may sound counterintuitive, practice drawing real-life anatomy. The biggest thing I recommend is life drawing, says Louis, who notes that many cities have classes fairly accessible to the public. You need a good understanding of proportions so you can better adjust them when you want to go super stylistic.
Get a crash course in drawing manga-style art.
In the first of three sessions, watch Mark Crilley walk you through step-by-step manga illustrations in this live drawing tutorial video on Behance.