A question about the female chest:

[Casta]

How do you vary the sizes of breasts? For example, you might want to give one female a big chest, but another female a small or medium-sized chest. I know this is a rude question, and probably not suitable but I really want to know.

[Murasakivie]

One thing a lot of people forget about breasts is that they hang. Larger breasts will hang lower than smaller/medium breasts, with super large breasts can hang lower than the lowest rib. Unless the character has had implants, then they will look like water balloons. Medium-size breasts don't hang lower than the bottom of the breast and small breasts don't hang low at all. Also, the smaller the breast, the more "pointy" shape it will take.

Those are all out of bra examples, though. When the character is wearing a bra that fits, the breasts will take the shape of the bra. If the character is wearing a bra that's too small, they'll get "quadruple breast" where the top of the breasts will hang over the top of the bra unpleasantly.

Also, breasts are soft and move with the slightest adjustment of the arms. One arm raised will make the breast on that side raise up too. Stretching your arms back will cause them to spread wider apart, and putting your arms close together will cause them to come together and form cleavage.

And don't be afraid to look at nudes for reference. It may be embarrassing, but it's extremely helpful! =)

[Pedes]

I agree with Murasakivie. Moreover don't be too eager to give too mnay women very big breasts. Although it may atract males to your pictures on a long run it won't do you much good. Big breasts are quite troublesome both for the artists that draw them and the women that uhm, wear them ;)
Truth is that women's breasts are very different. For one thing some are softer and have a tendency to hang, other are more dense and preserve their shape through the years. Also they may be closer or further from themselves. What can I say, study the way they are just like you do it with other parts of the body. Once you get the general rule you can do everything with breasts :]

[Casta]

Thanks for the input! Also, do you draw the body before drawing the breasts? Because I tend to draw the breasts before drawing the body.

[Klawzie]

Seeing as I work with skeletons, I draw the ribcage and waist before drawing the breasts on. That gives me a sense of proportion. I recommend drawing the body before the breasts. :3 (And if you're not using a wireframe/'skeleton' before adding the features, you're probably getting your proportions incorrect...)

[Pedes]

Thanks for the input! Also, do you draw the body before drawing the breasts? Because I tend to draw the breasts before drawing the body.
I prefer to star with a face XD

Yes, I draw body to see how chest (ribs and muscles) go and add breasts in the end.

[SweetNymph]

You should draw the body first and add the breasts on later. Otherwise you might get inconsistant with the build of the character or size of characters in relation to each other. Frames first, details last.

[black_myst]

for me istart w/ the face and then move down, except i leave detailed work like postioning of hands feet arts and legs last. another tip for the anatomy is back a way from the drawing, especially if u've been working @ it for a while. then u get a fresh look at ur sketch.

[Pedes]

for me istart w/ the face and then move down, except i leave detailed work like postioning of hands feet arts and legs last. another tip for the anatomy is back a way from the drawing, especially if u've been working @ it for a while. then u get a fresh look at ur sketch.
There's also onne trick to checking if the picture is right. Either turn the sheet over and look under the light, or just look at it in the mirror (the same effect). It helps, because you can see al the mistkaes that weren't visible the normal way. (if you're working on the computer than flip the image).

[QueenieChan]

For me, it's just varying the size of the "lump of flesh" on the chest. The thing about drawing manga is that it's always possible to draw larger-than-life breasts on the females...leading to some ridiculous-looking things, but hey. Some people seem to like it. :P

Also, women with larger breasts also tend to be more "voluptuous". They have bigger butts and thighs as well, so if you're drawing a slender girl you're best NOT to put big breasts on her. It looks...weird. Ofcourse, some people don't mind, but since you're posting this up, it's a good thing to keep in mind. Slender girls tend to be more flat-chested anyway.

[black_myst]

also, breasts arn't just circles in the middle of a girl's chest. if u want the breast to look good and make the girl attractive and not scary ... don't do that. use refrence from nude pictures or statues if u have to do that... if ur embaressed to look at pics, go to an art museum... there's plenty there. i garentee it.

[KaYoKitten]

Another two cents from the idiot brigade: Naturally large-breasted women tend to be a bit more "meaty" round the middle. This is because that extra weight makes them lean forward, so to counteract that inbalance, the body adds more flesh to the area around the spine (ie, the torso). Small-breasted women tend to be those ones who can fit into a size one or two pants size. I envy them. -_-() Just ONCE could manga realistically point out that large-breasted women tend to have back pain!? And I meant that seriously.

[Casta]

I totally owe you guys one. I tried drawing the body before going into details such as breasts, and my drawings have really improved! So anyone who answered this thread, THANK YOU!

[YamPuff]

There's also onne trick to checking if the picture is right. Either turn the sheet over and look under the light, or just look at it in the mirror (the same effect). It helps, because you can see al the mistkaes that weren't visible the normal way. (if you're working on the computer than flip the image).

Yes! I do that! I do that too! It has improved my art more than any other fancy shmancy HTDM book or anything! DO IT!!!

I got the tip from an interview of Tadashi Ozawa I read online. And breasts are hard to draw. But its a rewarding process, I guess.....for perverts XD

[Katsy]

I agree with everyone here. Girls tend to have breasts that fit their bodies. girls with slim bodies tend to have average perky breasts, and girls with a more of a pair shapped (hips and a butt), mature body tend to have larger chests. I know I have a ridiculous sized chest. You also have to think of how the size of the chest affects the rest of the body and restricts their movements. It may seem minor, but they get in the way of alot of things!

[Pedes]

It may seem minor, but they get in the way of alot of things!
Yeah, even those middle-sized ones XD

[SweetNymph]

Yes! I do that! I do that too! It has improved my art more than any other fancy shmancy HTDM book or anything! DO IT!!!

I got the tip from an interview of Tadashi Ozawa I read online. And breasts are hard to draw. But its a rewarding process, I guess.....for perverts XD

I think it'd be rewarding for any artist. It's a part of the body, just like the arm. A real artist should have no (or not many) problems learning how to draw the body. Admittedly, I'm not overly anxious to examine nude males to get the anatomy right, but it is necessary. I just have to start thinking of them more as a potential art piece than a potential date. :p

[Pedes]

I think it'd be rewarding for any artist. It's a part of the body, just like the arm. A real artist should have no (or not many) problems learning how to draw the body. Admittedly, I'm not overly anxious to examine nude males to get the anatomy right, but it is necessary. I just have to start thinking of them more as a potential art piece than a potential date. :p
Or both ;P

[SweetNymph]

Welll, considering the offer made by one of my male friends... (he was kidding, but damn, was it tempting).

[Pedes]

Welll, considering the offer made by one of my male friends... (he was kidding, but damn, was it tempting).
You mean something like "I'll pose you" "naked?" "We'll see" XD
I've had one (wait, two, but one was not serious) offer like that... Temptiingggggg.... XD

[Gabycat]

How do you vary the sizes of breasts? For example, you might want to give one female a big chest, but another female a small or medium-sized chest. I know this is a rude question, and probably not suitable but I really want to know.

mmm from a workshop given by Jean Giraud Möebius, he said that the shape of a woman breast should come from the sweep of the hand when drawing.
I have seen a Japanese artist Satoshi Urushihara(whom I think is the most OBSESSED! :p with breasts-but that's just an opinion) about the correct fall and shape of a breast. A friend suggested me once to use a water filled balloon for that and study how it falled.
Maybe that can be of help for you?
:confused:

[Pedes]

mmm from a workshop given by Jean Giraud Möebius, he said that the shape of a woman breat should come from the sweep of the hand when drawing.
I have seen a Japanese artist Satoshi Urushihara(whom I think is the most OBSESSED! :p with breasts-but that's just an opinion) about the correct fall and shape of a breast. A friend suggested me once to use a water filled balloon for that and study how it falled.
Maybe that can be of help for you?
:confused:
Aaaahh, Urushihara... Yeah, want to know how to draw female breast? CHeck Urushihara... His mangas are like thoick B&W artbooks, full of.. women, often in little/none/tight clothing....