The Making Of manga

[starlias]

I have seen many websites showing you how manga and other comics are made but they are all so different and beside that I know mangakas use screentones of all sorts, different quill like pens(eg: G-pen) and erasing pens, rulers etc, the rest..I am actually really confused..*__*....
..so could someone explain this manga making process to me please..>__<, thank you!! ^o^

[Manga608]

I sorry I know not either-but I am just as curios o.o
So I shall wait for comments and answers too XD

[Klawzie]

Firstly, I'm not sure this is the right forum for your question. (I think it should be under "Ask the Artists")...

And secondly, it's really difficult to give art advice when the question is, "How do you make manga?" rather than, "how do you [something specific]?"

What, specifically, do you want someone to give you advice on? :) You might get more replies that way!

[Comic_Burn]

Creating Art as well as Manga is very personal and there isn't necesarrily a right or wrong way. It depends on the sensitivity of the artist. The most important thing you need to create manga is lots of passion, and years of practice. If you are just starting your journey into manga-greatness I recommend the "How To Draw Manga" serires of books. These books are a great place to start learning. Just remember, you have to fail a few times in order to succeed. Hang in there, and good luck.

[Ganter]

like comic_burn said, it takes lots of practice, just like everything else in life (my friends and I often compare comics to sports!). Also, it's never too late to start. I also recommend drawing a lot from life, check out Jack Hamm's "Drawing The Head and Figure". Check out the book "Story" by Robert McKee for some insight into writing. And don't let anyone steer you away from what you like, the only thing that differentiates all us artists from one another is our taste in things, which is reflected in what you draw. Most important is to have fun no matter what you draw, because people can always tell when it looks like you're not having fun with your work. =P

[starlias]

thank you for your help everyone!^__^
oh btw..I think I have been drawing magna for about a year and something...^^;;but I do think that I have improved a lot!^^ if you are interested..you can take a look at some of my drawings on my dA:
http://cuti1318.deviantart.com

[Pedes]

I have seen many websites showing you how manga and other comics are made but they are all so different and beside that I know mangakas use screentones of all sorts, different quill like pens(eg: G-pen) and erasing pens, rulers etc, the rest..I am actually really confused..*__*....
..so could someone explain this manga making process to me please..>__<, thank you!! ^o^
Hmm, you're still young, you have time to learn more :D Istarted drawing at the age of 14 (or 15)...
"How to draw manga" books is a must, at least few first ones. I also reccomend a good anathomy book with a lot of pictures, and a lot of CAREFULL reading of manga and analysing how what effects are made.
As for pens, there are many different kinf of pens: you can use marker-like pens, http://www.deviantart.com/view/12206723/ kind of pens with different nibs (I think this is what you call a quill like pen) or rapidographs (drawing tool architects use, or at least ues before they started to use computers). You have to try all of them to find what you prefer the best.
For example: I use quill-like pen with 5 or so different nibs for general pictures, marker-like pens for things drawn by the ruler and dialogue boxes and a thin rapidograph for thin lines drawn by the ruler. Marker pens are easiest to use, but beautifull, dynamic lines you can get only with nibs.

[YamPuff]

The best way to learn how to draw manga is to draw it! Doodle endlessly like I do, in college all over your supposed notes, at home when your supposed to be studying, on the bus...you get my drift.

Get a few How-to books to give you the basics. As for myself, I draw mainly poster, full-color type pictures, but I recently made a cute strip. I draw the characters in chibi-form because, once you master chibis they're easy to draw. Draw small things, like a one-liner type comic, like Garfield or something. Start off with a long story and plotlines and you'll give up in despair. Start small and grow.

But, most importantly, DRAW!!!

[Ayokillyou]

How-to-draw books are essentially useless for actually learning how to draw. They provide the reader with good tips and solid fundamental measurements/proportions and other facts, but you can seriously just take notes from ANY how-to-draw book and put it back on the shelf. A book cannot teach you how to draw.

It's becoming spring. Go outside with a little sketchbook, sit in the park and draw people, trees, ducks, dogs, clouds, grass, flowers, buildings...and when it gets too dark to draw outside go to a coffee shop and draw more people, building interior, tables, chairs, walls, floors...and when it gets late and the shop is closing go home and draw your family/roommates, your pets, more building interiors and so on.

Draw everything you can see, even if it won't stand still. Draw everything you can observe and don't draw from other drawings (with the exception of studying the Old Masters, Rembrant, Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, etc). Don't worry about "style," style is a trap. It really is. Nevermind style. Just learn to draw. Your style will come out without your really noticing it after a while. But the important thing is to learn to look at objects, look at forms and draw. Spend more time looking at an object while you draw it than you spend looking at your paper. Draw.

Then, after a couple of years, go back to the bookstore and take a look at those "how-to-draw" books open them up and laugh.

[Pedes]

How-to-draw books are essentially useless for actually learning how to draw. They provide the reader with good tips and solid fundamental measurements/proportions and other facts, but you can seriously just take notes from ANY how-to-draw book and put it back on the shelf. A book cannot teach you how to draw.
"How do draw manga" don't teach you to DRAW, but how the manga is made. It's very helpfull, because you can have no idea of what tools exist, how to use some of them, how to set panels, what effects can you use, how to make dialogue boxes how much spase there should be between panels, how to use tones... Threre are some rules that apply to manga drawing, and it's often difficult to recognise all by yourself. It's easy to say: go and draw, but being able to draw doesn't necessarily mean you can draw comics. I've encountered people who were a great artists, their pictures were amazing, but when they tried to draw manga/comic page it was a tragedy ><
Of course knowledge from "How to draw manga" will be useless withought learning to draw (observation>practice>observation>practice>observation>practice>practice>PRACTICE!)
and analysing how different manga artist use technics you read about and to what effect.

[starlias]

How-to-draw books are essentially useless for actually learning how to draw. They provide the reader with good tips and solid fundamental measurements/proportions and other facts, but you can seriously just take notes from ANY how-to-draw book and put it back on the shelf. A book cannot teach you how to draw.

It's becoming spring. Go outside with a little sketchbook, sit in the park and draw people, trees, ducks, dogs, clouds, grass, flowers, buildings...and when it gets too dark to draw outside go to a coffee shop and draw more people, building interior, tables, chairs, walls, floors...and when it gets late and the shop is closing go home and draw your family/roommates, your pets, more building interiors and so on.

Draw everything you can see, even if it won't stand still. Draw everything you can observe and don't draw from other drawings (with the exception of studying the Old Masters, Rembrant, Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, etc). Don't worry about "style," style is a trap. It really is. Nevermind style. Just learn to draw. Your style will come out without your really noticing it after a while. But the important thing is to learn to look at objects, look at forms and draw. Spend more time looking at an object while you draw it than you spend looking at your paper. Draw.

Then, after a couple of years, go back to the bookstore and take a look at those "how-to-draw" books open them up and laugh.

yeah...I never brough any of those books cos their finished drawings all looked out of shape, like the neck is to far at the back etc..I tend to look at the pro's mangas(eg: sugisaki-san's dnangel) and observe carefully how the line and strokes are used to give a specified tone and style etc..but I liek to design and create my own styles too..^^ I am too much of an art obessive that I can just draw forever...XDDD

[Ganter]

yeah...I never brough any of those books cos their finished drawings all looked out of shape, like the neck is to far at the back etc..I tend to look at the pro's mangas(eg: sugisaki-san's dnangel) and observe carefully how the line and strokes are used to give a specified tone and style etc..but I liek to design and create my own styles too..^^ I am too much of an art obessive that I can just draw forever...XDDD

That's a great way to approach learning, your work looks great! You'll be fine as long as you keep doing it. Thanks for sharing your site! =)

[Louann1]

It's always good to make fanart. Not only is it fun there's a sense of achievement you get when you compare yours to the original. When you draw fanart you can apply things that you like and change things that you don't like. I've never ever bought a How-To book on manga but over the years I think that I've gotten better. I've always been better at linear art than screen toning so if anyone has any advice. The only decent art program on my computer is Jasc PaintShop Pro >_<.
If anyone's interested please take a look at my art http://louann1.deviantart.com
I'd appreciate the visit.

[phreeqo]

The best way to learn how to draw manga is to draw it! Doodle endlessly like I do, in college all over your supposed notes, at home when your supposed to be studying, on the bus...you get my drift.

Get a few How-to books to give you the basics. As for myself, I draw mainly poster, full-color type pictures, but I recently made a cute strip. I draw the characters in chibi-form because, once you master chibis they're easy to draw. Draw small things, like a one-liner type comic, like Garfield or something. Start off with a long story and plotlines and you'll give up in despair. Start small and grow.

But, most importantly, DRAW!!!


Ouch! haha,to think dat iv never even finished my one liner comic n im olredi trying doing long-complex storyplot and ended up miserably everytime. Thought if i keep on doing dat imma be good at it, how can i forget over simple things like getting good at my one liner comic 1st,hahah...Thx dude..

p/s:simple things often overlooked n yet almost anything starts from simplicity :p <--wateva dat is

[starlias]

That's a great way to approach learning, your work looks great! You'll be fine as long as you keep doing it. Thanks for sharing your site! =)

no problem..I hope my drawings arent too bad..^^;;

It's always good to make fanart. Not only is it fun there's a sense of achievement you get when you compare yours to the original. When you draw fanart you can apply things that you like and change things that you don't like. I've never ever bought a How-To book on manga but over the years I think that I've gotten better. I've always been better at linear art than screen toning so if anyone has any advice. The only decent art program on my computer is Jasc PaintShop Pro >_<.
If anyone's interested please take a look at my art http://louann1.deviantart.com
I'd appreciate the visit.

ooo, I think I am much better at pencil and biro drawings, I love to draw with them to create different thickness of lines, I dont have a G-pen like pen so I tone and practise drawing manga stuff with my writing pens..you get use to them very soon..^^ but never use fountain pens though, they stain your works!!>___<

[Samekh Mem]

I think personally that how-to books, unless they are well-written and with professional-quality artwork are a crutch. They teach you to draw a certain way, often with bubbles and things, and show you how to make the same mistakes.

Take the important points, but don't look too hard! ~_^

[starlias]

yeah, some might do but majorities of the how to draw books are sooo bad I have to say..>__< if you comapre them to the professional mangakas' work, you will see a great difference..may be that's the author's style..but I dont know..o____o

[zetsui101]

it's hard to find nice quality how-to-draw books that teach instead of show. i only have three drawing books, and that's good enough for now. a lot of cartooning styles are trying to pass off as manga in the newer drawing books.

the title of the books i have are "Manga Mania Shoujo: How to Draw the Charming and Romantic Characters of Japanese Comics" by Christopher Hart (it has a drawing by Svetlana Chmakova in it a couple times *_*), "How to Draw Anime & Game Characters, Vol. 1: Basics for Beginners and Beyond" and "How to Draw Anime & Game Characters, Vol. 5: Bishoujo Game Characters" by Tadashi Ozawa.

The last two are good for becoming more serious about manga after drawing for a little while. they don't really give a lot of manga panel setups, but vo. 5 has a section in the back for game poster character arrangements to make the picture more visually pleasing. the shoujo book i got from my cousin chris for christmas, and he's an artist too. it goes a little more indepth to shoujo charcters and styles, but it irritates me that Hart calls bishounen "bishies". <(>_<)>

[starlias]

I am kinda like self-taught and I think it's a nice way to learn..^__^

btw, I know this is like not related to the making of manga but from yuor avatar, it reminded me to ask this question I've always wanted to ask..o____o:
does fruit basket have some kind of relationship with D.N.Angel cos they both are similar in style, story, characters and etc..>__>

[QueenieChan]

How to Draw Manga books are great, but I also ought to point out that learning to DRAW is only HALF the work of creating a manga. You have to learn to be able to WRITE as well as DRAW, if you want to become a manga artist. You also have to learn how to tell the story properly, once you've written it. I'm afraid a good manga doesn't magically appear once you've got the story and the ability to draw.

So I would recommend reading some books on writing too, and cinematography.

[starlias]

How to Draw Manga books are great, but I also ought to point out that learning to DRAW is only HALF the work of creating a manga. You have to learn to be able to WRITE as well as DRAW, if you want to become a manga artist. You also have to learn how to tell the story properly, once you've written it. I'm afraid a good manga doesn't magically appear once you've got the story and the ability to draw.

So I would recommend reading some books on writing too, and cinematography.

I love to tell stories!^o^ they are great! sometimes I read about 3 books about 300-500 pages long every month. I love stories!^o^
I have came acroos manga because of books I've read!^^ hehe...

thanks for the point again!^^

[zetsui101]

I am kinda like self-taught and I think it's a nice way to learn..^__^

btw, I know this is like not related to the making of manga but from yuor avatar, it reminded me to ask this question I've always wanted to ask..o____o:
does fruit basket have some kind of relationship with D.N.Angel cos they both are similar in style, story, characters and etc..>__>
i've read only a couple books of DNAngel, but no. they are not related. once you look at teh artwork more closely, you see the differences in the art work if they don't stand out right away.

How to Draw Manga books are great, but I also ought to point out that learning to DRAW is only HALF the work of creating a manga. You have to learn to be able to WRITE as well as DRAW, if you want to become a manga artist. You also have to learn how to tell the story properly, once you've written it. I'm afraid a good manga doesn't magically appear once you've got the story and the ability to draw.

So I would recommend reading some books on writing too, and cinematography.

are there any specific titles that you found helpful, Queenie Chan? what you said about being able to write a good story and then telling it sounds like something my English teacher keeps trying to pound into my class's brains.

[tomselleck69]

Alan Moore's Writing for Comics is a very helpful text on the subject [also short and goes for $6.00 on Amazon.] While Moore is not a manga writer, he is arguably one of the greatest writers of western comics in the history of the medium, and many of the points he makes transcend the eastern/western thing.

[QueenieChan]

are there any specific titles that you found helpful, Queenie Chan? what you said about being able to write a good story and then telling it sounds like something my English teacher keeps trying to pound into my class's brains.

I never learned to write by reading books, though I read up on "how to write a screenplay" and stuff like that. I'm afraid I don't have any good books to recommend because of that, though there are alot of online resources you can look up. I would never recommend people read through tonnes of books on writing anyway, because you don't learn to write by reading books on writing, you learn to write by WRITING.

That's what I would always recommend. Use the writing books as a guide, not as a bible, to how to make your work better.

[starlias]

i've read only a couple books of DNAngel, but no. they are not related. once you look at teh artwork more closely, you see the differences in the art work if they don't stand out right away.


yeah, it's just that their style are kinda similar..a love story like thing, big eyes, funny story at the beginning, quite serious ar the end..
I don't know...but ther are good series!^___^


huh? "how to write a screenplay" books? It sounds very interesting!^__^ I wanna check it out!^o^ *goes researching..*
I've seen a similar one but it tells you how different angles of screenshot can give different effects..o__o..can that count as a screenplay book?

[DescentfromOblivion]

Heres a site i found hope it helps.

http://www.screenwriting.info/

[Pedes]

I agree with above, that books on how-to-draw can't be your bible. But they may come usefull.
Actually there's a different way fo learning for every person. Have in mind that japanese manga artists often lern by... being asistants to pro-manga artists. So if you can't do that it's good to read forst parts of "how to draw manga" (at least those that were published as first in my country - about techniques).
But the best way to learn is to... analise. Good photos. Movies. Books. And, of course, mangas. How they are made, what effect are reached and how. I've found a shot article on framing in the movies and what uhm shots(?) are called - that was very helpfull.

huh? "how to write a screenplay" books? It sounds very interesting!^__^ I wanna check it out!^o^ *goes researching..*
I've seen a similar one but it tells you how different angles of screenshot can give different effects..o__o..can that count as a screenplay book?
Don't know if it can, but it's deffinetly very, very usefull for you ^^.

[UrbanRevolution]

Heres a site i found hope it helps.

http://www.screenwriting.info/


the best book to learn how to do scripts... STORY Robert McKee

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060391685/002-3944443-1282430?v=glance&n=283155

[kayokitten]

For the writing part, Strunk and White's Elements of Style never goes out of style. ^_~ I find the language of the book amusing, because it's almost like the authors are barking the rules at you like a military officer. Also, I found The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing incredibly helpful.

Writing a novel and writing a manga almost go hand-in-hand, except with manga you use the fewest words possible and draw everything visually. It has several good articles about pacing and plot--something many of our OEL people need to get a bit more handle on! Not everything in the "Novel Writing" book will be of use, as it's geared directly toward novel writers. However, much info in the book as there is about general things (from character creation to world building, for instance), I think it's invaluable.

You don't learn to write by reading about it, of course, but sometimes old hands have some shortcuts that you wouldn't have found otherwise!

For the art, the only thing I can say is: STUDY! And I mean hard! Notice all those little details in your classroom--hey, who put that poster of Garfield on the wall? And what about those little electrical outlets that you never used because your math class is in a chemistry class? What about the cactus in the windowsill?

Also, get your paws on Human Anatomy Made Amazingly Easy, by Christopher Hart. Not only does he give you every functioning muscle, every bone that juts out, and tips on making those little things work, but he does it in a way that you don't get any information that you don't need. (Like "how to draw the human heart, like in some anatomy books. XP) It's a good starting position for both traditional art, and it's great to get a realistic base on the human figure before trying to put it into a manga character.

^_^() Okay, I'll shut up now.

[tomselleck69]

For the writing part, Strunk and White's Elements of Style never goes out of style. ^_~ I find the language of the book amusing, because it's almost like the authors are barking the rules at you like a military officer. Also, I found The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing incredibly helpful.
elements of style is an invaluable text. i suggest urrbody ready it and then read it again.

[Joanna]

I don't think there's any ONE TRUE WAY to draw comics or manga. Everyone's method is different and everyone has to discover what works for them. My advice is to listen closely when other artists talk about their methods... and try what you think sounds like it might work for you. Jump in with both feet, and draw draw draw!!!! Your own trial and error will teach you more than any textbook.

Trust me... if there are still problems with your art and storytelling... it's probably nothing that 500 more pages of drawing won't fix. ;)

[starlias]

oh, here is just another question to you manga creators here..^___^:

when you have got all of your manga pages inked and are ready to upload the work for toning in prorgams, how do you upload the page of manga(eg: the page is about 20cm X 13cm) onto the comp without changing the size(cos sometimes when you scan in a picture, you modifiy it and print it out, you get a different size to the original)?

..and what DPI resolution do u work on(I am kinda clueless..*__*)?

..I hope made the questions clear..if not, please tell me.

[Gabycat]

oh, here is just another question to you manga creators here..^___^:

when you have got all of your manga pages inked and are ready to upload the work for toning in prorgams, how do you upload the page of manga(eg: the page is about 20cm X 13cm) onto the comp without changing the size(cos sometimes when you scan in a picture, you modifiy it and print it out, you get a different size to the original)?

..and what DPI resolution do u work on(I am kinda clueless..*__*)?

..I hope made the questions clear..if not, please tell me.


Usually for any printed work the DPI has to be 300dpi quality - the size depends on your final format.
Some manga has to be scanned in 600dpi, and even 1200dpi, depending the instructions from the printer.
But you can go safe with 300dpi [ <--- NOT TRUE according to TOKYOPOP specs. :) ]

[Pedes]

oh, here is just another question to you manga creators here..^___^:

when you have got all of your manga pages inked and are ready to upload the work for toning in prorgams, how do you upload the page of manga(eg: the page is about 20cm X 13cm) onto the comp without changing the size(cos sometimes when you scan in a picture, you modifiy it and print it out, you get a different size to the original)?

..and what DPI resolution do u work on(I am kinda clueless..*__*)?

..I hope made the questions clear..if not, please tell me.
TP prefers the resolution to be 1200 BW while inking. There's quite bog info on formats, scanning and resizing IN THIS TOPIC ABOUT SIZES (http://messageboard.tokyopop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1631)

[COMM479]

Hmm, you're still young, you have time to learn more :D Istarted drawing at the age of 14 (or 15)...
"How to draw manga" books is a must, at least few first ones. I also reccomend a good anathomy book with a lot of pictures, and a lot of CAREFULL reading of manga...
*-* sometimes i think "how to" books are too literal...u noe, they dun really let u do it urself, but rather show u step by step....instead, i think studying the styles of different artists can do a lot of good...especially the eyes/face, neck/shoulders, etc. btw i totally agree with Pedes...anatomy is very important!!! ^^