Every page presents a classic manga pose, from walking and running to jumping for joy, in three different steps:
- 1. A simple outline of the body
- 2. The defining elements of the character (like clothes, hair and facial expression) highlighted for easy tracing so you can practice placing them onto the basic body outline.
- 3. The finished drawing (for inspiration).
Popular manga artists Junka Morozumi and Tomomi Mizuna guide you through a series of carefully graded lessons to build up your skills gradually. Each pose and scene has a star skill level, so you can build your way up from 1 to 5!
- Chapter 1 deals with the basic poses of standing, walking, and running.
- Chapter 2 presents signature manga poses such as turning around in surprise and being angry with hands on hips.
- Chapter 3 practices various sitting and lying down poses.
- Chapter 4 deals with drawing perspective, looking at characters from above, below and diagonal viewpoints.
- Chapter 5 focuses on 2-person manga poses including the classic prince with a princess in his arms.
- Chapter 6 lets readers try out the skills they have acquired by tracing and copying a full-page manga illustration containing multiple characters.
These six lessons are supplemented by expert tips and easy exercises for capturing the right facial expressions, drawing the clothes and getting the perspective and body proportions right.
Beginning manga artists are in good hands with Morozumi, who lectures at art academies in Tokyo, and Mizuna, whose work has been exhibited in the U.S., Europe and beyond. If you’ve been looking for an easy-to-use guide to drawing manga, The Manga Artist’s Handbook: Drawing Basic Manga Characters is the perfect place to start!
