Draw Manga

Introduction
Origins, history, and development
Current meaning, styles, and global reach
About this book

CHAPTER ONE - DRAWING FIGURES

Head and facial structure - Front, Side, Other angles, other shapes, gender, age
Facial features - Eyes, brows, Noses, Mouths, Ears, fantasy ears, Expressions
Hair - Basic principles, Textures, Lengths, Complex styling, Tying it all together
Bodies - Summary of differences in style, head-to-body proportions, Body and limb distribution, real life lengths/measurements, Flesh and muscle focus, Weighting and action lines, Interaction and multiple figures, Perspective and foreshortening, Depicting differences in age, gender, build, body types, Hands, Feet, Chibi proportion focus, RPG/semi-Chibi focus, Action/Shounen hero focus

Chapter TWO - CREATING CHARACTERS

Costumes - Body coverage and layering, Folds, draping, and movement, Fastenings and embellishments, Footwear, Accessories
Extraordinary elements - Anthropomorphism, Sci-fi/fantasy features, Mecha robots
Props and accompanying items - Close combat weaponry, Projectile weaponry, Other props, Vehicles, Mounts/pets

CHAPTER THREE - SETTINGS

Environments - Choosing and researching
Perspective - Theory, Putting into practice
Placing characters in environments - Interiors, Exteriors, Natural world

CHAPTER FOUR - RENDERING TECHNIQUES & PROCESSES

Pencils - Rough drawing to prepare for inks, Finishing as pencil piece
Inks - Inking over pencils to prepare for colours/shading, Finishing as inked piece
Colours and shading - Choosing colours and palette, Basic shading principles, Intermediate techniques, Advanced techniques
Traditional media - Colour pencils, Watercolours, Markers, Screen tone, Mixed media combinations
Digital media - Tools/software required, Core skills for digital manga, Preparation for digital colouring, Vector style line art and fills, Cel-art shading, Airbrush shading, Digital painting, Screen tone, Mixed media combinations

CHAPTER FIVE - CHARACTER LIBRARY

Contemporary characters - Primary school, Secondary school, Young footballer boy, Young equestrian girl, Punk musician teenage male, Gothic/rockabilly teenage girl, Casual adult male, Casual adult female, Formal adult male, Formal adult female, Pensioner couple
Historical characters - Medieval knight, Medieval princess, Renaissance artist, Tudor noblewoman, Elizabethan pirate, Georgian lady-in-waiting, Regency gentleman, Victorian lady
Japanese-specific characters - School kids in Japanese uniform, Elegant Gothic Lolita, Elegant Gothic Aristocrat, Decora girl, Visual Kei guy, Ninja, Geisha, Samurai, Kimono
Sci-fi and fantasy characters - Mecha pilot, Space marine, Steampunk explorer, Bionic agent, Vampire lord, Elven archer, Catgirl dancer, Beastmaster, Cleric, Sorceress

CHAPTER SIX - MAKING MANGA

Preparation - Recommended tools, materials, and practices, Page setup and guidelines, Writing/directing scenes for Manga
Drawing comic pages - Reading direction and page flow, Intuitive panel order, Speech bubbles focus, Sound effects and other devices, Panel shapes to influence pacing/understanding, Example layouts and uses, 4-panel gag strips focus
Publishing comic pages - Traditional and digital considerations, Sizing and quality, Screen tone focus, Cover and logo design, Web publishing, How to market your Manga

Resources
Glossary
Index and Credits

About Sonia Leong

Sonia Leong is a professional Manga artist and illustrator with over 80 publications across magazines, comics/ graphic novels, art books, and film/TV projects to her credit. Since becoming a Winner of the first Tokyopop Rising Stars of Manga (UK & Ireland) competition in 2005, her best-selling debut graphic novel Manga Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet (SelfMadeHero) has made it into recommended reading lists worldwide and has been translated into various global editions. She is the Company Secretary of Sweatdrop Studios, a UK-based Manga collective and independent publisher. Sonia has been teaching Manga workshops since 2004, where she began by giving lectures at the Artist & Illustrators Magazine Exhibition. Her UK appearances include the Guardian Hay Festival, the Victoria & Albert Museum and London County Hall. She frequently represents UK creators overseas, working with the British Council and invited as a special guest at events and conventions across Europe, America, and Asia.

Colour with Claire

If I could have one talent I would love to be able to draw. I've always marveled at the skill of illustrators to be able to pick up a pencil and draw whatever is in their mind so perfectly on the page before them. When I try to draw it looks like a spider fell in an inkwell and ran across the paper! I usually trace characters that I have printed out on my lightboard, but it would be so special to be able to draw my own work instead of a wobbly imitation of someone else's. I've found it much easier to draw cartoons than realism, so Manga is an ideal starting point for me and I suppose many other wannabe artists! That's where Draw Manga comes in.

This book was written by Sonia Leong, a professional comic book artist and graphic designer who specialises in Anime and Manga. It is a comprehensive step-by-step guide on the famous Japanese art style and includes a plethora of information, written and pictorial, to help both the beginner and seasoned artist. Here's a look through some of the pages in the book.

I don't think there's any book out there that explains and demonstrates Manga in so much detail and in such a user-friendly way- this book even includes 28 tutorial QR codes that you can scan and watch Sonia draw in action, which of course can be much easier to follow than in print.

There is 256 full-colour pages in total for just over £13, and I'm certain anyone at any skill level will be able to pick up some great tips from Draw Manga to master this comic art form. Whether you're just starting out or have experience and want to hone your ability, this book contains everything from drawing your first character to marketing and publishing your own work.

http://www.colourwithclaire.com/blog/draw-manga-by-sonia-leong

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Marian Carr, Bradford College

June 14

What makes this manga book special- this book really covers all the aspects of making a fully formed manga comic. There are a number of books on manga but these can sometimes simply be pose after pose of a fully formed character. This book shows you from the ground up all the elements. It doesn't predispose any prior drawing knowledge; yet in a friendly and helpful tone goes into a surprising amount of detail. This is a book from an author who is a self confessed fan of the genre and this shines through. By the end you'll be wanting to make and market your own manga!

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Leisure Painter, The

Jan 14

Those of you with children or grandchildren will know of their fascination for drawing and painting cartoon figures known as Manga a Japanese word referring to comics and cartooning. This book will teach them everything they want to know. Using the book, as well as following techniques shown in online tutorials via a smartphone, laptop or desktop computer, they will be able to study every aspect of this fascinating art form.