i want to learn how to draw anime

[Aizen-sama]

excuse me i want to learn how to draw anime but i cant seem to find any help at all i went to some sites but those looked stupid so yea...can osme give me some advice or a good site??

[Yuuki Kurosu]

Well, you can always go to a bookstore such a Border's or Barnes and Nobles and get How To Draw Anime books. There are some good ones out there.

[RaShayRitto]

what yuuki said. try to avoid getting a gimmicky looking one that looks like its trying to reel in middle school kids. There is some legit literature out there, you might even try finding the books online. truthfully the same principles apply to drawing anime character as drawing any other kind of characters. The only difference is style, which is something you learn through observation and practice.

[lilminx]

the best way to learn is to just take a picture from the net and try to copy it. do this with a couple of drawings and youll get the hang of it and youll be able to draw. its not that hard but if you want some books then try to buy those at the bookstore. i got some really good ones there. but be careful what you buy, try taking one that has all the details on how to draw the body

hope it helps ^^

[Diocletian]

You mean manga-influenced drawings. Your creations will never be called anime or manga unless they are aimed at a Japanese audience or something amongst those lines like Peepo Choo by Felipe Smith.

Why is it that no one wants their drawings to be called cartoons anymore? Is it taboo? Are cartoons lowbrow?

[blackrosetwilight]

I "HIGHLY" recommend learning how to draw realistically first, that way you can add depth, detail, and you own personal flare so they wont be flat looking like most mediocre fan drawing, since the anime style is really nothing more than a animal/person/car/mecha/ect with some over exaggerated and sometime simplefied feature like eyes, ears, hair, height, proportions, and ect used to make whatever it is to stand out from everything else.

I know it's going to be a long boring process learning how to draw realistically to the anime style but it's well worth it. You will have much more flexibility if you do.

[Snowscala_Xx]

the best way to learn is to just take a picture from the net and try to copy it. do this with a couple of drawings and youll get the hang of it and youll be able to draw. its not that hard but if you want some books then try to buy those at the bookstore. i got some really good ones there. but be careful what you buy, try taking one that has all the details on how to draw the body

hope it helps ^^

I agree the only way to learn is to watch closely and practice. "Monkey see, monkey do." Try to get a clear image into your head of what you want to draw because, I don't think you'll be copying others' style for long. Take some photos from books or off Google image or something and just do your best and practice.

[Gjallarhorn]

If you want to learn how to draw anything, the first place you want to start is with drawing reality. If you can draw reality, you can draw anything (provided you have the imagination to do so). This is where any and all great artists start, no matter what type of illustration they do: real illustration, American cartoons, American comics, or Japanese manga.

Going headstrong straight into trying to draw manga will limit you incredibly, as you will have no background in reality from which to draw, and only others' manga styles to draw from.

Starting from square one with any "Learn to Draw Manga" books is a terrible idea. Because you'd have no background in realism or anything else, you would only be able to learn to draw manga in the manner that the book's author does, and there are many, many, many different styles and techniques to drawing manga.

Study reality. Study perspective, study anatomy, study structure, study lighting, etc.

[Anime Forum]

If you want to learn how to draw anything, the first place you want to start is with drawing reality. If you can draw reality, you can draw anything (provided you have the imagination to do so). This is where any and all great artists start, no matter what type of illustration they do: real illustration, American cartoons, American comics, or Japanese manga.

Going headstrong straight into trying to draw manga will limit you incredibly, as you will have no background in reality from which to draw, and only others' manga styles to draw from.

Starting from square one with any "Learn to Draw Manga" books is a terrible idea. Because you'd have no background in realism or anything else, you would only be able to learn to draw manga in the manner that the book's author does, and there are many, many, many different styles and techniques to drawing manga.

Study reality. Study perspective, study anatomy, study structure, study lighting, etc.

I second this. Being able to draw reality will aid you into drawing anime. Also starting with something simple may also help a lot.

I would start off drawing "JigglyPuff" and then move on to someone like "Guldo" from Dragon Ball Z.

Once you've mastered them you can be able to draw higher proportions of anime characters or even draw your own creations.

[Diocletian]

Those "How to Draw Anime" books only show you how to draw big eyed kids with large domes. They don't show you how to draw characters like the ones in Ikigami, jigoku manga, or even Ushi to Tora-like manga.

[Aizen-sama]

hmm thank you everyone,ill start off by learning how to draw real people,man this is gonna take a while,again thanks everyone for the great advice,maybve one day ill get to share my works on AF

[Yuuki Kurosu]

Well, Gjallarhorn has a point, too.
But I think it depends on the person, really.
I drew anime before I drew reality and I can draw about anything.

[Alphabet]

I recommend the The Complete Idiot's Guide to Drawing Manga, Illustrated by John Layman(it's purple with a purple-clothed girl on it), it has some very useful tips in it. If you're going to go to the bookstore, get the ones that give you actual guidelines to drawing your own character, not some crappy "Hey, you can copy my character and do it my way!" I don't particulary like anything from Ben Dunn, since he seems to implant the idea that all girls must be hot and have big boobs. I also recommend "How to Draw Manga, Volume 1 : Compiling Characters." It's the second book I ever got, and it helped me improved a lot.
If you can't get proportions right, buy a small mannequin for hands and body. Doesn't have to be big. It helps with poses and proportions.
If you really want to improve, I suggest reality. Study a bit of anatomy, why muscles bulge out like that, how far the arms/thumbs/hands/limbs can go out, take art classes. Some tutorials are also good on DA, and I wish I could recommend you Mangarevolution, but that site has been down due to money problems and the administrator didn't want everyone to pitch in and donate. *Sigh* I miss Jeri.
ooshy ooshy ooshy

[Skylar1]

As far as actual books go, you might want to check out Manga for Dummies. It's not perfect, but out of all the "how to draw anime" books I've seen, that one is probably my pick.

Drawing in general, my advice would be to start off looking at actual anime images and trying to draw them your self. You learn a lot more that way. I also like what Gjallarhorn suggested, because the thing about drawing realism is that you can make a lot more errors and it will be more difficult to see. It's better to work on getting used to drawing in general.

See, unlike realism, in anime if you draw a line slightly too long, too curved, or too think, you will completely change the image. Which is what makes it so difficult to master.

You mean manga-influenced drawings. Your creations will never be called anime or manga unless they are aimed at a Japanese audience or something amongst those lines like Peepo Choo by Felipe Smith.

Why is it that no one wants their drawings to be called cartoons anymore? Is it taboo? Are cartoons lowbrow?

I think it comes from how western cartoons are percived to be for children, and if they aren't, there's about a 99% chance that [the show] will be lowbrow and crude, and will almost always be in the genre of comedy. I have never seen a western 'cartoon' that had a serious non-comedy story line with well rounded characters and plot.

[Masked Mantis]

Drago art's a pretty good website. Simple guidlines, and tonnes of anime characters.

[Eris]

This youtube channel has a bunch of tutorials you may want to check out.

[Cobra Commander]

I want to do this as well, but I've found that when I draw in general, looking at anatomy has helped me a great deal with shape and proportion. I still suck, though.

I would suggest trying to draw from memory, or using a source on your screen, but don't go exact - try to alter the image, use perspective and imagination.

I believe an art and anatomy book would serve you better than an anime book at this time. Unless all you want to draw is fanart.

[Aizen-sama]

Drago art's a pretty good website. Simple guidlines, and tonnes of anime characters.

i wen tot drago,and i wans impressed so that site is crap to me

again thanks everyone for the new advice

[-Batman-]

Draw from Life. Start with simple things and move on up. This may be boring and something you don't want to draw, but the more you do it and the sooner you start, the sooner you're drawing what you actually wanted to draw.

Practice.
Draw more than an hour a week.

Develop your own style.
Come up with your own style you're comfortable drawing. Trying to mimic everyone else will only equate to one or both of the following.
-You become frustrated because it doesn't look exactly like the image you copied from.
-Some mean asshat on the internet calls you on it.

[Artcell]

I think as well that you should find a book,that's the best way.

[-Batman-]

I think as well that you should find a book,that's the best way.

Actually the best way would be to take classes, so you can have a proffesional and a group of peers tell you what you're doing wrong and how to improve.
But the book is probably the best way to go about it thats cost effective.

=3

[TwiDragon1000]

http://www.youtube.com/user/markcrilley

This user has a lot of tutorials on how to draw anime characters. The guy also makes his own manga

Anyways, you can always go find a book, but I always find audio tuts. to be easier for me.

[Seraphemei]

Three things I can suggest- PRACTICE... practice... PRACTICE!

[Aizen-sama]

yea im not taking classes dnt want to be with more people than i have to,going to high school is enough and i can barely stand those people there ,plus dont have money for classes

[Gjallarhorn]

I think as well that you should find a book,that's the best way.

Learning from a book is the worst possible way.