Who here draws manga?

[JuicedUp]

Wait! When I say "who here draws manga", I don't mean fanart, tracings of an artpiece done by an artist you like, or copying an artpiece already drawn by a well-liked artist onto a blank piece of paper. I'm not talking about the millions of signatures, avatars or wallpapers that the thousands of you out there have done.

I'm asking you, do you actually draw a manga, or several mangas? Do you have a manga up on the internet somewhere, ready to read?

If you're out there, introduce yourself. We manga artists love to connect to each other.

If you want to know about me, I've been drawing seriously for only about a year and a half. I have been drawing manga, but it's not ready to be presented to the public yet.

What about you?

[nosfarartu]

well i draw really well when copying a image i find but i cant draw from my head i find it really hard as the ideas in my head are really good but i collaborate with a friend, i talk to him about my ideas and he draws them, we are currently working on a piece now i do majority of the story line while he draws the action etc but the characters are mostly my ideas and my friend will input on whether its a good or bad idea hopefully we shall have it ready soon

[JuicedUp]

A collaboration, huh? Sounds cool. You know, it's nearly impossible to draw exactly what's from your mind, since your brain tends to fixate only on the specifics of the art that you want to draw. Almost none of us, except for the few master artists out there, can draw from our minds completely.

Keep thinking about the plot, the more you think about it the deeper you get into it...this helps you to gather explanations for things happening within the storyline.

You got a friend to help you do the action? Lucky...I gotta do everything myself XD Actually, maybe it's better for you to learn some action poses too, since you've got to convey as much as there is in your mind as possible so that your manga doesn't end up looking unsatisfactory in your eyes.

Good luck ^^

[*~Lily_Gemini~*]

well me and my friend are working on creating a manga...does that count? i also like to draw fanart..im not that good yet, but im trying and thats all that matters. everything looks good for my drawings minus facial expressions..im no good at drawing facial expressions

[JuicedUp]

I'm pretty bad at facial expressions too, but I got some tips for you that might help. First, check out this resource:

http://mangatutorials.com/tut/expressions.htm

It shows you some often-used manga-expressions. Of course, you should also focus on designing your own interesting ones, so that you and your friend's manga can truly be called original.

Second, use the animes and mangas you like as a resource. I mean, those manga artists out there have already gone through many hours of working to get their characters' facial expressions right, so it wouldn't hurt to pull something from them. Just remember that there's a thin line between inspiration and blatant rip-off ^^

Third, make the facial expressions yourself while you are drawing! This helps me a lot in conveying a particular mood to my manga, and I do it all the time! (Except in public, people might stare. O.o;; Seriously, you should try it. I think most people do it involuntarily while they're drawing expressions anyway.

Hope that helped you and your friend some. ^^

[*~Lily_Gemini~*]

yeah. i dont do the drawing for the manga, i write the story, she draws it. she rocks, anyways....yeah, thanks for the suggestions. also, yeah i have a mirrior in my room so i do my own facial expressions in the mirrior then draw it on my charecter in manga style.

[JuicedUp]

Yeah, mirrors definitely help too. I forgot to mention that. Can I see your friend's art?

[*~Lily_Gemini~*]

if she ever puts it up. lol

[JuicedUp]

Does she have any problems with drawing things? Like bodies or fingers?

[*~Lily_Gemini~*]

nope....she just doesnt wanna put it up

[JuicedUp]

She probably should when she feels it's ready. If it's good enough it might get a lot of attention.

[Gjallarhorn]

I've been drawing in a manga style for as far back as I can remember. Though, it's mostly been in single illustration or stand alone drawings, without action or movement or anything. About 6 months ago I really began feeling comfortable with where I am in the development of my own manga style to begin drawing manga.

Thus far what I've done is just allowing myself to be able to adapt the manga, and adjusting to the different poses characters have have, as well as action, various points of view, and movement. Organizing panels was a big problem at first, so that's what I've really been working on.

Thus far I don't think I'm ready to show off any scenes or sequences of manga, as I really want to get it nicely polished, but my development is coming along steadily. I'll probably post a single page or something in my FanArt thread some time. I have a few pictures I've taken with a camera of my sketch pad with a few pages of manga up in my blog, but that's all that I'm willing to share with others at this point.

[Buruku]

I'm not very good, but when I think of a story I like I try to draw it...and I've tried drawing some manga before.

I can do an ok job if I spend a very long time on one panel. Detail goes a long way.

But I just do it for fun, nothing serious.

[Ari_86]

Ive draw manga yes but im not ready to show it either..People will laugh if they saw mine. Even my friends laugh... >.>

[JuicedUp]

You know guys, even most of the manga artists we consider great will honestly think they are not good enough, just because there is always endless room for improvement.

So just because you think you are not good enough does not mean you shouldn't post your art at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure that a number of us here are mature enough to tell you what you're doing wrong in your art without attempting to bruise your ego. You can improve much faster if people tell you what your mistakes are.

Obviously, critiquing helps, but cruel flaming is a different story.

[Balance]

I draw manga as well. I kind of take styles from different artists, and try to combine them with others, and end up creating somewhat my own style. The only problem is that I'm not that great at designing, so it takes a long time to decide what the character is going to wear. Also, I'm still have a hard time getting the body down. However it could be because I'm not practicing enough. Well, until I keep practicing, I'll probably become more confident, and end up making a comic, if I can.

[Elphaba]

i try to draw but i gave up because it looks nothing llike manga. i am into singing.

[Kawairashii hikari]

i love to draw manga i draw my own characters with their own characteristics and such things...i wonder could i put one up??...hm i'll try but anyway yea i do...yea look at my pics i have one up she's one of my fav characters that i draw

[pyre]

Not yet...but I am planning to do a oneshot for a project at school. Having problems with the shading and the backgrounds though...and I don't get to meet with my sensei (who is the reason I've improved...though my drawing is not much now, it was worse before) anymore because of location problems...so I really need help. Ideas for stories come at the drop of a hat, though.

Here are samples of what I can do. Critiques appreciated ^^.

[JuicedUp]

DarkBalance: I also take styles from various artists and combine them, adding my own perks into the mix to create something I really like. If you have a hard time getting the human body down, you should take a look the whole slew of tutorials at DeviantArt...the artists there can range from amateur to professional and I'm sure their tutorials will help. Also, as for trouble designing clothes to wear, I have the exact same problem ^_^. Just grab a fashion magazine somewhere and look through it to get ideas, that's what I do. Don't be afraid to combine clothes to create an interesting look. Keep trying ^^

Nanne Grönvall: I could only draw stick figures less than a year ago. Don't be so down on yourself.

Pyre: Ooh! Oneshot! 8D It's also great that your story ideas come so naturally. Be thankful for that gift; there are so many people in this world who don't have it. I took a look at your artpieces:

http://www.animeforum.com/vbimghost....mg&imgid=18230
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You draw hands pretty nice, and you did a great job mingling that hand with the hair; when I tried doing that once I couldn't for some reason.

You shouldn't draw shoulders so angular; it makes them look one-dimensional. Instead, try to think in the 3rd dimension to make your art seem more lifelike.

The fold on the character's left arm needs work. If you study your creases in your clothes when you pull up your forearm, the creases in the fold all sprout from the inside part of the arm (that part is facing your chest when your arm drops down fully). I hope you understood that part O.o Ask me if you didn't get what I meant.

Same with pants folds; you have to remember that gravity drags drooping, loose objects downwards, so draw folds that show this. Since there are legs in the pants, show creases going out and downwards from where the outer edges of the leg should be but aren't showing.

Alright, about the torso. The chest part of clothes usually droop down, especially when the clothes a character is wearing are very loose. For chest folds, they are kind of like U or V shapes. I have trouble doing these folds too, but I know they are usually originating from the side of the torso, or from the shoulders down in wrinkles if the character's arms are raised. This is hard to explain, sorry ^^;;;

You have some nice shading going on there. Remember that some shadows are going to be darker than others.

You did a real nice job with the chains. Yes, I agree that they're annoying to draw too, but I'm glad you kept the shape mostly consistent.

Lastly, the feet are kinda small in comparison to the face, did you notice? O.o;;; Here, imagine an average-sized guy kicks you in the face...no seriously, imagine it. If he kicked you in the very center, the shoe would most likely be covering almost all of it. Uh, that's the tactic I use to draw feet relatively right. Tell me if you discover a better, more reliable way. ^^;;;

You got potential, my friend.

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http://www.animeforum.com/vbimghost....mg&imgid=18229
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Nice eye style. I liked how you kept the eyes relatively the same size and level. ^^

The chin is a bit off center. Oh well. >P

Hmmm...you seem to have a better and more in-depth understanding of female anatomy than me, somehow. But I'm still getting the feeling that Kunoichi's hips should be a bit wider than her bust. That's what I remember from the last time I saw a template for drawing women.

Kunoichi's arm joints are a bit too high. The correct level should be alongside the belly button. And since she's lifting her left arm up, naturally her left shoulder should raise a bit.

You got damn more skill at drawing flowing hair than me. >.< I'm not very good at that. Teach me someday? >P

The shading was very good on this one. Keep it up. ^^

The billowing cape was drawn very well. I have to keep looking at this artpiece. How did you make it so flowing?

Overall, this one was better than the previous one, and both are very nice.
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Where did you learn to draw flowing hair? I seriously need to learn how to do that. ^^ I'd love to see more of your art, especially your oneshot when you're ready to show it.

Rem: I don't think anyone hates the term "comic book"...it's more like we don't feel like using it.

[sa5m]

Wow, I've had soo many manga story ideas. xD But I was never a good enough artist to actually draw it through. I think I'll wait until I'm older, with more experience in the art field.

I HAVE started a couple mangas though, but from poor confidence and lack of commitment, I've never finished them. ^^; But I think I have great story ideas. =D I think that someday, I'll probably hire an illustrator to draw my manga. xD


My art thread --> http://www.animeforum.com/showthread.php?t=63649 (Please critique!)

[pyre]

Pyre: Ooh! Oneshot! 8D It's also great that your story ideas come so naturally. Be thankful for that gift; there are so many people in this world who don't have it.

Hahah, thanks. It has a downside, though. I take a walk in the street and get ideas left and right, but when it comes time to write down the idea I find out I've forgotten what it was. Eheh. So the only ideas that I remember are those I get when I'm anywhere near a paper and pen. ^^

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You draw hands pretty nice, and you did a great job mingling that hand with the hair; when I tried doing that once I couldn't for some reason.

Thanks! I have a mirror at my desk (for when I remove my contact lenses, but it's very useful for when I draw, too ^^) and so I did the hand-in-hair myself, staring at how the hair and hand were and feeling how the hair feels between the fingers, and then I just drew it down (of course I fixed the hair up a bit). Mirrors are so handy.

You shouldn't draw shoulders so angular; it makes them look one-dimensional. Instead, try to think in the 3rd dimension to make your art seem more lifelike.

Okie, okie! Will do!

The fold on the character's left arm needs work. If you study your creases in your clothes when you pull up your forearm, the creases in the fold all sprout from the inside part of the arm (that part is facing your chest when your arm drops down fully). I hope you understood that part O.o Ask me if you didn't get what I meant.

I think I understand. ^^ Heheh, I was forever having problems with the clothes' folds, eheh. I'll try to remember that.

Same with pants folds; you have to remember that gravity drags drooping, loose objects downwards, so draw folds that show this. Since there are legs in the pants, show creases going out and downwards from where the outer edges of the leg should be but aren't showing.

Aaaahhh...

Alright, about the torso. The chest part of clothes usually droop down, especially when the clothes a character is wearing are very loose. For chest folds, they are kind of like U or V shapes. I have trouble doing these folds too, but I know they are usually originating from the side of the torso, or from the shoulders down in wrinkles if the character's arms are raised. This is hard to explain, sorry ^^;;;

Aaah. I've never noticed those U or V folds, but now that you mention it...

You have some nice shading going on there. Remember that some shadows are going to be darker than others.

Thanks! I'll try to remember that...shading is one of drawing's plagues on me...I have a hard time with lighting.

You did a real nice job with the chains. Yes, I agree that they're annoying to draw too, but I'm glad you kept the shape mostly consistent.

Hahah, yep, chains are a trial. There were times here when I'd get tired of the chains and so I'd leave the drawing alone for a couple of minutes so my hand would stop with the weird spasms I get when I draw elements repeatedly or when I'm writing too fast.

Lastly, the feet are kinda small in comparison to the face, did you notice? O.o;;; Here, imagine an average-sized guy kicks you in the face...no seriously, imagine it. If he kicked you in the very center, the shoe would most likely be covering almost all of it. Uh, that's the tactic I use to draw feet relatively right. Tell me if you discover a better, more reliable way. ^^;;;

Yep, I did notice, but unfortunately only after I had finished inking (oh the trouble one gets when one stares at a drawing for too long...). Hahah, that is one great tactic you have. Yep, I'll definitely remember that. Thanks! ^^

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Nice eye style. I liked how you kept the eyes relatively the same size and level. ^^

Heheh, I was inspired by Peacemaker Kurogane's Yamazaki Susumu. It was during one of those commercial breaks, before they go on to the break they show a picture of a character, right? I liked Yamazaki's pose and decided I wanted to draw it. ^^

The chin is a bit off center. Oh well. >P

I have problems with proportion too...and I notice all my mistakes right after inking.

Hmmm...you seem to have a better and more in-depth understanding of female anatomy than me, somehow. But I'm still getting the feeling that Kunoichi's hips should be a bit wider than her bust. That's what I remember from the last time I saw a template for drawing women.

Heheh, maybe because I look at people a lot...I practically stare. Not out of any, erm, weird intentions, you hear. And yes, those too-narrow hips was something I also noticed only after inking. I'll try to review my drawings better before inking.

Kunoichi's arm joints are a bit too high. The correct level should be alongside the belly button. And since she's lifting her left arm up, naturally her left shoulder should raise a bit.

OKie, okie...

You got damn more skill at drawing flowing hair than me. >.< I'm not very good at that. Teach me someday? >P

I dunno, maybe it's 'coz I had long hair for about sixteen years (it's just recently I finally got it cut short; Mom wouldn't let me before ^^) and it was forever getting in my eyes. And my hair is the Asian type; dark and straight and easily influenced by wind.

Maybe you could try looking at people with Asian hair (because it's the anime hair, you see) like un-obviously following people walking in the street and watching how the hair goes. And draw lines, curving lines. Use a light hand and just let it flow. ^^

The shading was very good on this one. Keep it up. ^^

Thank'ee, thank'ee. ^^

The billowing cape was drawn very well. I have to keep looking at this artpiece. How did you make it so flowing?

I draw lines a lot...curving, flowing scribbles. Maybe that helped? I'm afraid I can't say very definitely...I stare closely at scenes in anime where cloth and hair are blown by wind, and I guess maybe that's how I got it...

Overall, this one was better than the previous one, and both are very nice.
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Where did you learn to draw flowing hair? I seriously need to learn how to do that. ^^ I'd love to see more of your art, especially your oneshot when you're ready to show it.

Thanks much for your critiquing! It really helps! I never could get good critiques from my friends and family (Mom would say it was beautiful, no matter what the drawing was, even saying one time that I drew better than Kubo Tite. -_- That didn't help, really. And my friends would only say that "it's nice". -_-) so I really appreciate your help! ^^ I shall try my best with the oneshot! ^^

[JuicedUp]

I dunno, maybe it's 'coz I had long hair for about sixteen years (it's just recently I finally got it cut short; Mom wouldn't let me before ^^) and it was forever getting in my eyes. And my hair is the Asian type; dark and straight and easily influenced by wind.

Maybe you could try looking at people with Asian hair (because it's the anime hair, you see) like un-obviously following people walking in the street and watching how the hair goes. And draw lines, curving lines. Use a light hand and just let it flow. ^^

I draw lines a lot...curving, flowing scribbles. Maybe that helped? I'm afraid I can't say very definitely...I stare closely at scenes in anime where cloth and hair are blown by wind, and I guess maybe that's how I got it...

Thanks much for your critiquing! It really helps! I never could get good critiques from my friends and family (Mom would say it was beautiful, no matter what the drawing was, even saying one time that I drew better than Kubo Tite. -_- That didn't help, really. And my friends would only say that "it's nice". -_-) so I really appreciate your help! ^^ I shall try my best with the oneshot! ^^

Yeah, maybe that's the key - drawing curving, flowing scribbles. I usually tend to draw in straight sketch lines, then use them to make a curve. Also, since I get a lot of Chinese magazines featuring celebrities in my mail (my brother's babysitter loves to read them for some reason) I get a lot of pictures of flowing hair. I tried to duplicate some of the pictures but the results were disastrous. @_@ Flowing clothes I don't need as much help with, but the hair I really need to get down. Thanks for your help.

Oh, and no problem. If you ever need critiques on future artwork, just PM me.

Anyways, on another note...I just finished drawing this yesterday. It was a request from a friend, so I worked really hard on it.

Critiques are appreciated from anyone who's willing to teach me something without putting me down.

[小美ドクロchan]

*raises hand very high* MEEEEEEEE!! I'm currently working on three major projects-two are original and one is a Full Moon doujinshi spin-off. I LOVE to draw manga. It's what I want to do for a living. They aren't online yet but I want to post them soon.

[JuicedUp]

*raises hand very high* MEEEEEEEE!! I'm currently working on three major projects-two are original and one is a Full Moon doujinshi spin-off. I LOVE to draw manga. It's what I want to do for a living. They aren't online yet but I want to post them soon.

You draw manga for a living?! *dies* Wow, you're lucky. How much time do you devote to your projects?