Thierry Beaudenon - Fast Draw Manga Challenge: 50+ Step-by-Step Characters and Creatures

www.IMPACTUniverse.com CHAPTER 1
Manga CHAPTER 2
Chibi Manga CHAPTER 3
Mangamon In this book, youll learn a fast, simple method for drawing your favorite manga characters. This method has eight steps: Identify the foundations and forms. Sketch the body. Outline the appendages and give them dimension. Refine the general form and the head. Clean up the sketch lines and add details.

Finalize the design. Trace the sketch lines with ink. Add color. So grab your pencils and have fun drawing!

Manga literally translates to impulsive little drawings, and is a word that defines Japanese comics as a whole. Manga is a universe without limits; it covers all themes, from simple adolescent love stories to science fiction dramas, heroic fantasies and galactic Westerns. There are several genres of manga: shojo (stories for young girls), shonen (stories for young boys), josei (stories for women), seinen (stories for men), fantastical tales, comedies, adventures with robots inspired by samurai and many more.

In the first part of this book, you will learn to create characters that fit these different universes. The wide variety of options will help you progress in your drawing practice and allow you to discover the complex universe of manga.

In general, manga heroes have young, androgynous faces. Their eyes often appear European and are unnaturally large; the form is usually round, reinforcing the cute baby-faced look. To draw a face, begin with a circle and add a triangular form to position the chin. The eyes are ovals or circles surrounded by long black eyelashes, and the nose is tiny like a comma.

The mouth is reduced to one stroke. The hair can take many shapes: messy, sleek or curly. Take inspiration for the hair from the starry shape of sea urchins or from the flowing manes of horses.

Manga characters have a wide range of expressions; they go from laughing in one frame to tears in the next! This may seem extreme, but their reactions are meant to reflect the mood of the moment. Dont hesitate to exaggeratemanga fans love that! Below, you will notice the importance of the eyes, through which all emotions are conveyed. Their immense eyes are like pearls, an impression reinforced by the black eyelashes and the large, watery reflections.

As for the mouth, its small when the expression is neutral, but it can occupy half of the face when used to express an intense emotion.

A manga characters haircut is very important: It gives personality to the character and makes them easy to identify. It can be sleek or curly, long or spiky. Whatever the style, the manga hero always appears to have just come from a hair salon. A smart little girl will look sleek and glowing with long locks. Boys haircuts are often inspired by nature. Boys haircuts are often inspired by nature.

Their haircuts might take the form of a sunflower, a hedgehog, a sun or even incandescent flames. Current street fashion will have a large influence on style.

Knee high to a grasshopper, these young characters are mischievous or lovable. Their heads are usually disproportionately large in relation to the body; this reinforces the infantile nature of the character. Their adventures usually take place at school or in a marvelous universe populated with strange creatures. These children are still very young, but theyre taller and often live out fantastic adventures involving games (cards, etc.) or set in futuristic worlds. These children are still very young, but theyre taller and often live out fantastic adventures involving games (cards, etc.) or set in futuristic worlds.

Sometimes, they accompany their older siblings on adventures.

Pre-adolescent characters have elongated bodies, and they still appear slight. The head and torso represent about one third of the entire body for a girl and about half for a boy. One often finds pre-adolescent characters in a school setting living out hectic adventures. They might also pilot robots or super-fast motorcycles! Girls often play a fairy or a good witch, though some of them carry powerful gear. Finally, theyre grown! Using the head as a reference, one can divide the body into about six parts.

At this point in life, they gain confidence and their bodies start to change shape. These characters experience feelings of love, play sports (tennis, racing, etc.) and attend classes. They can be heroes in extraordinary futuristic stories or young samurai in the distant past.

These characters are in good physical shape! The body is enlarged, the muscles are prominent and the expression is hardened or more seductive. These heroes have no limits; they can do anything. The boys and the girls are ready to fight as space knights, karate experts, police officers or race car drivers.

The appeal of the adventure will lead them to the limits of the universe. In short, they are afraid of nothing!