Samantha Whitten - You Can Draw Manga Chibi Characters, Critters & Scenes: A step-by-step guide for learning to draw cute and colorful manga chibis and critters

CHARACTERS,
CRITTERS & SCENES

A step-by-step guide for learning to draw cute and colorful manga chibis and critters

Samantha Whitten & Jeannie Lee

2020 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

Artwork 2012 Samantha Whitten, except illustration (light box) on page 2004, 2010 Walter Foster Publishing. Additional artwork 2012 Jeannie Lee.

First published in 2020 by Walter Foster Jr., an imprint of The Quarto Group.

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Digital edition: 978-1-63322-865-8
Softcover edition: 978-1-63322-864-1

Digital edition published in 2020

You know them wellyoure reading your favorite manga or watching an anime and suddenly a chibi appears. The word chibi (pronounced chee-bee) means little in Japanese. Chibis are supercute caricatures of people or animals that have been shrunken and squashed into funny, childlike creatures with big heads, stubby proportions, and silly expressions. In this book, youll learn to draw all sorts of chibis. Youll also discover how to chibify props, furniture, and other background elements. And because companion critters are a common theme in anime and manga, youll also learn to transform common animal friends into chibis. So what are you waiting for? A world of adorable chibis awaits! In the name of cuteness, lets dive in and get started!

The artwork in this book was drawn and colored on a computer, but dont worry if youre not set up for that. You can create all of the projects featured in this book with traditional media, such as pencils, colored pencils, pens, crayons, and paints. Below are the supplies you may want to have handy to get started.

PAPER Sketchpads and inexpensive printer paper are great for working out your ideas. Tracing paper is useful for tracing figures and creating a clean version of a sketch using a light box. Finally, cardstock is sturdier than thinner printer paper, which makes it ideal for drawing on repeatedly or for heavy-duty artwork.

BLACK FINE-LINE MARKER Use a black fine-line marker to tighten your lines and add the finishing touch to your final color artwork.

PENCILS Pencil lead, or graphite, varies in darkness and hardness. Pencils with a number and an H have harder graphite, which marks paper more lightly. Pencils with a number and a B mean the graphite is softer and looks darker on paper. We recommend H or HB pencils (HB pencils are equivalent to No. 2 pencils) for sketching exercises. In general, use harder pencils (H) for lighter, thinner lines. Use softer pencils (B) for bolder, thicker lines.

ERASERS A vinyl eraser and a kneaded eraser are both good to have on hand. A vinyl eraser is white and rubbery; its softer and gentler on paper than a pink eraser. A kneaded eraser is like putty in that you can mold it into shapes to erase small areas. You can also gently blot a sketch with a kneaded eraser to lighten the artwork.

ART MARKERS Art markers are perfect for adding bold, vibrant color to your artwork. They are great for shading and laying down large areas of color.

PENS Different inks work well for coloring. When buying pens, look for waterproof or archival ink printed on the side of the pen. Look for pens that release ink consistently for inking line art over sketches.

COLORED PENCILS Colored pencils layer over each other easily. They are user-friendly, and some are even erasable!

PAINTS Have fun exploring acrylic, watercolor, or good old-fashioned poster paint. Make sure to research what types of paper work well with each paint.

HOW TO USE A LIGHT BOX

As its name suggests, a light box is a compact box with a transparent top and light inside. The light illuminates papers placed on top, allowing dark lines to show through for easy tracing. Simply tape your rough drawing on the surface of the light box. Place a clean sheet of paper over your original sketch and turn the box on. The light illuminates the drawing underneath and will help you accurately trace the lines onto the new sheet of paper. You can also create a similar effect by placing a lamp under a glass table or taping your sketch and drawing paper to a clear glass window and using natural light.