Draw Your Own Manga: All the Basics

Draw Your Own Manga

by Haruno Nagatomo, Yuriko Tamaki, Francoise White

American Library Association's 2005 Best List - Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers


Ever wanted to draw manga but didn't know where to start?
Ever felt there's something not quite right with your drawing but not sure what?

Draw Your Own All the Basics is the book for you! The textbook of choice at Tokyo Animation College-the leading school for manga artists in Japan, it covers all the basic information you need to get started on drawing manga with clear and easy-to-understand instructions.

* Which materials and tools are essential and how to use them.
* How to draw characters, and what proportions to use for dodies and faces.
* Techniques for creating simple but effective special effects in ink and screen tone.
* Easy-to-follow rules for drawing in different types of perspective.
* How to use photographic material for backgrounds.

Draw Your Own All The Basics also features interviews with two famous mang artists, Takao Yaguchi and Toru Fujisawa, who share their thoughts on the important features of manga and what it takes to become a manga artist.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Manga, Graphic Novels

128 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2003

Reviews

[Gumdai]

The book is amazing in terms of learning about the more traditional way to make manga! The guide starts off by sharing two inspiring interviews from Takao Yaguchi and Tooru Fujisawa, hearing their thoughts on a time long gone was enlightening, and it showed me a side of manga that I hadn't explored myself --- With that being said if you're looking for a more modern take on How to Draw Manga then this may not be the book for you. It's like a sweet little time capsule!

[#KindnessTrioLibrary Librarian]

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[Colette]

Compared to most anime/manga drawing books, this is among the best. Not only does it teach you to draw but it teaches you how to use your tools, how to write a story, and the hand/traditional process of manga making.

[Susan]

Nagatomo employs a Scott McCloud approach by using the art form as a vehicle for explaining itself, complete with manga characters delivering some of the instruction. Also like McCloud's comics-focused books, Nagatomo's offering doesn't hesitate to explore the technical side of the art form. Unfortunately, as a whole the book scurries to cover all the basics without really settling on a specific target audience. Is the author targeting would-be professionals? Hobbyists just exploring for the fun of it? The instruction and information provided feels a little haphazard, while McCloud's straightforward ground-up approach tends to read smoother for real beginners.

What is interesting are the bits on tools and the explanation of creating meshing and tone gradations--something that normally is left out of drawing books focusing purely on recreation. Although some of the detail in this particular book may go over the head of a beginning enthusiast, this could be useful for someone who is already doing a bit of drawing and wants to take it to the next level.

[Chriss]

A good book, overall. I'll be checking it out from the Library again. The entire book is done as a cartoon. So, you get an illustrated guide that makes information quick to find and easy to process.

This is a good book just for comic art and drawing in general. It's also a good read for those of us who are fans of the manga style, as you get a quick overview of what goes into making the art.

I did get the feeling that a little of the ink tool information is a bit dated. But that's just my inexpert, gut reaction to that section.

[Meena]

not so useful for me

[Marian Cazacu]

good