General Drawing Advice?

[KatanaSwordfish]

Hi there, this is my first post here and i was wondering if anyone could help me out with some advice on getting into drawing manga.

Specifically, i have a little bit of experience with drawing but im not really very good. I own a few books on drawing manga and while they have helped, they aren't exactly a solution for what im interested in achieving. The biggest reason those books and some tutorials aren't very helpful is that they kind of seem to train people to draw in the same generic manga style, when in fact, everyone that likes manga and anime tends to like different styles and each artist/group/company has a certain style to them that is unique.

I also recognize that over time, people tend to develop their own unique style of drawing. And in the long run, i know most artists don't want to (nor should they) be a 'clone' of whoever their inspirations are. - I guess i should mention that one of my favorite anime studios is GAINAX, and i really really like both their design style and animation style. (Although, i have a variety of tastes when it comes to the anime/manga i like, from gritty and 'realistic', to wierd and cartoony) GAINAX tends to ooze a certain cartoony style and flare that i really appreciate.

What is the best way to learn to draw in a certain style? Im just wondering basically what everyone out there does to help them learn specific styles of manga drawing...

I guess my basic point is: Because manga is so diverse in style and content, and because it seems like most books and tutorials are sometimes very generic, it can be very hard to learn to draw in a style that appeals more to your particular taste. Its sort of like if you wanted to learn how to play jazz ballads on guitar, but every teacher you went to only played classic rock (or the other way around)- Its not that one style is inherently better than the other, its just that they really are quite different when it comes to the finished product.

So, for those of you who have learned to draw in a less 'traditional' manga style, how did you get to that point? Did you try to copy a bunch of frames or characters from your favorite manga or anime and eventually get used to drawing in that sort of style? - Sorry for the long-winded post, and thanks for reading. =)

[cassiesheepgirl]

Hi,

Well, the first bit of advise I'd give on drawing is to draw regularly. Not necessarily just in manag/anime style. Try drawing from observation, especially drawing people (but NOT in manga style). Just try drawing people as you see them, get a blank sketchbook and fill it. I suggest this because even though it's not in manga style it can help get you used to the proportions of the body, curve of the spine, various angles and curves. This will help a lot when drawing your own stuff since you have an idea of how the body SHOULD look.

As for actually drawing in manga style, I'd advise taking images from teh style of anime or manga that you like and drawing them. Do a direct copy of the images rather than taking the characters and putting them in your own poses etc. Like drawing real life people, this helps get you into the feel of drawing in that style.

Once you get used to that sort of style, maybe try creating your own character, or a character from a different style of anime or manga and attempt to draw it in that style. Alternatively if you want to develop your own style, continue trying more direct copies of images but add your own little twist to it.

Basically the best advise I can give is to keep drawing. I've personally found that being out of practice with your drawing does make a difference and the quality suffers. (I'm trying to get back to the point I was drawing wise a couple of years ago, though I've been a bit lazy of late, so that's not really helping. >.<)

Anyway, I hope this made some kind of sense, and good luck! :D

[EternalWinds]

well my advise is to do a bunch a blind contours on real people and random stuff than do the same on the manga u was influenced by. Doing a couple of quick sketches might help too. and once you get comfortable try drawing regularly by experimenting from what you drawn. Your drawings will look horrible for a long time, and you probably will get discouraged, but its really the only way (that I know of, somebody might have a better method) to get the drawing style you like
you can copy a bunch a things as the previous post said, but I found the learning curve to be alot harder than the blind contours. Thats just me tho, cassie's post might be valuable to you. Just dont stop drawing.

[KatanaSwordfish]

Thanks a lot for the great advice. =) - I think you both raised great points and i'll definitely try those things out, especially trying to hone my non-manga drawing skills.

here is a drawing i did of a cool scene from FLCL, and the scene that i was basing it off of:

[cassiesheepgirl]

Pretty good sketches. Looking critically with the first image there are a few things that are in slightly the wrong place, (eg. the girl in the shot is a bit closer to the leg than in your drawing) and there are a few sizings and angles that are a little off. Not like, size of people so much, but like the width of an arm, and the boys forehead should be a little more pronounced. But it's a very good start! The girl is very nicely done, and you have gotten the proportions of the body down to a tee, and with a fairly difficult perspective, definately very good!

You seem to have gotten the folds of the fabric on the clothing down quite well (something that I always struggle with unless directly copying but I'm getting better). Also I really like the the way you've drawn the pocket on teh front of the jacket (a strange thing to like I know). Faces are well drawn as well.

Keep at it :D

And to put images in a spoiler tag use the following code - but without the spaces:

[ spoiler] content here [ /spoiler]

:)

[KatanaSwordfish]

Thanks for the feedback. (helpful and speedy too, haha.)

Looking critically with the first image there are a few things that are in slightly the wrong place, (eg. the girl in the shot is a bit closer to the leg than in your drawing) and there are a few sizings and angles that are a little off. Not like, size of people so much, but like the width of an arm, and the boys forehead should be a little more pronounced.

I noticed that about the drawing too. I sort of made a bunch of tiny mistakes as far as where things should be placed. Like the robot's leg being much farther out than the origional, as well is his head being much more exposed (i had to be a little inventive by drawing the bottom of his face that you can't see on the original picture.) - The bottom jaw thing coming out of the robot is too small compared to the top jaw, and the robots hand it really screwed up, lol. I guess the hard part is figuring this type of stuff out before i finish the drawing. heh.

Anyway, thanks again for the all the help (and showing me the spoiler tag). =)

[EvilMewMew]

General advice? Ok. :3

Learn drawing in realism - study anatomy, perspective, lightning ant etc.
Since manga/anime style is just really stylized realism. :D

Cheers.