Manga originated in Japan.
Anime is similar to manga art. It is a specific type of stylized cartoon that dates back to as early as the 12th Century. Manga means "lax, referring to the loose style of drawing. Modern anime drawings are quite distinctive. Characters are created through a series of sharp black lines and have simplistic features, particularly large, open eyes. Learn to draw anime art by copying different features and aspects of characters.
Instructions
1. Read and research different illustrators of anime art. Flick through magazines and look at the different characters. Understand what anime art looks like so you can make your own.
2. Select the correct tools to draw anime art. The crisp black lines are best drawn with a cartridge pen. Some artists also use a nib-and-holder inkwell pen. As a beginner, use a tone kit. This consists of a cutting mat, knife and plastic adhesive sheets. This is used to shade the drawings without the aid of digital equipment.
3. Practice drawing one aspect of the anime character at a time. Begin with eyes first, as these are a focal part of the drawing. Draw a circle with a flattened bottom for the pupil, then draw a large circle inside it. Add the eyebrow. Sketch male anime with thinner eyebrows than females.
4. Experiment with drawing hands. Anime hands are simple and consist of little detail. Start by outlining the character's hand. Use one line to do this, only adding a small curved oval shape for the fingernail.
5. Create different styles of clothing using folds, creasing and shading to change the dimensions of the outfit. Construct each piece with a basic outline, then add a series of straight and curved lines in the place where the clothing would naturally fall. Imagine where the clothing would be pulled or stretched on a real person, and translate this into the drawing to make it look realistic.
6. Continue to repeat the drawing exercises. Pay attention to one aspect of the character at a time until you feel drawing a complete person. Test your skills by drawing the same character but in different positions.
7. Color in the drawing with copic markers. This type of pen is available in many colors and is unique because it has a double-nib. The colors blend cleanly and easily, giving the anime artwork a professional appearance.
8. Use the tone kit to shade the picture. Trace the shape of the shadow that is to be shaded on the area onto a separate piece of paper. Place a sheet of adhesive plastic on top of it, and cut out the shape with a knife on the matting. Then, use this as a stencil to add shading to the drawing.
