Product Review

BRING YOUR IMAGINATION TO LIFE

In her second manga book, best-selling author J.C. Amberlyn focuses on favorite manga archetype characters, with a fun and lively how-to-draw book aimed at beginners. Every genre of manga has its typical characters—plucky hero and heroine; school boys and girls; funny friend/sidekick; serious warrior; young innocent; bishounen; genki girls; chibis; chibi animals; cat girls/cat boys; magical girls; adorable animals; strong/scary animals; gothic characters; fantasy characters—and they are all here along with the step-by-step drawing instructions needed to give even beginners the direction they need to create the favorite characters they can’t get enough of. A final chapter on backgrounds, scenery, and the environment will further give readers the information they need to pull everything together and create their own manga characters and the worlds they live in. Includes 23 step-by-step demonstrations and exercises.

J.C. Amberlyn takes you through everything you need to know to create your favorite manga characters from Japanese comics or design your own.

INCLUDES IN-DEPTH INSTRUCTION ON:

INTRODUCTION
What Is a Character * Creating a Manga Character * This Book * Materials and Supplies

CHARACTER TYPES
Manga Character Archetypes and Story Genres * Manga Character Types * Some Common Terms and Color Associations

DRAWING THE HEAD AND FACE
Human Heads and Faces * Noses, Ears, and Mouths * Eyes * Hair * Animals

EXPRESSIONS
Emotions * Accessories * Exaggerating Features * Using Fur, Feathers, and Scales * Perspective * Animal Expressions * Dragons

BODIES AND GESTURES
Anatomy of a Chibi, Child, Woman, and Man * Gestures * Posture, Angles, and Character Appeal * Clothing and Accessories * Wings * Animal Bodies

SETTINGS, SCENES, AND SAMPLES
Props * Character Design Examples * Silhouettes * Scenes * Character Sheets