Wednesday, September 7th, 2011 at 7:01 pm

what are the key elements to drawing anime/manga cartoons?
i need help on drawing the body figures and stuff i mean i can draw fine i guess but it always seems like there’s a problem either the body is outta wack or the hair isn’t right but there’s just something wrong with it i’m great at drawing skulls, flames, roses, bat wings, and stuff like that but other things just dont seem right
here is a link to one of my drawings, it’s chibi but it’s still anime i guess lol
http://www.myyearbook.com/?mysession=cmVnaXN0cmF0aW9uX3ZpZXdpbWFnZWNvbW1lbnRzJnBpY2lkPTQ1NzU2MjMwJnVzZXJpZD00NTY4OTQy
Do you draw straight off the bat or do you plan your image out first? Do you dive straight in, drawing all the detail in as you go? This technique is fine for people who are experienced at drawing manga, but for those less skilled, it’s generally a good idea to plan it out.
Instead of drawing full detail, block in the basic shape of the figure. Look at any manga tutorial, and most will tell you the same thing. Use an oval for the head, a box for the torso, cylinders for arms and legs, etc. This way you can see whether the posture is off or something doesn’t look right. Check proportions as well – 6-8 heads usually fit into a body. Check actual photographs if the proportions don’t look right (I know this is supposed to be a more cartoony style, but most mangakas figures are generally in proportion, and manga artists often use reference, just like any other artist).
Once you’ve got an accurate looking drawing, you can focus on the fun/hard stuff! For hair, I would say look at other examples of manga and see how they do it, then use that knowledge to influence what you’re trying to do. If it’s a difficult hairstyle (such as a fancy hairdo or curly hair) look at real life photographs/reference as well. Clothes can be very difficult if you don’t know how they hang. Again, reference is your friend. There’s no quick fix for drawing clothes and the wrinkles they create, all it takes is practice.
Also, being good at drawing SOME things doesn’t necessarily make you better at drawing other things. For example, I’m v. good at figures, but sit me down in front of a fancy building and I fall to pieces :] Practice makes perfect!
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