13 answers
Pearl
Student
India
22
Questions
Asked
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What advice would you give to an intermediate-level manga artist What should they draw daily to improve their art??
Right now, I feel stuck and it seems like my art isn't improving. I love to draw, but I can't decide what to draw every day. I would really appreciate your advice. Thank you.
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13 answers
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity => Self-Actualization.
6230
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Hello Pearl,
Advice for an Intermediate-Level Manga Artist:
Improving as an artist, especially in the realm of manga, requires consistent practice and dedication. Here are some tips and suggestions on what you can draw daily to enhance your skills:
Anatomy Studies: Understanding human anatomy is crucial for creating dynamic and realistic characters. Practice drawing different body parts, gestures, and poses to improve your figure drawing skills.
Character Design: Experiment with creating diverse characters with unique features, personalities, and styles. Develop a range of character designs to expand your creative abilities.
Backgrounds and Settings: Don’t overlook the importance of backgrounds in storytelling. Practice drawing various environments such as landscapes, interiors, and cityscapes to enhance the overall visual storytelling in your manga.
Gesture Drawing: Engage in quick gesture drawing exercises to capture movement and fluidity in your artwork. This can help you convey action scenes more effectively in your manga panels.
Storytelling through Panels: Work on creating storyboard sequences to practice visual storytelling. Focus on panel composition, pacing, and transitions to improve the narrative flow in your manga.
Color Theory: Experiment with different color schemes and learn how colors can evoke emotions and set the mood in your artwork. Practice coloring both digitally and traditionally to broaden your skill set.
Study Other Artists: Analyze the work of established manga artists that you admire. Study their techniques, compositions, and storytelling methods to gain insights that can inspire your own artistic growth.
Feedback and Critique: Seek feedback from peers, mentors, or online art communities to receive constructive criticism on your work. Constructive feedback can help you identify areas for improvement and refine your artistic style.
Consistent Practice: Set aside dedicated time each day to draw consistently. Whether it’s sketching in a sketchbook or working digitally, regular practice is key to honing your skills as a manga artist.
Explore Different Styles: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different art styles outside of manga. Drawing inspiration from various art forms can enrich your artistic repertoire and bring new perspectives to your manga creations.
Remember that progress takes time, so be patient with yourself as you continue to develop as an artist. Stay motivated, stay curious, and keep pushing yourself creatively to reach new heights in your manga artistry.
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used:
Manga University Campus Store
Tokyo Otaku Mode
Clip Studio Paint Tutorials
God Bless You,
JC.
Advice for an Intermediate-Level Manga Artist:
Improving as an artist, especially in the realm of manga, requires consistent practice and dedication. Here are some tips and suggestions on what you can draw daily to enhance your skills:
Anatomy Studies: Understanding human anatomy is crucial for creating dynamic and realistic characters. Practice drawing different body parts, gestures, and poses to improve your figure drawing skills.
Character Design: Experiment with creating diverse characters with unique features, personalities, and styles. Develop a range of character designs to expand your creative abilities.
Backgrounds and Settings: Don’t overlook the importance of backgrounds in storytelling. Practice drawing various environments such as landscapes, interiors, and cityscapes to enhance the overall visual storytelling in your manga.
Gesture Drawing: Engage in quick gesture drawing exercises to capture movement and fluidity in your artwork. This can help you convey action scenes more effectively in your manga panels.
Storytelling through Panels: Work on creating storyboard sequences to practice visual storytelling. Focus on panel composition, pacing, and transitions to improve the narrative flow in your manga.
Color Theory: Experiment with different color schemes and learn how colors can evoke emotions and set the mood in your artwork. Practice coloring both digitally and traditionally to broaden your skill set.
Study Other Artists: Analyze the work of established manga artists that you admire. Study their techniques, compositions, and storytelling methods to gain insights that can inspire your own artistic growth.
Feedback and Critique: Seek feedback from peers, mentors, or online art communities to receive constructive criticism on your work. Constructive feedback can help you identify areas for improvement and refine your artistic style.
Consistent Practice: Set aside dedicated time each day to draw consistently. Whether it’s sketching in a sketchbook or working digitally, regular practice is key to honing your skills as a manga artist.
Explore Different Styles: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different art styles outside of manga. Drawing inspiration from various art forms can enrich your artistic repertoire and bring new perspectives to your manga creations.
Remember that progress takes time, so be patient with yourself as you continue to develop as an artist. Stay motivated, stay curious, and keep pushing yourself creatively to reach new heights in your manga artistry.
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used:
Manga University Campus Store
Tokyo Otaku Mode
Clip Studio Paint Tutorials
God Bless You,
JC.
Thanks for the advice.
Pearl
Luta Brasi
Artist
2
Answers
Austell, Georgia
Updated
Luta’s Answer
Get into drawing real day experiences. For instance if you’re with friends or family, grab a sketch book and sketch what he/she’s doing. It’ll help with muscle memory, anatomy and overall drawing quicker
Thank you, Luta for the advice.
Pearl
Sobnom Mimi
Looking for work
8
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Sobnom’s Answer
Draw what feels fun and not like a chore; it will work wonders for your growth. Here are some suggestions: There are monthly drawing challenges; for example, May has one called Mermay, where you draw one mermaid or more daily. This way, you draw something new according to the prompt with an overarching theme. You can use word generators to combine two or more words and create your drawing prompts, like a cowboy penguin volcano explorer. Drawing from observation and photos and learning anatomy from books or videos are also great ways to improve. Don't rush yourself; growth happens slowly.
Edward Cogswell
Freelance Artist
15
Answers
Portland, Maine
Updated
Edward’s Answer
Hi there, I also create Manga as part of my portfolio. I would simply advise that you try using AI as well as other platforms/ media to find ideas and inspiration for characters. Just go w/ whatever you feel comfortable with and practice, practice. Good art is only created by the artist.
Linda Mire
Interior Design
131
Answers
Lake Charles
Updated
Linda’s Answer
When I get stuck I start drawing and if my impulse is to make darker lines I do the opposite so I go against my natural instincts and see where it takes me, if I end up with a jumbled mess then work backwards taking each element away until I find the magic it is in there usually in the kayosh. If you are painting use colors you would never dream of putting together. Lastly use a subject you don't normally use like a dog or a school bus or anything you would never think of drawing a spaceship . In collage I had an very wise and talented art teacher who told me to use the color I dislike the most and paint a beautiful story with it and use it until I found the beauty in it I did and orange is one of my favorites personality colors. Maybe an orange spaceship! You will find tools you can use in your asteadic. Be creative and stretch you creative rubber band as far as you can take it. You will do things that look crazy but you will also find things you had not considered before and add them to your list of skills. Don't be conventional in this discovery exercise, let loose. Have fun and explore the possibilities. Pearl TGWTBN
Thank you so much for the advice.
Pearl
Christopher Auzenne
animator
7
Answers
Lancaster, South Carolina
Updated
Christopher’s Answer
hello pearl,
you've most likely heard the advice "draw everyday" and while it is a great habit to practice, you may have found it directionless/unhelpful in your struggle. If you do a random scribble you are drawing everyday but that doesn't exactly help in improving/growing.
A better way of thinking is structure what you "draw everyday" to be more focused/so it is aiming for a specific goal. they're are two methods I find can best help:
Method 1. have entire weeks dedicated to studying a specific concept in art, such as spending an entire week or 2 drawing heads, analyzing structure, expressions, musculature and how to exaggerate them. then once you feel you have made improvement move on to say studying hands or perspectives, or drawing clothing, etc.
Method 2. Analyze the specific areas in your art you want to improve on, then when you have at least 7 down. Then connect each concept to a specific day of the week and make whatever you draw that day based on said concept (ex: so Sunday is anatomy, Monday is drawing clothing, tuesday is shading, Wednesday is practicing with ink/pen etc.)
By having the everyday drawing more focused and with direction you are actively giving yourself a direction to improve upon. Then once you feel you have gained solid improvement, move on to other areas you wish to better yourself in.
Finally, it is important to remember "drawing everyday" doesn't mean you have to spend hours or so each day dedicated to art nor feel you must make a completed piece, that can make the task feel even more daunting. You can simply spend 10-15 minutes doing some light doodles which can then snowball into being longer if you get into the flow, but a simple few minute each day can do more than 3 hours on just one day of the week. Hopefully, this has helped you in some way and good luck on your art journey!
you've most likely heard the advice "draw everyday" and while it is a great habit to practice, you may have found it directionless/unhelpful in your struggle. If you do a random scribble you are drawing everyday but that doesn't exactly help in improving/growing.
A better way of thinking is structure what you "draw everyday" to be more focused/so it is aiming for a specific goal. they're are two methods I find can best help:
Method 1. have entire weeks dedicated to studying a specific concept in art, such as spending an entire week or 2 drawing heads, analyzing structure, expressions, musculature and how to exaggerate them. then once you feel you have made improvement move on to say studying hands or perspectives, or drawing clothing, etc.
Method 2. Analyze the specific areas in your art you want to improve on, then when you have at least 7 down. Then connect each concept to a specific day of the week and make whatever you draw that day based on said concept (ex: so Sunday is anatomy, Monday is drawing clothing, tuesday is shading, Wednesday is practicing with ink/pen etc.)
By having the everyday drawing more focused and with direction you are actively giving yourself a direction to improve upon. Then once you feel you have gained solid improvement, move on to other areas you wish to better yourself in.
Finally, it is important to remember "drawing everyday" doesn't mean you have to spend hours or so each day dedicated to art nor feel you must make a completed piece, that can make the task feel even more daunting. You can simply spend 10-15 minutes doing some light doodles which can then snowball into being longer if you get into the flow, but a simple few minute each day can do more than 3 hours on just one day of the week. Hopefully, this has helped you in some way and good luck on your art journey!
Ariana Stanchfield
Freelance Artist
2
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Ariana’s Answer
Hi Pearl!
For basic practice to hone your skills I would recommend; anatomy studies, background and environments, character designs, character expressions, and the like. This will help hone your current skills and be able to apply them to your manga work.
As someone who is a recent graduate from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), who received a BFA in Comic Art, here is some advice based on my own experience as a comic artist:
Master Character Consistency - Manga has you drawing the same characters over and over again. It can be challenging as you may struggle with keeping the characters looking consistent, but by drawing them repeatedly it will allow you to learn to find consistency in your own style. If you study popular manga artist, you can see a drastic difference in their style at the beginning of the series versus the end of it. By pushing themselves to constantly draw the same characters, their art improved and evolved. This was something that also helped me personally improve my comics.
Make Short Comics - I highly recommend consistently making short-form comics. These comics can be scenic moments of your characters interacting, a personal comic, mini comics, or even something inspired off something you saw that day. I found that by drawing short comics, it allowed me to test ideas out. But more importantly, it allowed me to practice layouts, panels, lettering, and word ballooning. By drawing these short-term comics, it allows you to get hands on experience in creating comics while also allowing you to learn how you want to layout your comics.
I hope this helps, and if you have any follow up questions feel free to ask! I wish you the best of luck!
For basic practice to hone your skills I would recommend; anatomy studies, background and environments, character designs, character expressions, and the like. This will help hone your current skills and be able to apply them to your manga work.
As someone who is a recent graduate from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), who received a BFA in Comic Art, here is some advice based on my own experience as a comic artist:
Master Character Consistency - Manga has you drawing the same characters over and over again. It can be challenging as you may struggle with keeping the characters looking consistent, but by drawing them repeatedly it will allow you to learn to find consistency in your own style. If you study popular manga artist, you can see a drastic difference in their style at the beginning of the series versus the end of it. By pushing themselves to constantly draw the same characters, their art improved and evolved. This was something that also helped me personally improve my comics.
Make Short Comics - I highly recommend consistently making short-form comics. These comics can be scenic moments of your characters interacting, a personal comic, mini comics, or even something inspired off something you saw that day. I found that by drawing short comics, it allowed me to test ideas out. But more importantly, it allowed me to practice layouts, panels, lettering, and word ballooning. By drawing these short-term comics, it allows you to get hands on experience in creating comics while also allowing you to learn how you want to layout your comics.
I hope this helps, and if you have any follow up questions feel free to ask! I wish you the best of luck!
Thank you, Ariana for the advice.
Pearl
seyed hamid hosseini raviz
www.taravat.com
13
Answers
Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran
Updated
seyed hamid’s Answer
Hello, In my view, art is a dreamlike and infinitely beautiful and exciting path for a human being to reach their inner desires and needs. I have created a phrase for myself and refer to it like a guideline in dealing with all the issues in my life, and I act upon it. “First create, then acquire.” Now, the question arises, how can we expand this guideline for our topic? It seems that a person interested in art should equip themselves with tools to reach a level and degree where they can first see beauty, understand it, and display their understanding of that beauty. With these assumptions, I advise myself: Love humans through maternal love. Maternal love is a pure feeling of affection that parents give to their children without any expectations. Kindness is one of the important tools that guide a human towards art and opens a new window in front of a person’s eyes to see the mutual understanding and beauties that exist in the behavior and actions of others. Then, helping and assisting others becomes an essential and urgent need for a human, fulfilling this need gives the most glorious and unique feeling that one has never experienced before. And actions of this kind… In general, with constant and dynamic meditation, a person can polish their inner self so much that it reflects the beauties around them like a mirror. Then, for instance, when you refer to a mythological story from other cultures for inspiration, you can empathize with all the characters of the story and see them in your mind. Prominent teachers and masters have provided good and detailed explanations for nurturing other necessary abilities for your purpose in other comments. I hope you continue this beautiful and attractive path until you reach your goals. I wish you happiness and the expansion of joy, to love and be lovable
Loved reading this, thanks!
Pearl
Virginia (ginny) Mangrum
Art Educator and Fine Art Photographer
8
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Virginia (ginny)’s Answer
The advice given earlier is already excellent, and I can't really add more to it. However, here's something else to consider: take a moment, breathe deeply, and give yourself some time. You have the potential to become a fantastic artist. I appreciate that drawing is your main focus because it's a basic tool to express your passions and interests. More importantly, it compels you to observe and truly "see".
We live in a world where instant gratification is the norm, but striving for "Mega" success shouldn't be your only motivation to improve your art. This mindset could lead to more disappointment than necessary. Love what you draw, practice often, and take into account the advice others have given before this post.
A large part of being a successful artist is working towards high-quality work, recognition, and commercial success. Pursue your dreams and remember to be patient with yourself. Best wishes, ginny mangrum.
We live in a world where instant gratification is the norm, but striving for "Mega" success shouldn't be your only motivation to improve your art. This mindset could lead to more disappointment than necessary. Love what you draw, practice often, and take into account the advice others have given before this post.
A large part of being a successful artist is working towards high-quality work, recognition, and commercial success. Pursue your dreams and remember to be patient with yourself. Best wishes, ginny mangrum.
Thank you for the advice, Virginia (ginny).
Pearl
Jordan Wilk
Statistical Programmer
18
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Jordan’s Answer
Indulging in daily warm-up sketches is a joy for me. You can easily find a random drawing prompt generator online that will help you relax and enjoy a bit of fun before diving into your main drawing project. I've discovered that overthinking and stressing too much about the results can negatively impact your artwork. When it comes to manga, I recommend paying special attention to the study of human body language. I believe this can greatly enhance your transition into manga.
Tiffany
Student
Writer & Instructor
Highland, California
0
Questions
Updated
Tiffany’s Answer
I'm glad you asked the question about what to do to improve rather than saying what seems that way is.
Try editing. Take something you already have and work with it. You can do it with a different piece each day. I don't know much about being a manga-artist. I do know that taking what I had already, and sitting down with it made me feel like I was professional. You can get rid of things, add detail, or try a digital version.
Otherwise, what about one character a day?
Try editing. Take something you already have and work with it. You can do it with a different piece each day. I don't know much about being a manga-artist. I do know that taking what I had already, and sitting down with it made me feel like I was professional. You can get rid of things, add detail, or try a digital version.
Otherwise, what about one character a day?
Debbie Fasenmyer
Artist
23
Answers
Cape Coral, Florida
Updated
Debbie’s Answer
Hi. That’s a great question. I would suggest drawing something you are passionate about. In my case I love all things Disney related. I recently drew a picture of Walt Disney. I hadn’t drawn portraits in years and much to my surprise I was able to do it.
I would suggest finding an object you love. Maybe a gift you’ve received or a special item and draw that. You could look through books and magazines for images. When I was in art classes in school that’s what we did. We’d find an image and recreate it.
I really old school way of recreating something is to draw a grid over the original image. When you recreate it on the page you draw each part of the image within a blank grid you’ve drawn. It helps you to focus on one small section at a time.
Another way is to turn the image upside down when you’re drawing it. It helps you to focus on the actual drawing and not on the outcome of what the finished piece will look like.
You could also try drawing with you non dominant hand. It helps you with taking the pressure off of yourself. It gets you out of your own head and into your heart again not being concerned about the outcome. You’re practicing a skill.
You could get tracing paper and trace a picture you like just to get the basic outline of the image. Then you can draw on the details, work on the shading and making the piece your own.
The process of creating should be fun. Allow yourself time to grow as an artist. Find your own style and mediums that work for you.
One more thing you might consider is watching drawing tutorials online, visiting a museum or attending an art fair. Learning from other artists and seeing their art will inspire you to keep practicing. Seeing other people’s art will help you to think outside of the box, see what’s possible and allow you create from a place deep inside of yourself.
Remember art is subjective not everyone experiences the same reaction to a piece. The important thing is that it brings you joy!
I would suggest finding an object you love. Maybe a gift you’ve received or a special item and draw that. You could look through books and magazines for images. When I was in art classes in school that’s what we did. We’d find an image and recreate it.
I really old school way of recreating something is to draw a grid over the original image. When you recreate it on the page you draw each part of the image within a blank grid you’ve drawn. It helps you to focus on one small section at a time.
Another way is to turn the image upside down when you’re drawing it. It helps you to focus on the actual drawing and not on the outcome of what the finished piece will look like.
You could also try drawing with you non dominant hand. It helps you with taking the pressure off of yourself. It gets you out of your own head and into your heart again not being concerned about the outcome. You’re practicing a skill.
You could get tracing paper and trace a picture you like just to get the basic outline of the image. Then you can draw on the details, work on the shading and making the piece your own.
The process of creating should be fun. Allow yourself time to grow as an artist. Find your own style and mediums that work for you.
One more thing you might consider is watching drawing tutorials online, visiting a museum or attending an art fair. Learning from other artists and seeing their art will inspire you to keep practicing. Seeing other people’s art will help you to think outside of the box, see what’s possible and allow you create from a place deep inside of yourself.
Remember art is subjective not everyone experiences the same reaction to a piece. The important thing is that it brings you joy!
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Pearl
Julia Holmes
Coach
15
Answers
North Canton, Ohio
Updated
Julia’s Answer
I would say to get better at drawing, pick an image you like that inspires and connects with you. After you pick that image I would then practice drawing it over and over again. This will naturally help your drawing abilities to get stronger because you'll be practicing that same image. If you get bored you could also try connecting multiple art pieces to make a unique art piece that still holds the topic you want to hold on to. For me to help me not get bored of what I am doing I often listen to music or have another artist working on art in the background(specifically Bob Ross). This keeps the brain focused on art and by watching another artist sometimes you can grasp more tips you've never thought about.
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Pearl