Mega Manga: The Complete Reference to Drawing Manga

Nov 08

Once again, Search Press have managed to come up with a book that's a great deal more than it first appears. This may or may not be any good as a guide to drawing Manga; I can't tell you because I'm just not qualified but, on the basis of its layout and presentation, I'd be prepared to guess that it is.

However, almost accidentally, what you also get is a near perfect primer in drawing people. Leave aside the stylised hair and big eyes that are (this much I do know) characteristic of Manga and what you have is very easy to follow and laid out to show you how figures are built up from a starting point of basic shapes. All the different parts of the body are covered and you get figures that are both static and in motion, as well as wearing a variety of clothes (including the inevitable martial arts but, hey, you never know...). The additional sections on vehicles and weapons are going to be superfluous for the general reader, but some of the animal drawings can be easily adapted to more domestic creatures.

I think the reason this works so well in the way that it does is because it's not trying. Its prime aim is to introduce the more general reader to Manga drawing and it therefore operates for the most part on a basic level. By doing this, it becomes an absolutely invaluable primer for anyone looking for a basic guide to figure drawing and is a lot easier to follow than many more specialised guides. You just have to be able to see past the big-eyed kids.