Happy Monday everyone. Did you know that today is my official 2-year anniversary of drawing?
What is anime? Anime is a Japanese form of drawing. Other Asian countries have their own versions as well, such as Korea. However, anime originated in Japan and is therefore credited to them. In the middle 1900s, a few Japanese men decided to create movies, but because of the fact that Americans wouldn't like them because of the race difference, these directors started to make animations. Anime was cheaper to make, more diverse and fun to draw, and overall a better choice.
But how do you learn to draw anime? You may watch YouTube videos, which are very helpful, read books, or be taught by a tutor. The way I started was by looking at others' art, so by definition I am self-taught. I later picked up a few Chris Hart books. Chris Hart is a good way to begin, but for beginners it may be a little hard to pick up. Lots of Chris Hart books are aimed to intermediate to advanced artists. Here are a list of Chris Hart books that actually are aimed at starters:
- How to Draw Manga: Romance (Shojo)
- How to Draw Manga: Action (Shonen)
- How to Draw Manga: The Ultimate Guide
- How to Draw Manga: Tips and Tricks
I have quite a few Chris Hart books, and ones such as The Manga Fashion Bible are aimed at people who just need ideas or inspiration. As you get better, buy more recent ones, because the books tend to be more advanced the more recent they are. Here are the art books I have in my personal library, and you may consider getting them:
- Chris Hart books:
- How to Draw Manga: Romance
- How to Draw Manga: Action
- How to Draw Manga: Tips and Tricks
- The Manga Fashion Bible
- How to Draw Manga: Amazing Girls
- Etc
- Other Authors
- How to Draw Furries
- How to Draw Realistic Clothing and People
- Etc
-
A word of warning about Chris Hart books: they aren't really considered instruction books to me, they are more like eye-candy. The illustrations are great, but they use techniques you may not use or like. Another thing, Chris Hart himself does not draw the illustrations, he hires artists to. While this may not be a problem for you, I find it one because that means while he can draw (apparently, he has a manga series) he did not draw the instruction illos and therefore cannot explain in depth how to draw the drawings.
Okay. So while I have told you about other sources, now it's time for me to teach you. Before we jump into it, please know: I may not be able to help everyone. I am a teenaged girl, not a certified art teacher. If you have any questions or if you don't understand something please comment below or ask in the column this is placed in. I will try my best to explain a few variants of anime I do, including: furries, humans, and chibi.
We will officially start in Pt2. Until then, find some pencils, sharpen them, and make sure you have plenty of erasers! You will need them. And also until then, read the following inspirational tips to help you:
- Practice every day and your skill will develop faster than you ever expected.
- Do not despair if you don't draw something right, Look at other sources or at my own artwork to help you.
- You will get better if you try to sketch a bit every day. This is important. You can take your time, but so will your skill.
- Make sure you have a support, like a parent or friend, for some real-life motivation.
Part One's Gallery
GH 7. 18.19: Yandere Simulator OC (Anime Style)
