Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Manga
The Mega Guide
Samantha Gorel

Search Press
28 July 2016/ ISBN 9781782210764
How-To Books/Art

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde

 

If you have ever aspired to being a mangaka, then here is a useful book to own. As it says on the back, this is a guide to drawing figures in the manga style using physical media such as paints, pencils, markers, etc. This is not a book that deals with using graphics programs, nor does it give a history of manga or go into different styles in depth. Instead, it plunges in getting you to start actually drawing and learning how to get the proportions right, starting with the face. From features to expressions, hair and those all-important eyes, there are lots of examples to draw yourself and plenty of useful advice. The next chapter deals with the whole body, whether you are drawing basic figures or chibis. Here there are pages of helpful diagrams showing proportions and how to get the look right. Following on is a chapter on inking in and adding color containing some useful sections on line drawing pens, markers, pencils and paints. Each medium has a staged project showing how to add color and there are additional pages on what paper to use, how to achieve various effects and more. Finally, there are a couple of pages on scanning your image into a graphics program. Drawing manga is a huge topic, but this is a good hands-on book that is sure to get anybody who already has some drawing and art skills producing some good work.

If you cannot find a good range of art materials locally, try www.searchpress.com for a list of suppliers.

UK Reviewer: Rachel Hyde's work can be found in Sewing World, Sew Hip, Popular Crafts and other magazines.
Reviewed 2016
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