Nov 10
Manga as an art form is growing quickly in popularity and appeals greatly to young artists. This series covers different aspects of figure drawing in the Japanese comic-book style. This book covers how to draw the many different faces and hairstyles seen in this genre, and how simple changes can transform a face from a soft smile to an angry aggressive look.
In Manga art the faces are of particular importance as the Manga stories tend to a good versus evil and the characteristics of Manga are simplified features. The artist therefore has a lot of expressions to pack into these figures. This book covers how to draw them from very young children to old characters with a wealth of knowledge in their countenance. Each of the main characters have instructions for drawing them from a number of different angles, showing how to get the perspective and proportions correct.
This book is a must have for people wanting to learn Manga art and would make a perfect gift for a young adult artist.
* JeannieZelos.com *
Jan 11
If you want to draw memorable manga characters that make your story some to life then getting the faces right is most important. Possibly the first thing people notice about manga style artwork is those huge eyes, the windows to the souls of the characters. Find out how to get these and other aspects right in the third title in this series of mini books.
They say that good things come in small packages, and this series certainly bears that out. Having pocket books makes drawing very portable, so you can learn and sketch all over the place instead of just sat at a table or workstation. Find out what materials to get, and then start drawing, as this book does not go on for long about anything other than practical art. Learn how to get the proportions of the face right, how to convey emotions when drawing features and get the hair looking right. There are galleries of features to copy and learn from, and every age from babyhood to old age is examined and how male characters are drawn differently to female. On almost every page is a short project to work through, showing how the face is built up through different stages and all the tricks of the trade, such as how to show highlights on hair, draw cute chibis and of course get those trademark eyes right.
Companion to this book is the equally useful Hands and Feet by the same author. This series is heading straight for my keeper shelves for its user friendly, portable and no-nonsense guide to getting this popular art style right.
* Myshelf.com *
Feb 11
Manga artist Yishan Li's Mini Manga series packs plenty of helpful instruction into small packages. The titles address drawing basics such as materials and anatomy as well as the finer points of this highly stylized type of graphic novel illustration. One of the latest two titles in the series, Faces & Hair, illustrates how to draw a wide range of creative characters, while Hands & Feet shows human feet and hands from nearly every angle, helping young artists with these difficult human anatomical details. This series is likely to be popular with children and teens in public and school libraries.
* Library Journal, USA *
