Anime/Manga Drawings.

[Philleeep]

So i am doing ART for GCSE and as part of me course i have too choose a culture, i have chosen China and Japan and so as part of that i have chosen to do Anime/Manga and i would like too show you what i have done, and your opinions on how too improve it any suggestions would be great thanks :)

[pnckswthsrp]

I'm not that great of an artist myself, & I've never drawn anime/manga, so i can't really tell you any ways to improve, but I can say that what you have now is pretty good. :D I especially love the last two.

[Tristin.]

go onto youtube and search "how to draw anime" if it comes up with the right one you should know, that guy is amazing, his video's taught me to draw anime lol

[darkwoon]

So i am doing ART for GCSE and as part of me course i have too choose a culture, i have chosen China and Japan and so as part of that i have chosen to do Anime/Manga and i would like too show you what i have done, and your opinions on how too improve it any suggestions would be great thanks :)
To improve it, I'd suggest the following...

Forget anime: Did I turn mad? Nah, I'm no more insane than any other day :). Part of the issues I can see on your drawings come from that you're trying so hard to mimick the "anime" style that you are missing the basics. Stop (for now) trying to force yourself in cliché-style, and concentrate on more important areas.

Structure your drawings: By this, I mean that you should always build a skeleton of things/animals/people and flesh it out. This greatly helps getting proportions, perspective, and relative positioning right. It also helps a lot to properly shade/light complex objects or characters.

Study real-life models: Yourself is a good, always-available human model to study. Anybody else too, actually.

Subscribing on forums dedicated to drawing (Polykarbon or OMU are two good examples) and submitting work to public criticism is also a good way to get an external opinion on your mistakes and on how you can improve your work.

In summary, I think that you shouldn't try to skip the basics to rush into a specific style - regardless if you are aiming to realism, manga, comics, or anything else, the base rules of anatomy, lightning, composition or perspective will always be needed.

I haven't got to comment every picture you submitted in details, as that would make me type for the rest of the night ;). Feel free to PM me/MSN me if you want more opinion about a specific drawing.

I hope it will be of some help!

go onto youtube and search "how to draw anime" if it comes up with the right one you should know, that guy is amazing, his video's taught me to draw anime lol
I believe the guy you're speaking about is Mark Crilley, author of "Miki Falls". Indeed, his videos are of great use to understand a couple of important things. Actually, it is worth watching some of them a second time without sound, and concentrate on how he's building his figures.

[Philleeep]

ok thanks guys :) by the way i am 2 years into the course and this is one of the last things im doing before my exam

[Weeping]

Of the "person-pics" I like the last two mostly.. But I like what you are doing, I know that I would never be able doing that so good xD

[CatchingOrigami]

I agree with darkwoon, focus more on the structure of your subject and try and get it more proportional. It's a shame you didnt focus more on traditional chinese art, its very beautiful. more so in my opinion than these modern cartoons.

[Hatsune Miku]

Gravity defying hair. Nuff' said.
I draw Anime as well, and gravity defying hair is a must

[Zephyr]

Nice drawings = ]

I used to draw anime way back when. I have one awesome drawing left over that I did entirely from scratch when I was 10, can't find it as the moment though. It was a dead on of Ryoko from the Tenchi series.

[Flippy]

To be honest this isn't art, and for that I'm going to quote something

No art is bad art

I can draw even better and I've just started drawing about 3 months ago, here are the flaws:

- Malformations in face's structure overall
- Eyes aren't that good to be honest, and that's what people judge anime most for, the eyes.
- Hair style is garbage, you should first learn how to draw each clump and then proceed for more complicated stuff
- Eye reflection is not well placed nor drawn

Go ahead and practice some step-by-step guides, you won't be able to draw well if you just go ahead and try drawing something you're looking at. You need to learn about proportions most of all.

[Philleeep]

I agree with darkwoon, focus more on the structure of your subject and try and get it more proportional. It's a shame you didnt focus more on traditional chinese art, its very beautiful. more so in my opinion than these modern cartoons.

Ive done traditional stuff already but my teacher said they also mark on modern stuff as much as the traditional stuff, i can show you some of that....

[darkwoon]

To be honest this isn't art, and for that I'm going to quote something
Just as a side note, what you quoted doesn't mean that something technically inferior is not art - it is just another way of expressing that "Art is in the eyes of the beholder".

You may not like the techniques used in a piece, find the skill level bad, or deny any esthetism in it - that's perfectly fine, and that's part of the critique's job to point at such flaws.

But never ever deny the right of an author to call its production "art" - regardless on its intrinsic technical merits, it is still the expression of the artistic side of the author. Denying the artistic intend of a piece is denying the artistic intend of the author, and is rather presomptuous and rude.

I can draw even better and I've just started drawing about 3 months ago
Show your drawing skills before making such bold statements, please, and let others ponder if your lack of modesty is justified. Given that you only posted digital compositions so far, it is quite unfair to emit such a comparaison.

you won't be able to draw well if you just go ahead and try drawing something you're looking at.
Observation is the most basic skill of drawing. Every serious artist knows that. Trying to draw what you're looking at is an excellent way to learn, as it allows you to make constant two-ways compares between the original subject, your drawing, and how you wanted it to be drawn. I strongly suggest (re)reading Jack Hamm's great teaching books to get a better understanding of the importance of observation in the artistic process.

Sorry if I sound rude, but that's the kind of presomptuous, patronizing tone that puts my nerves under heavy strain.

[Flippy]

Just as a side note, what you quoted doesn't mean that something technically inferior is not art - it is just another way of expressing that "Art is in the eyes of the beholder".

You may not like the techniques used in a piece, find the skill level bad, or deny any esthetism in it - that's perfectly fine, and that's part of the critique's job to point at such flaws.

But never ever deny the right of an author to call its production "art" - regardless on its intrinsic technical merits, it is still the expression of the artistic side of the author. Denying the artistic intend of a piece is denying the artistic intend of the author, and is rather presomptuous and rude.


Show your drawing skills before making such bold statements, please, and let others ponder if your lack of modesty is justified. Given that you only posted digital compositions so far, it is quite unfair to emit such a comparaison.


Observation is the most basic skill of drawing. Every serious artist knows that. Trying to draw what you're looking at is an excellent way to learn, as it allows you to make constant two-ways compares between the original subject, your drawing, and how you wanted it to be drawn. I strongly suggest (re)reading Jack Hamm's great teaching books to get a better understanding of the importance of observation in the artistic process.

Sorry if I sound rude, but that's the kind of presomptuous, patronizing tone that puts my nerves under heavy strain.
It's okay, I'm also target of numerous critics due to the same area I operate in

1. I've already posted my artwork in several other forums, and they are OK, better than this, not just the signatures, drawings too.
2. Observation so far does not seem to be enough for him, nor for me, he tries to recreate the character and comes with several major flaws, like the ones I already pointed out.

Pardon if I sounded rude in my previous post, I try to be as direct as I can, I think I wasn't being fair.

[millymollymandy]

oh my gosh, i simply love how you do your eyes, its amazing :) good luck for your gcse's

[Philleeep]

oh my gosh, i simply love how you do your eyes, its amazing :) good luck for your gcse's

Awh thank you ;) and thanks everyone.

[Tristin.]

I have to agree with millymollymandy, re-looking at the eyes, they are prettyyyy coooll :D

[Flippy]

You should really start reading guides you know, it's not all about drawing what you see although it is one of the best ways to start drawing.

Learn how to draw specific parts and practice and once you think you've mastered it continue with another area, picture number 7 and 8 have malformations in the face structure, the left cheek in the seventh one is not looking good and the face form of the eight drawing is wrong.

The eyes are rubbish, no offense, but they are seriously rubbish

http://imgur.com/5EJxa.gif- That is your standard eye-drawing, which does not look like anything you've drawn.

Please consider my posts and not just the ones implying that you are great at this.

[Kitten]

Your blue eye with swirls is unique. I like flippy's eye too!(:

[Philleeep]

You should really start reading guides you know, it's not all about drawing what you see although it is one of the best ways to start drawing.

Learn how to draw specific parts and practice and once you think you've mastered it continue with another area, picture number 7 and 8 have malformations in the face structure, the left cheek in the seventh one is not looking good and the face form of the eight drawing is wrong.

The eyes are rubbish, no offense, but they are seriously rubbish

Image (http://imgur.com/5EJxa.gif)- That is your standard eye-drawing, which does not look like anything you've drawn.

Please consider my posts and not just the ones implying that you are great at this.

I havent just been reading the nice ones i have been considering the help i asked for as much if not more.

I dont do my eyes like that standard eye just because if its the standard eye you can guarantee it wont make much of a difference and the eyes i have drawn are the copy, colouring and shading of the original image and i know im not vey good at drawing heads

[Lmaodude]

You've got talent! I sure wish i could draw.. :/

[abbeyjcksn]

All the provided animation is really nice and also appreciation that manga drawings. I like this kind of drawing that you provide here. I like all the drawing. All the drawing is attractive as well as interesting.