Manga for Dummies

I purchased this because I was a dummy with regards to drawing in general, and for some reason got a "wild hair" to try and draw manga. After looking at other how-to books, this seemed the most basic and I have learned to trust the dummies series. In no time flat I was drawing faces and having fun. I spent my free time over the next few weeks going through the book advancing through the techniques. What I found is that nothing is impossible and I was able to draw Manga characters. The author does a very good job at starting at ground zero, and giving very basic steps that you can replicate to produce decent results. He covers a wide array of topics that give you the tools you need. Start with a head, then do eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and hair. Step by step you work through each of these either doing advanced drawing with a lot of detail or more cartoony features with less detail. After the head is done he moves to the body - first basic layout, then more detail to create a full body, and then add clothes. All of this in a patient step-by-step manner that makes it achievable - for a dummy like me! Finally when you are able to draw a character, you have a lot more to consider: what other characters are there? How big is he compared to others? how do i draw landscapes, cities, or space ships? The author walks through these types of topics and more to give you a basic understanding of what you need to do if you want to draw a manga page. In addition to all this, he covers the basics of drawing, for instance, what tools do you need to draw (a pencil and piece of paper), or ink, or draw a full manga page, or publish a full manga magazine.

I'm learning all sorts of things I never knew about manga - the history, the drawing techniques, the characters, and even the storylines. Very impressive! I've never seen a manga drawing book this clear and informative. The simple, conversational writing is easy to follow and funny. It's organized well, so flipping through for pertinent information is a breeze. And, of course, the drawing is amazing. This is a must-read for anyone who loves manga and/or wants to draw it. I'm developing a new appreciation for this art.

I was, at best, ignorant in regards to manga and mediocre in regards to drawing. This book improved both these deficiencies with its friendly and informative text, and its clear and step-by-step drawings. I definitely recommend this book as an accessible introduction to the genre and art of manga.

I bought this book because of my interest in Manga art but, this book took me beyond drawing. The author, besides being a good artist, is a great teacher. This book is full of information and history. I got this book to learn to draw Manga type art but, I became drawn into the words of the author. You can sense his respect for it's history and his want for the reader to understand all there is to know about Manga. The book is very easy to follow and when (and if) you get to the "How to Draw" part of the book, it takes you through a very easy, step by step process. I feel this book was a wonderful purchase on my part.

What I liked best is that this book is that it doesn't just help you to "draw manga" like a "how to draw cats" book (which it does quite well), but it connected me to with the whole manga genre. I got some sense that manga has a really creative and innovative history, starting with Hokusai (which was really news to me, because I always liked his prints and crazy drawings) and extending through some key creative artists I had never heard of who have brought manga to where it is today. This is an inspiration because it gets you thinking about what new could be done that could be really compelling in the future. Another thing I liked was that it gives a good sense of how different story lines and roles get articulated graphically. This Manga for Dummies is not just for dummies...