How to Create Manga: Drawing the Human Body. Matsu
Buttocks 100
Separating layers and colors 71
Men and women: Drawing the differences 104
Contrapposto and the Letter K Principle 174
Why I Wrote This Book
You may have picked up a manual like this one before in the hopes of learning to
draw better. But not all manuals will suit your needs. Some leave you with no more
understanding of the content than when you first opened them. I have had this experience
myself, often becoming irritated at manuals that offer only vague explanations or skim
over crucial aspects of what I want to know.
After this happened several times, I decided to use the notes I’d taken in the course
of my own research to put together a book on how to draw. I used it as a reference when
I was drawing.
Two years ago, with my “Notes on How to Draw” as a base, I began broadcasting
a drawing course on the live streaming platform Nico Nico Live. The program has since
moved to YouTube and has attracted a lot of viewers, allowing me to find out what’s
important to people who are just starting to draw as well as their problems and
stumbling blocks.
This book brings all the knowledge gained from these experiences into one volume.
I believe that the most important thing when drawing a character is the preparatory
sketch, with blocking-in also crucial in order to achieve accuracy. It’s the elements in
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the blocking-in that make a figure look human, and if the blocking-in is accurate, you
won’t have problems with the sketch. And if the sketch is right, the stages that follow
such as rough drawing and adding in lines will be problem-free.
In this book, I have omitted the explanations about complex anatomical structures
that are studied in medicine, and I cover only the parts of the body compositions that
are useful for sketching and blocking-in. By following the steps involved in blocking-in
a simplified anatomical structure, you will learn how to compose and fill in a human
figure when creating a character illustration. This will allow you to pursue sketching
with more confidence.
Further, instead of vaguely introducing the shape and form of various body parts, I
have detailed why they are a particular shape and incorporated examples of bad drawing
and points to watch out for. There’s also advice that will help you improve your skill
level, with descriptions of more detailed anatomical compositions allowing those at an
intermediate level and beyond to gain a deeper understanding.
It’s my hope that this book will result in fewer frustrated readers and that drawing will
lead you to new discoveries.
— Matsu
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How to Use This Book
In this book, the drawing and sketching of various body parts is explained along with how to block-
in these parts as part of the process. If you’re a digital artist, the paint software used is Paint Tool SAI
version 1.2.5.: the basic functions are covered here, so you can adapt the tips to your chosen software.
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PART 1
The Basics
Anatomical Ratios
Here, we look at the anatomical ratios you’ll need to know in order to draw people accurately and
realistically—either complete figures or partial ones. Maintaining the ratios of hand to arm and
hand to face is the first step in accurately drawing the human figure.
Basic ratios
I’m using a character whose height is about seven times that of his head in order to introduce the
basics of anatomical ratios. These ratios don’t have to be followed exactly of course. Just use them as a
guide when creating various characters.
Divide the body in half (1:1) with
the crotch at the center
Chest : waist = 5:4