How to Create Manga: Drawing the Human Body. Matsu
structure in order to achieve balance between
the figure and the ground.
13
Helpful Tips and Tricks
Here, we look at the common mistakes that beginners make when sketching, along with basic
digital techniques that are helpful when sketching for illustration.
Blocking-in is a must
You may think that blocking-in is a waste of time, but for people who have just started drawing, it
actually takes more time and effort to create a drawing without it.
Sketching after blocking-in takes less time and results in a neater illustration. Sketching without
blocking-in is something to try after you’ve become accustomed to the technique.
Digital Tools
Reverse the images to check if it is correct
Once the sketch is finished, one way of checking whether anything looks awkward or unrealistic is to
reverse it or generate a mirror image. When you’ve been working on a sketch for a while, your eyes
become accustomed to it and you won’t notice any oddities, so reverse the image and check it from a
fresh perspective.
14
Don’t fill up the entire page or screen
If you start drawing without really thinking about it, you may try to fill up the entire space and your
figures will become distorted. Here are two ways to solve the problem.
Change the canvas size as you go
Another method is to alter the page or canvas size, extending it as you draw, then making adjustments.
Digital Tools
Altering the size of illustration layers
From the menu bar, choose [Layer], then
[Alter Shape] (you can also use [ctrl] + [T])
Digital Tools
Change the canvas size
From the menu bar, select [Canvas],
then [Change Canvas Size].
Fill in the box to change the
width and height.
Click on the box to the right to
change the units of measurement.
15
Always use reference materials
Our memories tend to be a bit random and can be influenced by emotion, so they’re not always reliable.
When you’re just starting out, using vague images from memory as your starting point is unlikely to
lead to satisfactory results. Looking at reference materials as you draw will enable you to create a more
accurate sketch and will improve your efficiency, as you won’t need to waste time trying to remember
how something looks or making errors in your drawing.
Making use of selection tools
Using selection tools is effective when correcting blocking-in or rough sketches. However, if you rely
solely on these tools, you will never gain a deeper understanding of the human figure and it will take
longer for you to improve your drawing skills. So use them only for correcting your drawings during
the blocking-in and rough sketch stages.
Selection tool basics
Making adjustments using the selection tool
Types of selection tools
16
PART 2
Drawing Faces
Basic Ratios
There are certain basic principles for drawing faces, whether male or
female. Here, we get an understanding of the various fundamental
ratios of human faces before drawing them from various angles.
Ratios in a face viewed from the front
These are the ratios you will need to master in order to sketch a face from the front.
Critical Point
Degrees of distortion
The degree to which a face is distorted
depends on how much detail is given to
its parts and how effectively the shadows
created by the bone structure and hollows
are replicated. It’s important to decide on
the style of drawing you want and to what
extent you want to distort it.
Examples of distortion
Helpful Hint
Parts that look more realistic with shadows added
It’s standard practice to add shadows to the sides of
the nose and between the lips and chin.
18
Ratios in a face viewed in profile
In order to sketch a face in profile, these are the basic ratios you’ll need.
Helpful Hint
E line
The line connecting the nose and chin is called
the E line (esthetic line). If the lips fit within this
line, the profile is well-proportioned.
19
Drawing faces from the front
Draw a circle and add in lines through the center
Draw vertical lines on both edges of the circle
Join the vertical lines
Draw the nose
Critical Point
The nose is a reference point
Deciding in advance where to place the nose makes
it easier to draw faces seen from an angle.