Teen Digital Art Focus: Manga & Cartooning (Grades 6-12)

This course is specifically designed for digital art students who are passionate about manga and comics. You will learn how to advance your digital artistry and technical skills by mastering the foundations of panel-based storytelling and illustrative rendering techniques grounded in two major stylistic paradigms: manga and Western cartooning. Through this course, you will complete engaging projects that explore the key differences and similarities between these two distinct stylizations while developing versatile skills applicable to both approaches.

Throughout the course, you will work on compelling projects that investigate essential topics, including manga and comic layouts, cell and soft shading techniques, stylized character proportions, perspective grids, dynamic visual effects, and much more. Teacher-led demonstrations provide detailed technical instruction and comprehensive guidance on advanced rendering techniques such as shading, highlighting, and texture work. You will also study methods of stylization for both Western and Eastern character design approaches. All projects utilize Adobe Photoshop, and the class welcomes students of any experience level or background, fostering an inclusive creative environment where you can develop at your own pace.