This intensive course is perfect for adult manga enthusiasts who want to develop mastery in this distinctive art form. Professional manga artist Austin Bath will guide you through every step of your artistic journey. The class is held in person at our San Francisco Studio location.
Throughout this course, you will master:
- Techniques for drawing faces and figures in a variety of manga styles
- Skills for creating and developing graphic novels
High-quality art materials are provided and included in the total course price.
Complete Curriculum Overview
Day 1: Introduction to manga as an art form
- Learn the distinctive characteristics of manga style and how to begin developing your ability to draw in this style.
- Study numerous manga examples and references.
- Practice sketching simple, flowing shapes and graphic design elements.
- Examine various proportions used in character design work.
Day 2: Manga in contrast with realism
- Learn techniques for drawing eyes, hair, neck anatomy, and head shapes in manga style.
- Select an established character to draw using your own personal style, starting with the face drawing.
Day 3: Hair and clothing techniques
- Master tips for drawing hair and clothing in manga style.
- Learn to identify and use center lines and contour lines in your drawings.
- Apply light and shadow separation to create the illusion of volume and dimension.
- Complete your character portrait from Day 2.
Day 4: Figure proportions and anatomy
- Explore the relative proportions of both male and female figures in manga style.
- Begin a fresh pencil drawing showing a character from head to toe.
- Ensure the character is properly positioned on the page while maintaining correct anatomical proportions.
- Build the body using basic primitive shapes as your foundation.
Day 5: Adding detail and refining anatomy
- Add refined details to your character drawing from the previous day.
- Pay special attention to proper anatomy of the torso, legs, and arms.
Day 6: Final character anatomy work
- Finalize your character anatomy drawing.
- Learn professional techniques for drawing hands and feet convincingly.
Day 7: Gesture drawing and dynamic poses
- Develop your gesture drawing abilities.
- Create a new drawing featuring a character in a straightforward pose.
- Compose your drawing so the entire character appears within the frame boundaries.
Day 8: Color and finishing touches
- Complete your gesture drawing from Day 7 and apply color to create a fully realized illustration.
Day 9: Dynamic action scenes
- Focus on creating drawings that capture dynamic action poses.
- Begin a new drawing showing a character in an action-packed scene.
Day 10: Environmental effects and energy
- Learn how to draw environmental effects, including smoke, debris, dust, and speed lines, to heighten the sense of motion and intensity in your action scene.
Day 11: Facial expressions and finishing
- Master the art of drawing varied facial expressions.
- Apply ink and color to your action scene to complete it as a finished illustration.
Day 12: Non-human characters
- Explore how to draw animals, monsters, and robots using manga-style techniques.
- Learn the principles for creating non-human and partially human characters.
- Begin drawing an original non-human or hybrid character of your own design.
Day 13: Completing non-human characters
- Finish your animal, monster, robot, or cyborg character drawing.
Day 14: Refinement and creative choice
- Polish any unfinished work or begin a new drawing based on your creative interests.
