My process of writing a Manga

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TakataRikuzen's avatar
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The reason I'm putting this up is because I've been asked the process of how I create my own manga, so:

Start with a storyline, plan it from beginning to end, don't start with just an idea or a beginning and just head off into the Manga from there, you can get lost in the story, slowly change genre, or even worse, the story just becomes boring... Plan the major twists and climaxes in the plot from the beginning. It is very easy to get lost in the middle of your story or get a writer's block...

Famous Manga works gained popularity from a great story, and not necessarily the best art, so don't worry about polishing your drawing skills to the N'th degree to begin with, if you already have a great story, start working on your na-me, your art will get better over time. Just have a look at your favorite Manga, see the difference between chapter 1 and chapter 100. Even professional Mangakas are still polishing their skill as they produce work that are published.

At this stage you should know what you want to write, is it Shonen, Shoujo, Seinen, Josei, or even Hentai? LOL. X'D - The panelling, fashion, decorative art and character art is very different from each of these different genre, so think about your target audience.

When the major outline of the story is ready, decide from which point of the timeline you want to start the story off. From the beginning is the obvious, but there is the choice of starting from the middle and explaining the beginning in flashbacks. In other words, how do you want to tell the story? There are stories that start from the end. Those are a challenge to write well...

And character design, what are their personalities, likes, dislikes, strengths, bad habits, it has to be as detailed as possible. I find basing character from friends makes it a lot easier to imagine how they respond in certain situations. This is important, the sidekick or arch enemy often has the opposite character trait from the hero/heroine. Seriously, if you don't plan the characters from the beginning, all of them will start acting and speaking in similar ways through your story. That will create monotony.

Learn to draw facial expressions, the best way of which is to read other comics! Eventually, come up with your own original style... It's all good if you can draw beautifully in someone else's style, but to stand out, it has to be your own style.

Start fleshing out each chapter, and by this stage, you can start doing the na-me for that chapter too. A na-me is a sketch draft of what you want the page to look like. The end result or manuscript can differ from the na-me if you think that works better. Make changes in this draft page process, get your friends to read it, even better, an editor! Making changes after the final manuscript is done is a pain...

Work chapters into 4, 8, 16, 24, or 32 page increments, this will dictate how much of the story you are writing translates into how many chapters and later on into how many books...

Play with camera angles, it will start to look monotonous if you keep the camera angle at eye level because that's the default way you draw, starting from the character's face at eye level.

Keep the panels simple, unless there are reasons to make the panels look a certain way, or you are trying to convey a certain mood or emotion. Complicated panelling is a pain to read, and a reader will lose interest quickly. Notice that Shonen Manga have simple panel layout for clear reading, whereas Shoujo Manga tends to incorporate complex panelling set out for aesthetics and to convey emotions. Ultimately, it is up to your artistic expression...

Learn to do decent backgrounds. If you have the time and willingness, learn to draw in perspective. Otherwise, there is an easier way which is quite acceptable, buy a light box, trace over a picture or a photograph (make sure it's not copyrighted!) with a pencil, and ink over that in your drawing style. If you don't want to buy a lightbox and have a dining table that's made of glass, place a table lamp under that, point the light upwards, and voila! A light table!

Learn to use differing line weights, drawing an entire page with one type of pen will leave it looking pretty plain. Learn from other published works, how they use their line weights, try to come up with your own style.

Learn to shade, and how to use cross-hatches like the Kake or the Gomikake. Try using a screentone. This is essential for Manga if you want it published in print. If you are aiming for a pure web manga, then using gray shades is fine.

Last but not least, draw, draw, draw, and enjoy the process, no point doing it if it feels like a day-job.

© 2011 - 2024 TakataRikuzen
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LAN0RA's avatar
:heart: hey, this is a great journal, sweetie! Meow Bounce 

and btw, your recent works are looking exciting!Dancing :la:  How are things going for you, lately? :heart: