How to Draw Manga Vol. 18 Super-Deformed Characters Vol. 1 Humans

7/13/2019 How to Draw Manga Vol. 18 Super-Deformed Characters Vol. 1 Humans

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HOW T0 DRAW MANGA: Super-Deformed Characters Vol. 1Humansby Gen Sato

Copyright @ 2003 Gen SatoCopyright @ 2003 Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd.This book was first designed and produced by Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd.in Japan in 2003. This English edition was published by Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd.in Japan in 2004.Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd.1 -1 4-1 7 Kudan-kita, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 1 02-0073 Japan

Assistance with Robotic lllustrations: Kanta Hino (Nippon Engineering College)Cover lllustration:Book lllustrations:original Book Design:Main tiue Logo Design:Planning Editor:English Edition Layout:

Gen SatoGen Sato and Asami 0gasawaraMasako okuboHideyukiAmemuraKuniyoshi Masujima (Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd.)Shinichi lshioka

EnglishTranslation Management Linguafr6nca, lnc. ([email protected])Foreign Language Edition Project Coordinator: Kumiko Sakamoto (Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd,)All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,wi$out the prior written permission of the publisher

Disfihned by.,@xne Co., Ltd.2+1 02 ltaka-cho, Kawaguchi-shi,Sdana &P{022, JapanPtrE rFa +81 {0H8-259-3444E+* scesol4aime.comlllEtr [email protected]; A.S.d m04

Gft#amfi*il@ln-n n h D EGIGI miE Co., tld.


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o of Contentslilmambr 1llultmt El"E "Super-deformed Gharacters"?-' : : : Super-deformed Character" ...,...,................ 6- -?,r= -,:es between Super-deformed Characters:i-: ::;r stic Drawings ......................... I- 6's*:c - g Characteristic Characters .....,....,.....,..... 1 0

Iilimmpte,r 2Super-deformed Building Blocks:-rue,Face and Body

;i-xnex'-def ormed Character Building Blocks 1r -;l a fuce ...............20--' i.is Bring Life to the Character.........................21,*:sias S:Ck 0ut ......,.,,,.... ..................27-'; l: e. Moring Mouth. ..,..,.,..,......... 31--* las Reflect the Artist's Pers0nality.................... 37-ii ri_r 3S and Distinctive Si1h0uettes........................ 41-,ir : i'iangle to Lay out the Face ,,.... 46::,-: cf Caution in Drawing Super-deformed:-":-:ers...... .............. 48S,,Eer-deformed Character Building Blocks 2uta -:ining Balanced Pr0p0rti0ns............................ 54l*,"es of Representation ......,.............55:-:,r,c rtroning Arms and Legs ................................... 60:,- :e.deformed Character P0rtraya|......................... 62

C,tmpter 3$uper-deformed Anything and Everything

-r,a'acter Design 0n-10ca1i0n ..........,..................,,,. 66'-:er-deformed Characters and Stylizing Clothes..... 74i - :er-deformed Characters and Backgrounds.......... 80--)epth Look Super-deformed Characters and

Hand Stylization ................................ 90r:s I ng Super-deformed Characters.......,.,.....,........... 92S, mr-deformed Character Gallery ..........................'l 02

Chapter 4Super-deformed Character Odds and Ends

Let's Compare From Realistic to Hyper-Stylized .... 1 14Special Bonus-Mix and Match ........122Afterword ..................127

ln-Depth Look and Short Lessonln-Depth Look The History of Super-deformedCharacters ................. 16ln-Depth Look: Meditations on the Name "Moe" ...... 18Short Lesson:Are the eyebrows more expressive

than the mouth? ...........26Short Lesson: Giving the Face 3-Dimensionality,

Even with Minus the Nose ................. 30ln-Depth Look: What Do Those Lines and Dashes

on a Character's Face Represent?.,... 36ln-Depth Look: The lmportance of the Silhouette L.. 43ln-Depth Look:The lmpoftance of the Silhouette 11.... 44Short Lesson: Drawing Non-Japanese Characters..... 50ln-Depth Look Changes ln Facial Layout

According to Age............................... 51ln-Depth Look: Super-deformed Characters

at High and Low Angles ...................52ln-Depth Look: Shading Super-deformed Characters.... 53Shoft Lesson: Mismatching to Create lndividuality.... 58ln-Depth Look Modifying the Headto-Body Ratio

to Poft ray M0vement..,...................... 64ln-Depth Look: Super-deformed Robots ................... 86ln-Depth Look: Super-deformed Characters and

Hand Stylization ...............,................ 90


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Super-deformed characters are oodles of funsoffiHello there What genre do you visuallze when you hear the phrase "stylizedcharacters"? Do you picture characters from gag manga (humorous mangQ? 0rdo you picture corporate promotional characters? Perhaps you picture charactersfrom parody manga, such as in games. The phrase conjures up any number ofcategories in our minds.However, a little statistic that may come as a surprise is that gg% of all mangasold in Japan contains "stylized characters." Although not named as such, mangacharacters are exaggerated expressions of the human form. Consequenfly, if anon-Japanese were to declare that absolutely all of Japanese mangaleaturesstylized characters, there would be no denying it.The real point is that we just do not see humans with eyes that big or with starsin them,like we doin shoujo(grl) manga(wry laugh).while the characters discussed in this book are stylized, they do not cover allmodes of mangafound in Japan. Still, I would like to discuss ultra-stylizedcharacters that do require heightened stylized techniques, also known as "super-deformed" or "chibi characters."Perhaps you do not have a complete grasp of what I mean when I bandy aboutthe phrase "super-deformed character." For simplicity's sake, in this book t use"super-deformed character" to refer to compacted human characters stylized to1:2 to 1:4 headto-body ratios.Contrary to what your first glance might imply, super-deformed characters areexceptionally versatile and lend themselves to various situations. consequenily,their avenues of use are endless. We have all seen them in mangaand anime.They also appear in commercials, as corporate mascots. We can use them ineveryday situations, such as decorating a letter with a super-deformed characteror portraying your family in a hyper-stylized way. Make an effort to learn how todraw super-deformed characters, and discover new fun ways of using them.


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Chapter 1o ooo&oWhat are " Super-deformed Characters " ?


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This is a "Super-deformed Character"#O+.;Female Characters

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Male Characters

wide variety. Naturally, degrees and methods ofstylization &at allow for a successful visualbalarce are preferable. Hsrever, in the case ofsome aftlets or when suggesting emotionaldisplays, fte intent of Ure drawing is occasionallybetter conveyed by exaggerating disproportions.

,',1ell, now we are ready to discuss abbreviating the human form, something only done in manga design.^ tacl, manga, itself was originally a world of "abbreviation." We find in manga renditions of the eyes,-ands, and feet not found or simply not feasible on real-life human figures. I have never witnessed alanga artist present a life-like rendition of the eyes (chuckle), Consequently, those of you who have copiedlanga or produced your own works, as well as those who have read manga will find abbreviating easy to-nderstand. lt is my goalto see you deepen your interest and enjoyment in character stylization andrcorporate it into your work or everyday drawings.

ipixeding page,:*$1yi{ril]siFdlsllqry$B$r|$tcedils page,lyands and anns fot:male charac{ers come in a


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D ifferences between Super-deformedCharacters and Realistic Drawingsoooiirere I will illustate (literally) the differences between a super-deformed and a realistically drawncfnracter. Please note that use of the word "realistically" does not necessarily mean a figure drawn inheightened realism or in the style of realism manga.l just use it to mean your everyday, typical Dick andJane manga character. Naturally, the most blatant difference would seem to be that of height; however,merely by drawing the character shofter and a little simpler will not create a super-deformed character.I will now discuss handling the various body parts and figure proportions to demonstrate my point.

Super-deformed Character

Character

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To portray a character in motion, use a 4:1 head-to-body ratioI

Sefring aside discussion on stylizing characters for now, beginning aftists like yourself often encounterifficutties in achieving a satisfying pose when trying to draw a character in motion. So, what should youro iln such circumstances? A popular technique is to decrease the head-to-body ratio (i.e. increase therurnber of heads to body). This makes it easier for the body pafts to move at their joints, allowing you to::'mte all sorts of poses. I discuss this topic in depth in another chapter. Please visit that chapter for morenf'nrmation.

Audaciously stylizing the character in that super-deformedway results in a well-proportioned super-deformedcharacter.

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Developi ng Characteristic Characters*o*We humans have many distinguishing features. lf you, the aftist, identify these features and exploit themwhen drawing super-deformed and stylized characters, you will successfully create distinctive characters.While having a model or reference figure in front of you ceftainly helps identify these distinguishingfeatures, picturing an imaginary person in your mind and then searching for these identifying features willalso make character design easier,An artist's mental reproduction of a model comes out most strongly when finally put to paper or canvas, s0you will create a more satisfying character if you stress your own impressions of the model's physicalappearance rather than looking for outside sources of information or seeking others' opinions. You are theone who ultimately gives birth to this character, who is supposed to be imbued with appeal, Therefore, youshould be the one who knows this character best.0f course, even with a model or referencepicture on hand, different features will strikeeach artist in a unique way. Therefore, you,as an individual artist should emphasizethose features that have the greatest impacton you personally.

Ref.

"Cute"

"Cute" Nose


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Assorted Eyes

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Body;to*Bu ildsOne would also expect to find many people who have distinctive builds, even though they may lackfdimyncratic facial features. Stressing idiosyncrasies in their builds and adjusting the face to matchffie body will enhance your character's distinctiveness.

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F.#fry Builds

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Using Stylization to Bring out Character ldiosyncrasiesI

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ln-Depeh LoolrThe History d:lS$p*Td$f0r arg6t&tor^

îîra ^4 ^^-^^^**^^-rî -^ +- M^l.t^ limtla nai ^6^^r.lih^

+haaa limi+n aan ma., l Ia thaThe origins ofhe origins of mangaare regarded as traceahle timits, and exceeding those limits ean resutt in theback to the chqi$:dgdlfrandscrolls (a Buddhlst,,tl:llit i ,q :l&tr.qi.:;&. q itrty,.to.l,BgoslPg i-qstl$mlltllit

*,arrtiehi0s1$eilit,rlren$ircll$Q ffirlttlffigr*qllqii $: atr]cqqqe, yqul,.,,,*ririr} *lrr yfi ;g&i9,n19ttgt1t1trqasf"tro,1llll1ltl1ffiff1: , ii$f(& ffi1""""""'".'i::iii:"i':,.as "Scrolls of Frolicking Birds and Animals").while these,sdr$s:sl. w'bird$,,a.nd,,aniuals :rllll0ws(:l&&i&.* qr$i. ga&a 0.:Q &i ii.@d:'ilanthropomortihti,6(qn$,qr iq it, g]lfq,,, ulrqu'&..6i'l0q&tffi&ffig|*i*(9 sil talrl&u$..Q..Lg {[.'

satirical work wha

mimicking,:hffidd: ai* or movins in a ntaririii:ilieeij&it6ia$ttiUmtit$ :t i{l$fgt*, ittyiewrru,,,,.Many enj.o}ilkl$i$ i{Ili i0$lwltqrs.6iti@:0 ilipl.:il{h,q,$Pi& :0,t1 :::::::,X:l}:',i.li:riii::i,r.:r,,'i,,::.i'iiare also abH,fui,

we find s&{40i:i:i:,litlittiiiitlti::ii:ltti::iit,f:,v.ryJv..r.::i:.ir:t..rrrr,,,,,,,,..iliil:,il:lllill:::l:::lill:lii:imanga ,

wonderi16:it iiiiiitif :if :.aiii*Airiiiiitiillil,iidil :.::l ti,:r lila'1rii

{ tt a{,9 a }l. ,,1 $,t;,::;l(*,an7tr|lii;lIl}present form.manga in::ftsrrri:i iti::ilii:.lliri::i:,:il.i:ii::ri/

::::t::i::rri:ii:$srimi.tsi&sld0iin:|lgtlii{igq{F,q:lr:i::ii:ti]lmay be distorted within ,/

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wil.il IIUUr(riln, dilu UtE alluut utEdtHlg IItt, (rrtrrru Dliriill tu rriorutr ur rruw rrgurcD ,/ /these set boundaries. . / /M a n s at : |ll i:extemi0rjt0i$m:g$ mgn these set boundaries. /r Annnrdinnlv ctrlizatinn Lc /iii1i;lil;ii.fscefd1i $ Il3&gl1e11; /i:i1"""""""""""""""".'diti:iiti:ai,iaiii:iiwondering "Wouldn't itilreaiif;*rting lik a technique tn"t n t- - / /

trris courir:rhap&lrl$rlrci$,.$lrmi i l ii:':tir,.lit i $:i*t I / .interesting sifuation," and using people to create I /i":,:::'^:::::::^^ I Ithese situationscan be : :::il .,ti:t:.ll.:lt:,;irff1:l r,l,,.l.,l:tt;llllt:ti.l l I r'itrir:r(r:r.:lrilLsrsgurrv srtusrrvrt, qrv ugilrv PwPrv w vrvqlu I Ithese situationscanbe ----\ /\ I Icredited with ,/ \^^^^îî+^./ --1a \ /l \ I Lf\

Yet as one might.enderings have their


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tilXlrilr|Ilfim n5 mmfton.'ffilrE ",8'- mOStBfl$r,ffi-(EloffIl'*f,MlIrST adfigtd'stillmrrarE Sernents 0f

,mmutlilfmrlnn Mangafims 21q 3lgnglllilfimln*r 3l'l just whennfiE r. rai stylizedlr,liffiinEr- rnarketedruu wsqrs andmrrnia.:aj productsmMm :Cftl6lity?ne -arese wordwhrre''meaningtm,,nl]=*:n'fifSttMT6 r= USe aroundllllilmm ::rr,'e of be hitumm ' "bhu senkanrrll@:Tm' ,Spaceffi*slpYamato).

rysaf. drew copious amounts ofr'parody mangammrrc lhat time (wry laugh).,$oweler, s00n,:r, .:.:flFn?rds. tris surge in parody came to a halt,ilr.m -ad been in charge of mecha designs for&'niEE: anime characters, which I had jugt drqwn ,,Tr ffirrreafurer, and these,,becalne the first,stylized r:r;ffirers to be sold in product form.T.-',mse oroducts were dubied,the "Q RobQ" (Q,,, :frmc series, and I iontiibuted the designs of'lm,,,,,,,,,,,,,r:o-s stylized characters to be transformed into ,& -Eai machine prizes sold by the same toy.lmr-:acturer. These.charactersturned-$Umbail-- rfl-prizes include Q,,flobo Gog, and ,0 Ro,bo .,,irar. as well as other ultra-stylized anime robotffiryal years afler'ihe 0l Robo:lseriei, anaheiioyn:'au'facturer launclled a new SD pr{ect. At the-.r-e most of my work was dedicated to the 0*rfi3 series, s0lwas unable to participate in thearcfiing of this SD; how..over,, did Jater,ioin the

SD proiect, and cieateO a significant numbei otstylized designs connected t0 the "Gundam"series. I was later employed as head of a differentproject involving stylized characters under thesame toy manufacturel which enabled me to workon stylized designs for products, product logos,and other matters unrelated lo mangaor anime,and I continue such work today.It is owing to this legacy of stylization that thepreviously disparaged parody and stylized artwolkgained their deserved respect and now enjoyrecognition from many mangaaid afiiryle ,,,,,, ,,aficionados.Now, 27 years after I began my own stylizedartwork,l have been entrusted wiin the writing 'of this book.

@ 1995ASMK

TJ


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In-Depth

affection asworlds ofqualitativelyaddition t0'


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Chapter 2coso#oSuper-deformed Building Blocks: The Face and Body

Cheak outthe mix-and-matah loundon page 122at, the end ofthis bookl


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What a Faceli,:O*The face plays a very important part of character design. ln the case of a super-deformed character, theface should be something that the viewer will find disarming and evokes protective instincts. To put itsimply, a super-deformed character is one that contains many elements that will elicit feelings of fondnessin the viewer. Accordingly, the way each individual facial feature is rendered becomes very impoftant.


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**,: Ei,es Bring Life to the CharacterI

.{illli i': :':ernely individualistic, varying from person,: :q,'ii-'- -st as the eyes of Asians versus non-Asiansilffi*ilr" - . :: ieved that most individuals can beril il]'': - .-:d simply by viewing their eyes and facial:r, "r :,: -:: s look at a number of different prototypesir i:a,,, -; the eyes,

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Remember: Ihere ls More to the Eye Than Pupil and WhiteI

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pFold or No Eve FoldEye with

Underneath and to the Sides

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@.. \-l '\-*-#By gMng particular emphasis to the various eye components in this manner, you will be able to imbue yourdBfirter wih individuality. You'll also have lots of fun exploring the different moods projected byrnodrfyrng how fiese different components are portrayed.


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Imarrur ng Memorable EyesLet's see how the eyes introduced on the previouspage look on a face. While the irises have beenhandled the same for all, note how each treatmentof the eye makes each face look like a wholly newcharacter.By all means, play around with the bonus mix-and-match found on page 122

Eve Fold Emphasized

Wrinkles Emohasized

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Make the Eyes Expressive0nce you have acquired an understanding ofbasic eye rendition, the next task you will needto address is how many different expressionsyou can suggest using the eyes. lt is importantthat you analyze the eye's various componentsand learn how to stylize these components toembellish a given facial expression. Play aroundwith exaggerating the individual eye components(e.9. the inner corner, the outer corner, theeyelid, etc.)to see which expressions you create.When using the eyes to suggest "laughter" or"happiness," having the outer corner of the eyesturn down will give them a hint of warmth. Toexaggerate the look of the outer corner turningdown, the inner corner must also turn down,creating an arch. This look has become thestandard in character stylization. Differences inthe angle and size of this arch can producesubtleties in expression, so the best that I cansuggest is for you to practice drawing yourself.To suggest "anger," usually not only is the eyedrawn as "angry" but the eyebrows are as well,owing to their relationship with the surroundingeye muscles. However, the eyes themselvesactually change shape when they are pusheddownward by the eyebrow muscles, whichcauses the upper arc of the eyelid to change.When stylizing a character, the subtle changein the upper eyelids is magnified. Simply put,remember that "scary eyes" mean "anger."To suggest "sadness" or "crying," as with anger,the eyes actually change very little:the eyebrowslose their tension, causing them to shiftdownward and either come into contact with oracproach the eyelids. While no change actuallyiccurs in the eyes themselves, since this:notion is tied to a psychological jolt, the irisess^ould be imbued with a drained feel. Show the=,:s directed either up or down, as if to suggest:: :iaracter is unable to meet another's gaze.-- s r,'lll create the desircd mood. Please also'=-'.' '.i tle section on eyebrows, where they are: >: - s"sec separately.

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dmrrmmrls rm physically possible in the realworld are often frequenfly found in stylized artwork.ffirtiruuurmm qres s0 large, fiey extend beyond the facial oufline, tears pouiing out of eyes tike arilffifir|iofii r-r''Ek r.rsed in lieu of drawing eyes, or shapes totally in disregard of musculature. As IfllmilffimE0 Mher. these are the results of embellishing subtle movemenis in parts of the eyes or facellmlflffi]tt ruUuesrtg an emotion.lfllililflnruflfi tflM mday we live in an impassive age. However, I would ask that you pledse pay careful attentionlmrHrrlll6r rrs d he eye move and how when you draw emotional reactions.

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Short LessonThe eyebrows are highly expressive of o ,_-individuality, regardless of whether the characteris male or female. You might notice that in thecase of super-deformed characters, the eyebrowsare even more expressive than the mouth.

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Are the eyebrows more expressive than the mouth?*o*Beginning artists will need to understand thateyebrows are not merely "lines."During the course of my work, I often seestudents' and young manga artists' work andhave noticed that as of late that eyebrows arebeing less and less used to suggest emotion.Now, I do realize that plucked eyebrows are allthe rage in Japan for both men and women, sousing simple lines to render the eyebrows mightbe reasonable from a stylization standpoint.However, the truth is that this lack of individualityis detrimentallo mangaculture. Make adistinction in your mind between pop culturetrends and individuality while you are still youngand learn about the differences.

Extreme Emotional ReactionsFriendly Friendliera/^\ItUO

Widen the distancebetween the eyebrows.\*> #'."6o/\.

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The eyebrows overallare lowered anddrawn touching the eyes. Generate a looko'terlsion on he brow.


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"'r* ISES Stick 0ut: o q":.,,ry;-1h ng for Distinguishing Facial Features"i' llm :'? ,r -; in a stylized manner often disregard noses. However, there areLlut"r r,*,r,r e'lnning around with distinctive noses, and you, the artist have ail, 'r -I : :. io exploit such traits or risk your carefully planned stylized

r'riiiiilr-1r*::.a : s ng f lavor. The nose is a superb feature for suggesting theti]iiiitr':1r,,-',:'- , :,ccupation (e.9. a police inspector in the style of 0samu Tezuka,

':"* :*': :r'ivate investigator, etc.), projecting a friendly impression, orul\il|ll'::'-; : :istrustful air. Noses are wonderful for portraying a character.

*i*ehte Noses

..ir r'l lri -: -,- : nOSeS pfOjeCtL ', t:l: -:'ession.

,l)- ,,,^(a aDetestable Nose

Large, angular noses seem eerieand strike the viewer with fear.

lorts Easily Portrayed through the NoseThe TalentedBoxer's NoseA small nose suggeststhis boxer is good aiavoiding punches,indicating this guy sgot skills.

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Small Noses

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Use small noses for women and girls togive them a feminine look. Conversely,large noses project a stronger,masculine air.

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Female character noses are typicallysmal and charming.

Symbols Representing the NoseLike the eyes, the nose is a highly individualistic facial feature. When drawing a face, the key is to haveone overplay the other. Drawing both equally expressive would cause a visual conflict. The two featureswould vie for the viewer's attention, canceling each other out.

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Nose Symbols


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i ;rr?55inrg with the Nose1,{llllr il$ *," -,tsi tos not actually move, it does change color and emitillllllliliilllrr'"lilll:i:'r: :,-,lr fiuids. Exaggerating these qualities will allow you to expressrrlrrlltilriritil,i ::r' :rample, add a little red on the upper part of the nose to suggestlllllluliuu:rrriff[s;:;-.-t cr awkwardness or red to the tip of the nose to underscore

rlririilulnL I :r'-a?a1:' rs in a drunken state.llt 1ti -trh,r,E itave been discussing the nose's outer contours; however, likelll, r dtur :i:s the nose has other possibilities of poftrayal.,,"''t[ 1 a :'ire's color. Noses tend to redden, depending on the situation:luurur ilq =:: embarrassed, drunk, fall down and bump our noses, etc.Iil '\irroiy' .:-i need to distinguish between the different reasons for the noseI lilii"r," "-,: ,,,nen stylizing this phenomenon, 0r your nose will appear awkward., *r*'*,-rr. +Jris will also change when the nose is drawn exaggeratedlyrllrrrllrLh :" :.ra I Perhaps these points are better explained through picturesiiillllll" rl :i:.- ,'lOfdS.il ,lLL:i:r'r - for whatever medical reason, noses are often spotted with pimples,]ti|lil: t-rr:,r : emishes. Perhaps it is because the nose pores, which are largerliillrnll -:r: lisible than those on the other facial features, tend to secrete iniilur:,LF ::-:lnts, inviting bacteria to enter. Whichever the case, blemishes canl ,r,:1: r,ihen stylizing the nose to draw out the character's individuality.Nrr" { :,i: ctions of runny noses have been disappearing trom manga of late,ltmi,, i,? a standard way of suggesting childishness or childlikeness. Take carelr '* { :,erdoing a runny nose could just make your character look like a

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:r.,ggesting that a character is angry or ready for a fight, the nose is::picted snorting. There is the tendency to give snofted air a smoke-likei,. 4 it were a tailpipe emitting gas, which is why professional artistsi so will exaggerate the nostrils, showing the snort broadening out from

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Short LessonGiving the Face 3-Dimensionality,Even with Minus the Nose..'o#Artists often omit the nose when drawing stylizedcharacters, but this is not necessarily always thecase, since many noses have personality. Whilecharacters without noses are perfectlyacceptable, please note that there is a largedifference between characters without nosesand characters who appear not to have noses.Characters without noses become distinctivepersonalities owing to their lack of noses.Consequently, they should be drawn in profilewithout a nose, so take extra care to ensure thatsuch a character clearly has no nose in profile.ln such cases, you will still have to give that

character's face 3-dimensionality. When drawinga head that is roundish all over, be conscious thatwhat you are drawing is not the same as anactual human skull.

lf the nose is not visible from a front view,then omit it from the profile as well.

lf you have given proper consideration toward makingyour character 3-dimensional from all views, then youshould be able to rotate her.

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*rhrrrp Agile, Moving Mouth300illllllr ;6 1p* m;a ifeafures, the mouth changes shape the most owing to the surrounding muscles. As you are

,il$illlttllllilllll 'rult8 ]r;inaflS uSe wOrdS tO COnVey OUr wiSheS tO OtherS, and the mOUth engageS in mOVement.rltttflnlnflitlmtflfllt]t{s 'lls occurs. Accordingly, the mouth takes on many forms and is a prime feature for suggestinglllrrrmn mmmrirril 0r agreeability of a character.mmouthS)

w@ndlv Features

,l,noss-Sectional Vi ew

1 . Lips2. Teeth3. Tongue4. Throat


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Assorted Mouths

/0.'eg 'Tr 4'gLower Teeth + Tonque

Noi used much other than for specialcircumstances

Decaved/Missinq Teeth +Used with children and comical characters

TeethNot exclusive to monsters, these may also beused to illustrate a character's personality.

TeethUsed to add to a character's distinctiveness

e,eE .' ,e_:- _(U,,+ l:\\.,.e


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lfr,uryn*rs- r'ng Unique Mouths

ffim0

\rrfO,)

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Assorted Stylized Mouths

/A- _/\__1-*-) V\_/

q7?m

Let's consider how to render the individual mouth components. When imagining these three: the lips, theteeh, and the tongue, think about what would catch your attention about the mouth if the character youare about to draw actually existed and you were to sit faceto{ace with her.Do fie teeth catch your attention? 0r is it the tongue? The picture in your mind's eye will become critical$,t,en you draw the character. ln pafiicular, the lips are a flexible feature, and consequently can take on a1r-rrber of shapes. Naturally, physically impossible shapes are also acceptable in the case of stylizedihiaracters. However, care should be taken to avoid overdoing reactions, which could result in destroyingI'e xtsce s or figure's proportional balance.:ae :etli airso ofier a multitude of possibilities. Artists have the tendency to go into autopilot when creatingilrtimc CItmracters to draw a single line underneath the upper lip and call it quits. However, teeth are notrlrffi EEtF- frb have incisors, canines, molars, upper teeth, lower teeth, etc.

/^\ \6e


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[ullinrfi [ombinations to Boost Expressions

Standard Smile

* e ride mouth means plenty of expression

Now lookshappy

-Now lookspersuasive

P#0O),@ @O\ct

-.-.,/+Z=gv,LA' *-hvv,L\'fr----r,\(G)


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In-DeFthWhat Do

childho0dl .l&ia l

@v

oot t \ -l ,llLineo(daoheo) ona character'gface changedependinq onNhe aqe.


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Tne Ears Reflect the Artist's Personality;ooilfltfltilrn "mmm tr assume fiat the ear is the part most difficult to distinguish the:lltuutttr'iliilrtlnmr"T neimiduality and is something to be hidden behind the hair. However,

ltfiruflfll lliilrts rd'H.s who see an ear and think, "Look That's definitely an (Artist X) ear.',litll$tilutll lilfirnmr,r" r s certainly true that the ear is not the idea body part for illustrating a,:flrrrflllililmM's :ersonality or behavior, but it is that which reflects the idiosyncrasiesilltltiffit161 4q1s .fie best.

ilmrmus Ears

When you start out,use the ears ofan artist you likeas reference.

lltrtiil* ""sspect to stylized characters' ears, there is no need to take as much care when drawing as youItttu iffi with a regular sketch. However, glasses pose a serious issue. You need to take care to position the'rmuill': m fiat a character in glasses will not appear awkward. The ears are usually centered along the face,srmr*'iontours.D


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Assorted Ears

ry/lt,c.llt \7 trllr@ttt \7

:\e


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lffm Eans Are HereLi

Not good

,ritrf,liufrs 'ave fie tendency, particularly with femalenfltlruf,iffimrs. to hide the ears under the hair. Make

irn*l ffii to allow the ears' presence to be evident,rrnrurum,,r r ffiey will not be visible.

-Hfrding Elfin Ears*rE ears can be hiddenmnlnd the hair, whichalows a characterr conceal physical:sdities from others.1ls is a fantasticmchnique bothramatically and in$Dry building.

Good

e@{0@


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Ear Expressions

The ears are not moving body parts. As a result,artists usually reserve elements of movement withthe ears to comical situations. However, the ears'sizes may be modified to suggest that an individualis using them.

Radar EarIt,,

Dut, it looke)uof,like hioear really didqet, biq.

tltt

IOn elderly characters, large-lobed ears create a gentle, kindly Iook

llllil["::i'JfH#xl,:'- -xb -Mbook illustrations, etc. with A _-A /__, :-i targe earlobes. For some lL- ' a- St lL- t t,'.i'Ji$:HlH:x';l?::,.ffi rfc-{e p resent elderly characters.]-. s could very welt be aniffinole of stylization using;ea-r e s preconceptions to:er:ate a stereotypical look.


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i|tlumurstyles and Distinctive Si Ihouettes3(tr0mrmmfil *rrodrfy our hair to suit our personal preferences by

umrnrmm, i[ Wrnq rt up. or dyeing it. Thus, the hair is a great feature forilffiiriililililllllllMliliimriq ; clnaracter.lmr ,iur it[mmr* ffi ?ne hairdos of the lead characters in Ge ge ge no Kitaro,lllllitiilimtmtrflflrM. m afld ty to devise an original hairstyle of your own.

Imorted Hai

I


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Distinguishing Characters' Silhouettes Using HairstylesWhen designing the hair of a stylized character, what you should ask yourself is not how you want to tie upfie hair but rather what sort of shape (of the outer contours) you want to result. Don't worry about how totie back fte hair realistically to create a certain shape. Remember, the character could always wear ahairpiece or extensions.

((t1) ))

Characters cannot be made distinguishable using cololi grey value, 0r screen toneModifying the color of acharacter's clothing or hairbecomes meaningles in dail|I _ -\Itt',/[-l+-AJ\ISCompleted Super-

deformed Character


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In-Depth Looll,,...,.Transfo

Imaoe


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Character Profile

J\irJ,-,&ffiil


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In-DcpthSuper-deforoThe humancomplicatednumerousmovemen*encounter,llri

li i:r:,:i ..ylil:1ili:tilllliVl t a$t

Rocl


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rf ((d/j5\rq)/9d\[))n4)1 )lr 1.F


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Posing Super-deformed Charactersooo0n ffie next few pages are stylized characters ofassorted occupations and in various dress to beused as reference.

Many feelthat in recent yearc manga charactershave been becoming less distinctive. ln the past,characters were s0 clearly expressed that one couldglean what type or role he or she played in a singleglance. The schoolyard gang leader, probably soonto be designated an endangered species, is onesuch character. And then there is the pampered richkid somewhere in his entourage. Fujiko Fujio'smethod of drawing out a character's individuality tothe max, which is considered proper practice, is stillcontinued in manga circlestoday. Fujiko'scharacters are so terrific that even those picking uphis work for the first time are able to understandthe characters' roles. I mentioned this earlier, butthis is what defines a character's distinctiveness.Characters that the reader visually cannot discernwho they are and what they are doing will not lastyears down the road. So, what prevents you fromtrying to create your own characterjust saturatedin individuality right now?

dt I


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pq'6 re',.'Q

t,TWhen the subject of boys comes up, I canthink of numerous characters to createusing exaggeration techniques: an imp witha sword; a spunky, brawling, scrape-coveredscamp, a numbskull, and a gloomy Gus.I might even be able to think up more.Each pen stroke and each prop greatlyaffects the characters' looks.


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NA,r)a,; I=Doctors come in various forms. There are kindly doctors and quacks. For thelatter, draw the doctor hunched over, to suggest a sense of danger like thatone might find in a darkened alley. However, take care when drawing thecharacter hunched over that the figure rounds only at the shoulders and notthe small of the back. (0thenrvise, you will unfortunately end up with an elderlycharacter. A definitively different style of bad posture is needed from thatwhen created elderly characters,)

As when drawing a boy, exploiting minor distinguishing features can suggestpersonality differences within a given profession. For example, even amongstpolice officers and detectives, there is a wide assoftment of possibilities: arespectful and polite rookie cop; a sunglass-sporting hot-blooded detective;or a shrewd detective, like Columbo.Alternatively, for police officers, it might be interesting to show a disparitybetween the otficer at work and in private, as is shown in the illustration.

\il4iC


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( /1)

A schoolteacher is regarded as asacred profession. Still, a littletinkering can create a character suchas Kinpachi from the TV series "San-nen B-gumi Knpachi-sensef' (Mr.Kinpachi's Third-Grade Class); a strait-laced, uptight teacher; a teacher somean, he eats children for breakfast;or a mobster-looking teacher.


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9-9,,A./lr

a-1\Ji_/\

'-3tr'*]L-

Liie&tt

L


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//rf--_\t //,'@..@

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lg ia_rftVrr .{,re.. \(-Tr'\tAo\7 /\h3e


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Methods of Stylization in Game Characters

/'-)

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What you see pictured here are simulation game characters lcreated approximately 10 years ago.Atthetime, stylization techniques where still being developed, which is probably apparent in these images, butI still hope that you find them useful as reference.ln the case of SLGs (Simulation Games), the characters usually appear in panels, so unlike the charactersin " Dokapon Gaiden," these characters were not intended to move, and it was important to emphasizedesign as a still picture. As a result, you may find that some of the char4cters probably couldn't move iffiey tried.


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\/ / \t,iltls\ll\t"/t ll

These too are charactersI created about 10 yearsago, so stylistically theylook a bit different fromwhat we have today.When I designed them,I had given dueconsideration to theirroles to make themdistinctive. Again, I hopeyou find them useful asreference.

' /-... -i


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m ffi @oglze for putting these characters in the reverse order. 0n this page appear characters I created,lumq ment stylization techniques. You will probably notice the different degree of stylization and handlingm mr wk in fiese characters as opposed to those on the previous 3 pages. Monsters are a type ofwpt ;cilil$lde), so it is acceptable to handle their stylization the same as you would a human heavy.Ms mte, lpwever, that how you execute them will affect whether you make them scary or lovable.llhr ffienstein Monster, Creature of the Black Lagoon, werewolf, etc. are drawn with the same eye levelG r rilunan. fur heightened drama, the heads may be enlarged to boost the sense of tension or fear.lurmmmty, using a perspective whereby the head is made smaller does create a psychological state ofum' m tfst fie monster appears to be looking down at the viewer, However, take care: a super-deformedrlltffffi@/s personality is concentrated in the face, s0 making the head smaller could backfire on you.

@\/f, A

,o


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Super-deformed Character Galleryffio&Super-deformed Character Designs for Children's Television Programs0n these pages are characters I created for an old children's television program. Sadly, they were neverused (wry laugh).I am not sure how appropriate the phrase "children's program" is. However, these characters required anunusual execution, whereby the figure was to appear flat and yet rendered as if seen in 3-D. To explainthis in simpler terms, the characters were to appear as flat, two-dimensional objects. Color was alsohandled in such a manner as not to create a solid feel but rather to make the various parts distinguishable.There are shoujo manga artists who create flattish characters but use brushstrokes and gradation tone(a method of adding "color") miraculously to create a sense of volume. However, to a yet unsophisticated,young child such characters look fake. To young children, who take these images at face value, a flatcharacter should be flat, and forcing 3-dimensionality on such a character is nothing less than offensive.There may even be adults who look at shoujo mangaand react with similar distaste. Thus, the charactermust first be regarded as a flat plane. Then, the character must be regarded as a 3-dimensional object thatis able to move, in order to make a child's fantasy world come alive, where the child can play with thecharacter. Consequently, an innocent child would sense a clash if one were to use heavy-handedly themethods of head-to-body ratio adjustment discussed previously. Hence, this was another point that neededattention. Stylization intended for children's consumption is extremely complicated requiring subtle balanceand involving issues unthinkable for normal stylized characters. Even more, execution of these charactersrequires awareness of using clean, carefully placed lines thickly drawn to a certain extent, rather than thindetailed strokes, and it is not an exaggeration to say that stylized children's characters are absolutely thefinal goal of this book.Please note that our discussion of character execution as it appears in this book is still incomplete, and Ihope to cover more in later volumes.


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Super-deformed Character Design for Gaming 1""ress are from the unreleased character profiles Imsqned for the game " Dokapon Gaiden" someMrriie ago.-u"xti{e tre characters designed for the SLG$snssed earlier, these characters are stylizedmrder fie assumption that they would have to bempable of motion, since Dokapon required a certainffiqree of movement. Thus, I needed to achieveraance in the degree of stylization and to executefe joints believably.

The arlisl has Lothink abou| thech a r a cNer o' ely lizaLi o nbalance eo lhaL he orehe can ?ortray actioncorrectly.


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r*i*


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?


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Super-deformed Character Design for Gaming 2j" rese pages appear some of the characters I created for the game discussed on p. 98. They have beensl,' zed to illustrate their professions and other qualities, but they have not been executed to allow motion,as novement is not a prerequisite of SLGs.These characters represent various occupations and uniqueness. Their "eccentricities" are stronglycrcjected. Conversely, the 2 protagonists appearing at the bottom of p. 1 1 1 do not exhibit strong portrayalc'f eccentricity, but rather their uniqueness is downplayed. The reason for this is if the frequently appearingprotagonist was a strongly eccentric character and the player became accustomed to this, then that wouldcause the other highly idiosyncratic characters to lose their distinctiveness.Metaphorically, the protagonist is like the white rice of a meal, while the opponent chara@rs are like theside dishes. An opponent character, like a side dish, is more interesting if it changes from day to day.However, if the protagonist, were not like white rice, but like fried rice or chicken and rice, wouldn't yougrow tired of it? That is why the uniqueness of the protagonists pictured at the bottom of p. 111 wereminimized somewhat.


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)


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4=[, --,lI..1t\1'-,


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NPJ

-U V'2I -z ')y'

\:j*,


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ily,,r'{fii ,(

1',V....b q)r\7@@


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Chapte r 4o o*offioSuper-deformed Character Odds and Ends


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Let's CompareoooFtere s a titfle bonus. I wondered what it might be like to redo using stylized characters a collection offfiayg6shorb trat were published some time ago, so I played around a little, and the results are what

you see on fie next few pages.lronically, I do draw considerable amounts of regular manga (chuckle), but for some reason I just can'tshake my reputation as a gag mangaartist. So, I figured since that is what people think of me anyway,I might as well parody my own manga.The published collection consisted of 4 regular shotts. At thevolume's end I added a brief, collective parody of the preceding shorts (grin). I hope you enjoy comparingthe originals with their parodies.

Thio is juot, a tyVicalohoppinq area. bul,toher, it, musN be like achildren'o amusemenNpark. SLill,l enjoy oeeinqouhere ha??y.


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Um...l gueoo.Hey, eince wecame all t,heway to Nhe bigciLy, can I do alittle ohoVVing?

Wowl Even the peoVle inlhe sf,reet are otylizea.

./\.


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Note that the backgrounds are also stylized.

;t @@@

@@@

/\i -----t-

9o, can you iell uewhal happened tothat, kid, afLerLhat?

l,ello, DetecLive.

UnforLunaLely, if rhememory of the murder isexpunqed, any recollectrionof her molher will alsovanieh, eo eeparaLing theLwo is difficulL.

@.'\ Low is shedoinq, DocLor?7he'e doing well.7he'e receivinqher f,realmenlae advieed, and Iexpecl her lo bedischarqed early.

-.^@-:r lfuqI

SeVaraLin7l,he lwo, huh?


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WelL we had a litLleehocking evenl.

W ell, um...l'eheh eh...

What,hapVened lolhe director?

ltello,Oeleclive. MffiMffi(E\ [.t

low arethey?Well, Lheir cernenl mixlureseems somehow off. , .--\rc(

Do you wanL to hear whal Iknow? Gen drew Lhe parodyfrom memory, eo he 4oofed,up lhe poeilioninq of thedeleclive and r,he doclor.Tee heel


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Realistic manga is an experimental work, where the artist can play withexpressions in lines and planes. Thus, parody manga may have more ofa sense of volume (wry laugh).


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Nanmaida1 (Duddhiot\ prayer).\Nanmaida.Vmen. Amen.

boom,boom,boom


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A parody of a sentimental ending can look like...


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eorry tolko. Thie collecl,ion ofshorls is out of print andcan only be found now aLuee d b o okeLores, onlineauction sites, or reissuedpublication oiLee.


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Special BonusMix and Match to lmprove Facial Layout Skills#ooYou have probably gained an understanding of how irnportant the facial layout is to a super-deformedcharacter. So now, let's work 0n your layout skills using this special bonus supplement mix-and-match.You'll have even more fun using eyes, mouths, and other features that you draw yourself. play aroundwith different features and try designing your own facial layout.


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AG

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z,rfug'2_- '.C

--+F=' rg')\"/_\___/Er d\,ru\ /ry-\,

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)( ,^5 )(c_-.l)I\-

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UWs


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Q9GOGOQO

GOGOO

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Afitenruordooffi.{s fe ,:nr,x s aufior, I sincerely hope you have acquired someffirr?:;a:o,r of super-deformed characters. Still, I realize that you haver***- iirrc,rced to only a portion of stylistic techniques given thermrmr]'s of U'rat presented in this volume. To understand super-m,i:rec cnaracters, an artist must staft by gaining thorough familiarity,rurrff :e aqtJal human form and realistic drawings. Realistic drawingsn'ru}'rr rle tansformation of the original picture or photograph and,Hrse:Je'nty. are rather easy to draw. However, drawing superns.i:red cnaracters requires that the artist overcome various:::rx[-ars. so they do take exponentially more time to draw than,?fr si,r Crarvings, Simply drawing and abbreviating is not how to creater s;88..-,0formed character. I personally believe that a character willqx r:,nC and last for years to come if it is executed in a manner thatahr*s i to live within the world you created. I encourage the reader to;::;i:E sriper-deformed characters with even more interest and appeal.

lnst Profile: Gen Satoiar :eoLted as a manga artist with his " Gundam" parody work, " Bakusho Senshi SD Gundam" (Riotously Funnylulir*r:r SD Gundam), published by Kodansha. Sato is currently active as an anime and manga creator as well asr r-s:r-uctor of new generations of aftists at various trade schools.. 'lrif,l'rne Projects Participatedlle-a,o Doremi Dokkaan '("Pestering Witch, Kaboom "),'Ashita no Naaja" (fomorrow's Nadja), "/ppafsu Kanta-r;-n 0ne-hit Kanta), "Sfln Lupin-sansel'(New Lupin llll,"Sutajingaa" (Spaceketeers"),"Gatcharnan ll,",rv;redy Monogatarl' (Pink Ladies' Story), "Asflta no Joe llffomorrow's Joe ll), "Ucltu Senkan Yamato ll'Ha:e Battleship Yamato ll), " Zendaman," " Ginga Tetsudo 999' (Galaxy Express 999), " Ucltu Senshi Baldios"Scam Warrior Baldios), " Sengoku Majin Goshogun" (Goshogun, Demon of the Warring States), " Daioja,"s-ryiam ll," " Gundam lll," "Votoms," " Cmsher Joe," " Kyojin Gogu" (Giant Gogu), " Dirty Pair,' " Futari Taka" ffwo

-am'ksr. " SD Gundam /' through " SD Gundam Vl," " Maitchingu Machiko-sensei' (Miss Machiko), " Manga*, nete Monogatari(First-Time-in-Manga Stories), and many more.. Domics-psumi Watashi no SarDoi' (Goodnight, My Cyborg Boy;Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co.), "Aidoru Tantei Hirashi'r Snakase" (Leave it to Hiroshi, The Dashing Detective; Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co.), " Famikon Hissho Doio"Earnrly Computer, GoAhead and Laugh;athree-volume series published by Kodansha Ltd. Publishers),"Bakusha

-??6hl SD Gundam" (Riotously Funny Warrior SD Gundam; an eight-volume series published by Kodansha Ltd.;-clishers), " Mina-san Banbaman desu yo ' (Everyone lt's Bomberman ; a four-volume series published byrodansha Ltd. Publishers), " Binpatsu lchiban" (Best in Hair; a two-volume series published by Kadokawa Shoten>rbiishing Co., Ltd.), " Famikon Tanteidan" (Family Computer Detective Squad; a two-volume series published byl*ta Publishing Co., Ltd.), and many more.. 0trers

$ippen no Miko-chan" (third generation of the commercial manga characler),i'flovie: " Tokiwa-so no Seishun fl-okiwa: The Manga Apartment; served as manga production supervisor),irlrppon Television FAN (as program illustrator, etc.)


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We're covering animale inHow lo DrawManga:Suoer-DeformedChLractere Vol. 2ll


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LIS $19.99

About the AuthorGen Sato debuted as a mango artist with his"Gundom" parody wotk,"Bokusho Senshi SD Gundam"(Riotously FunnyWarrior SD Gundam), published byKodansha. He is currently active as an anime andmanga creator as well as an instructor of newgenerations of artists at various trade schools.


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How to Draw Manga Vol. 18 Super-Deformed Characters Vol. 1 Humans

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Transcript of How to Draw Manga Vol. 18 Super-Deformed Characters Vol. 1 Humans