Welcome :D

Let me show you some of my 4koma (about my life with cats).
Nao-p is my nick name my friend Mami Tachibana gave me. And I call her Mami-p. Of course it comes from Wedding Peach "Momo-p". No one calls me by the name except for her, but I love the 4 koma cartoon "Go Go Momo-pi (Gan-bare Momo-p)"(In the paperbacks) so I use it. :)
Oh, I'm a manga artist Nao Yazawa, and author of Wedding Peach, by the way. :)

These "comic strips" come from my 4-koma blog (in Japanese). You can see all of them in original here. If you have a request which 4koma will be next, tell me. :D
http://yazawanao.blog97.fc2.com/
Other Japanese blog

2019/12/20

Join CoffeeParty 2020 project!

CoffeeParty's new book, In Search of Lost Coffee 8 has been released on 24 Nov. 2019, at Comitia. Thank you for your support!

In Search of Lost Coffee Vol.8.
It's been 8 years since I started. Wow!!
This time, we have 4 CoffeeParty Memvers. (Backcover) 

What CoffeeParty is?
CoffeeParty is a Doujin Group by Nao Yazawa and releases "In Search of Lost Coffee" series every autumn, since 2012.
The member is recruited every year via internet, from whole world. Some members sell the book at conventions they attend. It's open for everyone.

How to join?
e-mail to yazawanet@yahoo.co.jp with a subject " Coffee Party 2020"
Just raise your hand is fine, let me know your name/pen-name FB account (if you have) . You can decide how many pages you take later.

You can join from 1 page ~ no limit. I ask you 600-700 yen/page, via PayPal. 
You need to have a credit card or PayPal account.

Adding that, you required comment and backcover color image. 
You'll get 5-10 copies. Under 5 pages :5 copies more than that, 10 copies.
 (Shipping cost is not included. It depends on the pages of the book, but would be about 700 -1500 yen) If you want more, you can tell me.

There is 2 deadline, one for page plan (how many pages you'll draw) and one for  finished data(drawings). The deadlines, comment and backcover image size will be announced after all members are cleared. It will be around August- September.

Member's name will be accounted on FB page occasionally.

The subject
can be anything about Coffee Party characters. Croissant, Eclair, Dango, and others. 4-koma, 8-koma,  illustration, manga, comic, everything is OK.

You should take Croissant or Eclair at least. You can add your original character if you like - he or she should be named by a sweet (hairstyle), typical one in your country (Something nice with coffee). 

On the first page, your name and title(if you have) are required. (see below images)

The language must be English, I add Japanese subtitle later. So please keep some space for subtitle. Of course you can add the Japanese subtitle by yourself.

You can read some back numbers from here. See how Croissant and Eclair are like.
Vol.1-1
Vol.1-2
Vol.2

Format
Manga Studio or Clip Studio file, A4-600dpi. (Template abairable) 
Black and White (not grey) 
It had been 1200 dpi so far, but it might be hart to access for some people so I changed it to 600 dpi. 

You don't need export the file, both Clip Studio and Manga studio file are acceptable. But all the text layers should be rasterized. (I recommend to keep the text layers. You can put all text layers in one folder and copy it, then merge the folder. It's automatically rasterized

Color image is 400dpi, clip studio/Tif/Jpeg(100%)  CMYK

Relay Manga
Since 2017, I've started relay manga again, with Mark Egan. You also can read it on Pixiv page. We got  a new member Faith in 2019, so Vol. 8 has 3 creators' "Lost in Coffee Space" story.  We are still looking for someone who can join us anytime. If you are interested in, send FB message or email to me!
You can read the first 2 episodes from here!
Relay manga  Vol.6


We look forward to having you join us!


In Search of Lost Coffee vol.8 is now on sale.
Mail order page

CoffeeParty new book 2019

In Search of Lost Coffee 2019, vol.8 has been released on 24 Nov. 
Now I can add it to mail order's list!

This time, relay manga has 3 members, Faith, Mark and I drew 3 stories! It worth to read! :D



With Kessy's 2 page short story and Kai's illustration, 5 members this time. 

Coffee party is recruiting new members for 2020 project! If you are interesting, read this entry!

Go to Mail Order
I can't access my website so I made a PDF file for tempolaly. ^^;;

2019/10/16

Manga Drawing Deluxe

I've finished my first  How to draw manga book "Manga Drawing Deluxe" from Rockport Publishers. I've offer many arts for Chris Hart's how to draw manga books, but they were just drawings. It was the first challenge for me, and yes, it was very hard!!

I'm teaching manga in English at Manga School Nakano, and some students asked me if I know good how to draw manga book. I don't know well about those books so I can't say anything. I myself think sometimes it would be a good  if I have a instruction book for student during my class. 

I thought if I could make a thin booklet by myself but it was just thinking. Without a good Japanese editor's help, it seems too hard for me.  So, when I got a offer from the publisher, I thought it was a good opportunity, I can do with an editor (american editor, though)  and my experience as a teacher can help it!

But I found it was tough work more than I imagined. Of course I didn't think any help about the contents from US editor, but the distance and English - especially without face to face communication was something. Quite something. 
(The biggest problem was my slow progress, though!)

The fee is whole book, not per page, so I thought it would be nice if I could compile minimum pages.  But eventually I spent maximum pages, ans still, I had to remove some part I was planning because of amount of pages and the schedule.
 

 Some parts of my first manuscripts were too jammed, I replace each drawings and words and to make more space, by the editor's request.

But I tried to cover whole manga making process, not only drawing characters - such as perspective for background, panel layout for composing.  You can write one book about composing, so the part I mentioned in this book is just introduction, but I tried to make it practical.

You can't be perfect, I'll be keeping find  some flows every time when I read this, but I worked hard and satisfied with the result. I'll use this my manga class, it helps me a lot! (Especially when I get stuck English) 
I hope it also help people who lean manga by themselves.

Still there are something to do , contents page and about the Author pages,  a Resources page, so on. (all resources are my work, so might be unnecessary?)
But anyway, the contents has done!!


One of my student said it was a good instruction, easy to follow. 
What do you think?

2019/06/20

CoffeeParty2019

Making doujinshi for COMITIA, on 24 November 2019

(The detail of TICF had not yet been announced, so I'm not sure at the moment)

Why don't you join this project and show your work on Coffee-Party book "In Search of Lost Coffee" vol.8, it's sold at the venue(Comitia/komike), and conventions outside Japan I (Nao Yazawa) am invited. This project is open for everyone. 
At a convention in USA

Coffee Party is a group I organized for Tokyo International Comic Festival and has been releasing Doujin book series In Search of Lost Coffee(1-7 right now)
It's a group opens for everyone, you can join and show your work on the book
Because Tokyo International Comic Festival  has been closed, the book will be released at COMITIA on 24 Nov. 2019.

In Search of Lost Coffee 8.  
The idea is basically the same with last time, these are the condition; 

1) Black and white drawing for the body, and 2) a note for a comment space.
3) A small color image for the back cover.

The subject  can be anything about Coffee Party characters. Croissant, Eclair, Dango, and Brioche.
You should take Croissant or Eclair at least. You can add your original character if you like - he or she should be named by a sweet, typical one in your country (Something nice with coffee). 

Anything is OK, illustration, a drawing with some words/dialogue, 4koma/8koma, or short manga/comic.  The language should be in English or Japanese, then I'll add Japanese(or English) subtitle, for Japanese audience.  
Manga/Comic both styles are acceptable. (left to right / right to left) 

On the first page, your name and title(if you have) are required. (see below images)






COST:  600 yen/page +200 yen for your comment/note space. 
if you want to draw 4 pages, means 2400 yen. I'll send you Paypal money request.

You'll get 5-10 copies. Under 5 pages :5 copies more than that, 10 copies.
 (Shipping cost is not included. It depends on the pages of the book, but would be about 700 -1500 yen) If you want more, you can tell me.

Rules
Deadline of drawing : 24th Oct.(Earlier is very helpful!) 
Deadline of your plan (how many pages you will draw): 24th Sep.

What you need to draw?
1) Drawing (for Body)  Black and white (monochrome image)  If you use Grayscale/RGB/CMYK scale, please note it will be changed without adjustment. The image might become different from what you intended.
No page limit. 

Manga Studio file or ClipScudio file  (A4/1200 dpi, default). If you don't have these app, Tif file(154x216mm) is also acceptable. (black and white, not grayscale)

Templates is available via dropbox.
Once your application accepted, the link will be send by email.

2) Comment (Black and White) Comic Studio template or TIF
Size will be decided later. 

3) Illustration for back cover (for back cover) Color(CMYK), Tif or high quality jpeg image. 400dpi.
The detail will be announced at the end of August.
It will be collaboration of all members. Example from back numbers.



How to join?

If you'd like to join,  e-mail to yazawanet@yahoo.co.jp with a subject " Coffee Party 2019 "

 I'll share a dropbox folder with you soon, which you can DL the templates from and upload your works to.


You can read some back numbers from here.

Members who already have joined. 
Mark Egan ( facebook.com/rawrtacular/
Faith Flamme ( instagram.com/faithess/ )

We look forward to having you join us!