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?
