mangAnimeおひさま塾: Learn Manga Drawing from Japanese Animator ①

Learn to draw hands by studying gestures, bone structure, finger joints, and nails, then practice different grips and angles, from open to fist and holding poses.

Master leg drawing by mapping anatomy from waist to foot, including pelvis, hip bone, muscles, and joints, and study front and side contours, movement, and gaps with ball-based construction.

Learn to balance characters by mastering the center of gravity, optimizing weight distribution from the feet to the pelvis, and applying contrapposto for stable, dynamic manga poses.

Master twisting in pose drawing by tilting the pelvis, rotating the torso, and aligning head, shoulders, and hips to create dynamic, rag-like poses with intentional midline shifts.

Master theme-based posture drawing for manga by arranging clothes on models, adjusting pose and expression to convey cute, chic, or sexy moods, using head tilt, hand placement, and weight distribution.

Explore drawing fashion models in poses that showcase clothes, adjust posture, head tilt, chin, and hand positions to express cute or sexy themes from head to toe.

Master the signature pose by studying well-dressed, ready-to-go pauses from Kabuki, animations, and manga, then apply them to illustrations and various martial arts-inspired poses.

Study dynamic postures by drawing running, tennis, and fighting poses, noting movement, angle changes, head and waist twists, perspective space, and center of gravity, then practice by copying poses.

Explore how screen configuration shapes composition, using triangles and the rule of thirds to create stability or movement; adjust eye level and vanishing point to convey mood and perspective.

Explore how character size in manga and anime frames communicates mood and context, from long and full shots revealing environment to waist, bust, and close-ups emphasizing expression.

Master manga composition by balancing space around a character’s dialogue and gaze, center the face’s midline, and expand space to hint at what lies beyond, past or future.

Master centerline composition by balancing character placement, framing, and props like a sword to avoid overpacked scenes; adjust frame size and orientation to reveal expression, body, and mood.

Explore centerline concepts in manga composition by adjusting horizontal lines away from the middle to create natural, calm seaside scenes, with figures, umbrellas, and ships.

Focus on manga composition by avoiding corner slashes and a horizon through the middle. Move elements, cut unnecessary lines, and balance roof, sky, and tree to guide the frame.

Balance character and background by adjusting overlap and space, using the coffee cup example to prevent lines from intersecting the background, and note how light can clarify the scene.

Examine how telephoto and wide-angle lenses create urgency and alter perspective in manga and anime composition, showing how camera position and lens choice affect body, arm size, and room depth.

Explore how wide-angle, standard, and telephoto lenses alter posture, depth, and perspective in manga drawing, and practice camera positions for dynamic poses.

Master advanced posture drawing by exploring eye-level placement, vanishing points, and perspective from looking up and looking down, including bird's-eye views and floor contact.

Master advanced manga posture drawing by aligning neck tilt, axis rotation, body twist, and perspective to create believable, dynamic single-character poses.

Explore drawing two people in interaction by varying leg timing and body angles to create postures. Practice walking, running, kissing, and fighting scenes with balance, weight distribution, and overlapping limbs.

Learn how to build a strong animator portfolio for Japan, including layout with perspective projection, action poses, sketching, animals, copy, and cleanup for job applications.

Trace the evolution of anime shadow drawing from the 1970s to the 21st century, showing how light, realism, and anatomy shape faces, hair, and clothes.

Learn how the peg bar, known as tappu or 定位尺, fixes animation papers with three holes to connect successive drawings, enabling flip-through animation used by worldwide animators.

An animation anecdote explains how a timesheet marks time stamps and layers A to H with a background, totaling nine sheets for moving scenes.