im kind of interested why you are afraid. please do tell. (truthfully ：P)

I don't think Columbine is actually feeling afraid, I think she meant it as a figure of speech.

lol i read that wrong!

I think it is important to understand that manga is a media, not a style. I think too many non-Japanese artists try to define manga and anime as a style, which is very limiting. There are some rules in manga, but I like it when non-Japanese can approach that media, but still bring their own style.

Oh no, manga just plain terrifies me; I'm totally phobic :mtongue: j/k

Yeah, no, I draw a lot and I write a lot but I don't do manga. A few scribblish ones as gifts for friends but I can't get to grips with comic format and it's way, way too much work for one person. Besides, my style is fairly alien compared to most comics. I think i'd be happier just concept designing and creating the plot-outline if I had to go into that kind of publication.

I agree! It's funny to see all these crappy "How to draw Anime/Manga" books obviously drawn by some imitation Marvel/DC comic flunkie who thinks that all a drawing needs to be Anime/Manga style is big (often mishapen) eyes, a big head, a pointy chin and ridiculous hair... I hate to start a battle of semantics but if you're Western you're draw comics. They may be Japanese influenced but they're still comics. Well, actually, if your work becomes sucessful in Japan then I suppose it could be called manga ;)

I'm just tired of seeing crap like this in the art instruction section of Books-A-Million




HGGGNNNN You can really see a difference between the art of someone who has cultivated a style and a hastily drawn knock-off. An artist can draw proportions as exaggerated as they like without their art looking poorly drawn, if they know what they're doing and the artwork looks natural and consistant. It's just a matter of style :cool: I just can't believe stuff like the two books I posted actually gets published... "I know you have no talent and you shouldn't be instructing anyone on the art of drawing but we can make money because kids these days like Anime!" D:

Look you guys! It's Anime!


For a mere 25 USD you too can learn to imitate and imitator! With a staggering 64 pages of instruction! :mad: It's a crime, I think.

Also @ OP I'm glad you like the discussion :D I was afraid you were going to say something like "Somebody please draw a doujinshi of Ichigo with my OC!" XD I've been down that path before... never let weeaboos know you have even slight artistic ability-- next thing you know they're begging to draw a kiss scene between Itachi and their OC, Selena Potter, the daughter of Wolverine and Harry Potter(?) who looks like Selena Gomez.... I wish I were kidding... haha

lol, thx guys for the reply, im actually doing some preliminary research on manga market outside of japan. just to see how many people have the passion to draw their manga/comic.

btw stoner, nice pics :D i loled

:D @ ouji88len
Glad you liked them, sorry if the topic is getting a little carried away ;p Speaking of the OEL manga-influenced comics outside Japan. I actually know of a few American artists who've published their work in Japan. Have you evey heard of Priscilla Hamby AKA Rem


Or Felipe Smith?



Both have published work in Japan. So yeah, there is an industry outside Japan. I notice that webcomics are becoming quite popular, Ms, Shatia Hamilton's "Fungus Grotto" is up on the web yet the published books are selling pretty well. HamletMachine's "Star Fighter" has soldout like 5 times just this month on AkaDot. Also Tessa Stone's "Hanna is Not a Boy's Name" comic is really popular though it's only availible on the web, but if it got published I imagine it'd make pretty good money.

Well, I'll leave you with some pretty art! (Sorry for the all the pics)
Fungus Grotto

StarFigher


And HiNaBN


You'll see that a lot of popular OEL manga does have a lot of Western influence, which I think is awesome. Cultivated hybrid art, not just a cheap copy Rumiko Takahashi's artstyle. Gotta love it :rheart: Can you tell I'm really into this stuff? XD You might wanna take a look at "Mangaka America", although some of the featured artists in there are those dreaded imitator kind, some of the others are very good.

lol i can tell that you are quite familiar with the topic! thx for all the info, i will definitely look more into the topic. you mind if i PM you some questions? i would love to discuss topic more in depth, your opinion is highly appreciated :D

and of course i think hybrid is nice, but the balance is kind of hard to find....T.T