How to Be a Manga Artist by Balthazar Pagani

How to Be a Manga Artist

Balthazar Pagani, Asuka Ozumi

WW Norton · Paperback · October 15, 2024

The ultimate guide for aspiring artists with a love of manga.

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Who it’s for
Follow manga-making from an initial idea through narrative, studio work, and publication.
Themes
Manga creation and publication, Narrative and character development, Developing an original artistic style
Genres
Cartooning, Drawing, Comics & Graphic Novels

About this book

The ultimate guide for aspiring artists with a love of manga. Presented in the style of a manga, this book takes readers through the complete creative and professional process of making manga, from spark of inspiration to publication.

Continue reading

Following How to Draw a Graphic Novel, Balthazar Pagani returns, joined by manga expert Asuka Ozumi, to demystify the process of creating manga, from the initial idea that morphs into a story to what it’s like to work in a professional manga studio. Featuring the work of Italian manga illustrator Silvia Vanni and told from the point of view of two young manga fans, How to Be a Manga Artist delivers a blend of professional advice and practical tips to guide aspiring creators, including how to construct a compelling narrative, develop characters your readers will fall in love with, and the basics of printing, digital-file setup, and self-promotion. How to Be a Manga Artist also includes a specially commissioned chapter by renowned Japanese illustrator Fumio Obata, who encourages readers to look beyond the aesthetics of manga and put themselves into the story, to develop a style that is entirely original and true to them. It also features biographies of famous manga artists, definitions of key Japanese terms, and a list of must-read cult classics.

From Idea to Publication

Follow manga-making from an initial idea through narrative, studio work, and publication.

Come here for

  • Guidance on shaping stories and developing characters
  • Practical tips on printing, digital-file setup, and self-promotion

Expect

  • A manga-style presentation with professional advice and practical tips
  • Artist biographies, Japanese term definitions, and a list of cult classics

Where it sits

Comics & Graphic Novels83%
Cartooning55%
Drawing53%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Activity Books
  • Cartooning
  • Comics & Graphic Novels
Authors
Balthazar Pagani, Asuka Ozumi
Publisher
WW Norton
Published
October 15, 2024
Format
Paperback
Theme
Manga creation and publication · Narrative and character development · Developing an original artistic style
Reading lane
Activity Books