The Complete Guide to Manga Composition

A comprehensive guide that every manga illustrator needs to have--with scores of full-color examples from dozens of professional illustrators! In this complete course book, award-winning author and manga illustrator Shinji Matsuoka provides 80 full-color manga drawings by talented professional Japanese artists as case studies to show you how to improve and upgrade your own drawing skills. The illustrations serve as examples showing you how to use the time-honored principles of composition to create balance and stability, establish focus and direct the viewer's eye dynamically around the artwork. In hundreds of detailed notes and tips, Matsuoka also teaches you how to use color, shapes, framing, shadows and focal points to communicate your stories in a clear and engaging way. The illustrated case studies in this book show you how to: Ground your illustrations by using time-tested compositional principles as you position elements on the canvas Make the main character in your story stand out through the use of framing to direct the viewer's gaze Create a sense of dynamism by using the lines formed by elements on the page to form a flowing path around the canvas Depict scenes from unexpected angles like low angle, telephoto and bird's-eye views to make an impression And much more!