Drawing manga animals, chibis, and other adorable creatures

Adult/High School-Amberlyn explores traditional pen-and-ink techniques and describes how to create images with computer software. The first part of the volume is devoted to the basic elements of drawing characters, including the anatomical proportions necessary for realistic creatures and ways to manipulate proportions to devise a variety of images. How to convey expression and movement are among other topics discussed. The second section highlights various creatures important to Japanese culture and legend. Each animal, whether mythical or real, is accompanied by its Japanese and English name, and other information. Animals are often shown in more than one drawing style. Computer techniques are the subject of the final portion of the book. Detailed instructions are given for completing a manga page, beginning with the scanning process. Although specific software packages are used in the examples, basic techniques can be translated to other computer applications. This is a solid addition to manga-instruction collections.-Lara McAllister, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Cats, like dogs, have a long and storied history in Japanese culture. Whether an ordinary house cat or a supernatural youkai spirit, cats always know how to leave an impression. The Maneki Neko (welcoming cat) is a good example of the feline's place in Japanese popular culture. Many Japanese shops display a statue of a calico cat with one paw raised in the air, which is the Japanese gesture for "Come here." This cat is believed to bring good luck to its owner. The lucky cat is usually depicted with a collar, bell, and some kind of decorative bib. Excerpted from Drawing Manga Animals, Chibis, and Other Adorable Creatures by J. C. Amberlyn All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.