Things I need to Draw

[avpmaster132004]

I need help learning how to draw comic and cartoon characters. Anyone know any good sites? Here are some basic things I need to know how to draw:

Basic human design
Character angle
Wings (bird/bat)
Fingers (of course)
Heavy Muscling
Shadows

I’m looking to make kind of a cross between anime and basic American cartooning (invader zim, Ben 10, TT, etc.) I have an idea for an independent comic. I’ve got characters, stories info like that all written down but of course drawing is the hardest part. So if anyone has any good sites please tell me. I don’t like that much anime but they do have a certain feel to them, so I do want that but an American overtone.

[MadMaximus]

Cityscapes and Perspective. I say this immediately because of how I pretty much screwed myself over on this month's Fan Art contest, lol. Can't think of any sites off hand to help though.

[Mrh7448]

I would say go to your library look for books then photocopy the pages you need or think will be useful.

Build a nice big swipe file too, for reference.

If your looking for books on paneling and composition check with books about filming and lighting. Pick some of you favourite comic artists and look at how they build their compositions and story telling. Look for elements that you like and adapt them to your own style and ability.

I can't think of any websites that have this kind of stuff and I haven't seen it any either. I guess you could look on stuff with bittorrent or Limewire and see if there are any books to download.

Tokyopop has a good How-To on their Manga Online. Also, Amy Reeder Hadley (aka Tentopet online), artist of Fool's Gold, has a great number of tutorials on her LJ. http://tentopet.livejournal.com/12935.html This is an inking tutorial that is on TP's how-to, but I like her LJ version better--she had a lot more space to work with. http://tentopet.livejournal.com/43699.html#cutid1 This one is a perspective grid tutorial, EXTREMELY helpful. http://tentopet.livejournal.com/34995.html#cutid1 That one is an eye tutorial. Amy is about the most helpful artist on the planet. And her style is a bit more...I'd say a lil more on the American end of things (more like I WANT to be) and a bit more realistic than a lot of manga/anime out there.

Lesse...here's a couple of hints: Go out to the mall/beach/park/whatever, sit down with a sketchbook and draw people. No, seriously! Just sit back and draw everything around you, including all those cool details like seashells or how the water behaves (you'll want the water, believe me O__O). What you need to do is, before you think about your style, get some of the basics down for what REAL LIFE looks like first. Manga/comics MIMIC life. Therefore, you must be able to draw life before you can draw manga/comics. ^-^ Good, see, I knew you'd be okay.

Also, go check out the Share Your Manga section of the TPOP forums, there are loads of people there who would gladly help. ^-^

[spiderfan08]

idk if they are still up and running but when i was learning how to draw some basic things i always went to "the drawing board". its a forum where you can post your artwork and they will help you on correcting it and you will eventually get lots better...i know i did.

[ampersand]

Yeah, www.drawingboard.org - it's a fantastic website and the people on it are the most helpful I've ever encountered.