Study the Work of Other Artist to Draw Anime Better

By Rick Feathers

Anime is a style of drawing all it’s own and can easily be identified by the use of large eyes on characters, sort of like a signature. After a time, those who have been in the anime world will begin to notice different styles between the artists. Eventually, you will be drawn to a unique character and style and will want to learn how the anime artist develops them.

For instant, Hayao Miyazaki is one of our family’s favorite artists and creator of unique and original stories. One of his anime film titled “Princess Mononoke” shows numerous characters, great costumes, realistic creatures and animals, nature scenes, and a good story and plot portraying good and evil.

Studying the style of the drawing is where I want you to focus on. After you see an anime film or read your favorite manga, take time to look at what the artist did to enhance his drawings. What special features did he or she add to bring out strong emotions? What vibrant highlights were detailed to capture your attention? What blend of colors did they use? There is a lot to look at when you study each frame.

Looking at other people’s work and analyzing how they draw certain anime features will greatly help you create your own style of anime. Don’t worry about your work looking like theirs because after a time, you will notice that your work will have a unique style that’s all your own. It’s a very rewarding and motivating insight.

Here is an assignment to help you improve your anime drawings. Take some of your older sketches – yes, even the bad ones - and make photocopies of them. Then with your copies in hand, start looking at movies, video games, and pictures of anime and manga.

When you see a costume or facial expression you like, pause the game or video, put something to hold the book open, and apply what you see and like to one of your drawings. Begin experimenting, and you will be amazed at your improvements. You will see your anime art transform into something better than you first imagined, and you’ll be flooded with new ideas.