The Bottom Line
My eight-year-old, who doesn't read Manga, enjoyed drawing the figures in this book. They are simple, clear and appealing for a youngster. However, more discerning Manga fans won't appreciate this book, and that includes pre-teens - even young fans know their stuff. Christopher Hart is a terrific cartoonist but his style is thoroughly American, and while he's clearly made an effort to familiarise himself with Manga style, I'm afraid he doesn't quite pull it off. But young kids who need a starting point will enjoy it.
Pros
- simple step-by-steps
- large finished drawings for tracing
- minimal text
Cons
- not authentic Manga style
- caricatures rather than characters
- formulaic
Description
- Published by Watson-Guptill 2003
- ISBN 978-0823003693
- 64 pages, 9x12 inches, 180 illustrations
Guide Review - Xtreme Art - Draw Manga!
This is a good basic Manga-style cartooning book for younger kids up to around 10 or so. I can't really recommend it for older kids who have any experience in drawing. Some basic principles are explained in the first section of the book, but the focus is on copying set examples step-by-step. Because of this, there are quite a few negative reviews on Amazon, but while dedicated Manga fans might be dissapointed in the book, I think it fills a niche in allowing youngsters to make their first steps in drawing in something like Manga style. It certainly makes a change from the usual cutesy animals or vague cartoon figures that most kids' books cover, but it is drawn with kids in mind - and you won't find any unsuitable adult content that some Japanese Manga books contain.
