Manga, or Japanese cartooning, has grown increasingly popular in the United States and many areas of the world over the past decade. American students are most familiar with the “Shounen” (boy’s style) or “Shoujo” (girl’s manga), and with “Anime”, the animated version found in video media. This lesson gives students just starting in cartooning an opportunity to study Manga and create a Japanese character based on their own features and personalities.

Grade Levels

8–12

Preparation

• Have students discuss the Manga style.
• Discuss ways to portray emotions, personalities and situations.
• Compare Japanese Manga to Western cartooning.
• Research Japanese Manga. An excellent source is Manga Madness by Christopher Hart (70591-1001)

Procedure

1. Either provide samples or have students bring samples of Japanese cartoon characters that they like. Discuss typical Manga features:
   • Hair - Manga hair is simple, without defined strands. It is frequently unnatural in color and the style defines the personality of the character. For example, pink hair usually goes on a cute, bubbly girl. Blue hair signifies a character that has a lot of youthful energy and black or brown hair is considered average. Spiky, wild hair commonly signifies an adventurous spirit.
   • Eyes - Manga eyes, when open, are drawn enormously large with very white reflective patches. Laughing or crying eyes are often shown as simple arcs, with an eyelash or two for definition.
   • Nose - Manga noses are barely there or completely non-existent.
   • Mouth - Manga mouths are tiny when closed and huge when open. Details such as lips are usually ignored. Traditional Japanese culture considers showing teeth to be very impolite so most Manga characters smile without showing teeth and cover their mouths politely when they laugh.
   Have students make preliminary sketches on newsprint. Assign emotions such as surprise, anger or sadness and have students draw expressive facial features to match.
2. Have students bring in their own school photo or an 8" x 10" head-and-shoulders photo. Smaller photos can be enlarged on a photocopier and color photos are not necessary. Students will create a Manga character from their own portrait, using any of the features they have just studied. The characters they create may or may not look like their photos.
   • Step 1: Trace the basic shape of their head, hair and shoulders.
   • Step 2: Place light dots or lines to position facial features.
   • Step 3: Use the light dots as reference to place Manga-style eyes, nose and mouth.
3. Color the portrait in one of the following ways:
   • Colored Pencil Drawing Place a sheet of tracing paper over the photo. Use a drawing pencil to follow 3-step process above. Use a black fine point permanent marker over the pencil lines. Fill in with colored pencil. Large-core pencils, such as Prang 6mm create more solid areas of color.
   • Marker Rendering Position a sheet of transparent marker paper over the photo. Use a drawing pencil to follow 3-step process above. Use a black fine point permanent marker over the pencil lines. Fill in color with broad tip or wedge tip markers. Fine line markers will create too many lines - the goal is to make a flat area of color. Skin tone set is essential for faces.
   • Hand-painted Cartoon Cel Position a sheet of tracing paper over the photo. Use a drawing pencil to follow 3-step process above. Position an 8" x 10" sheet of Dura-Lar film over the traced drawing and use a black fine point permanent marker to transfer drawing to the film. Use Blickrylic paint to fill in the color. Paint right up to and even on top of marker lines. Turn acetate sheet over to view finished cel.
   • Computer Rendering (most often used by Manga professionals, this method is most suited to higher grade levels). Position a sheet of tracing paper over the photo. Use a drawing pencil to follow 3-step process above. Scan pencil drawing into a computer paint program. Adjust levels to eliminate gray areas and strengthen blacks. Add color by selecting and filling areas.
4. Once a Manga portrait is completed, you may wish to create a simple background to place the character in, add a language "balloon" or continue to develop a full-body character. Some options: Assign a specific genre of a background that would be meaningful to the portrait. For example, somewhere in the school or home, a special place they like to go. Use photos taken around school as the background and have students overlay their portraits. Continue to develop their character and a storyline by creating a 4-panel comic strip (known in Japan as “Yonkoma”).

National Standards

Content Standard #1 — Understanding and applying media, techniques and processes.

5-8

• Students select media, techniques, and processes; analyze what makes them effective or not effective in communicating ideas; and reflect upon the effectiveness of their choices
• Students intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of their experiences and ideas

Content Standard #2 — Using knowledge of structures and functions.

5-8

• Students generalize about the effects of visual structures and functions and reflect upon these effects in their own work
• Students employ organizational structures and analyze what makes them effective or not effective in the communication of ideas
• Students select and use the qualities of structures and functions of art to improve communication of their ideas

Content Standard #4 — Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.

5-8

• Students know and compare the characteristics of artworks in various eras and cultures
• Students describe and place a variety of art objects in historical and cultural contexts
• Students analyze, describe, and demonstrate how factors of time and place (such as climate, resources, ideas, and technology) influence visual characteristics that give meaning and value to a work of art

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