The Beauty of Manga

The beauty of manga illustration lies in its simplicity.  And it's a simplicity that exists on more than one level.  When I was very young, I used to make fun of the customary appearance of large eyes on the characters seen on anime TV shows.  But, when I got older and became more heavily involved in art, I began to appreciate the beauty of this stylized form.  As far as comic style artwork was concerned, I'd become accustomed to seeing the western style illustration.  But, I remember not getting as much out of it as my peers.  Don't get me wrong.  I did appreciate the work for its own greatness.  The stylized handling of detail was impressive, to say the least.  And, I enjoyed drawing the characters.  But, my interest in doing that kind of artwork never interested me beyond the social value it had for me.  I only did it because it was the means by which I shared the interest of my friends who were avid fans. 

Manga, however, was a different experience.  I didn't actually see any real samples of manga until much later on in life.  So, most of my appreciation for manga came through anime.  What most impresses me about the manga style is its simplicity.  Though different artists and production companies have something of a signature in their work, there is a standard to the stylization that is visible in pretty much every form of manga/anime illustration.  Again, it wasn't until much later on in my experience with this form of illustration, but, I finally found out the reason for the large eyes that I used to make fun of as a kid.  Elements of the kind of person a manga character was could be determined by the appearance of the eyes.  Their capacity for or tendency toward compassion or evil is revealed (or suggested) in the size and shape of the character's eyes respectively.  Large, bright, colorful eyes are indicative of compassion or innocence.  Small slanted eyes are indicative of evil, malice, lack of trustworthiness, and so on.  It only made me more enamored with the style.  Apart from its simplicity, there was a kind of suggestion with respect to detail that seemed to appear in the work.  Details like strands of hair and folds in clothing were "suggested" by strategic shading.  This technique for implying detail always impressed me.  This particular form of stylization now holds an attraction that has inspired me to try and emulated it.  But, because the form is so particular and developed in its stylization, teaching myself this style has turned out to be a particularly daunting endeavor. 

From what I've seen, environments and backgrounds in this style of illustration generally involve heavy use of perspective and detail.  I made myself very accustomed to the use of perspective in drawing at a young age, so, there isn't much of a problem to be found for me there.  All I expect to need in that area is perhaps a little habitual tweeking in the area of environmental detail.  When I finally get around to exploring it, I anticipate no problems.  Character figures have proven to be pretty much the opposite.  Despite the demanding nature of the style, I still find myself inspired by its beauty.  And I'm driven by that inspiration to continue my efforts in emulating it.