The Art of Manga: Male Face

The Male Face 

Differences: Male vs Female. 

In Manga, female faces and characters are typically portrayed as innocent, young, and helpless. In art, this is achieved with softer features, bigger eyes, and childlike hairstyles. Comparatively, male face and characters are typically portrayed as sharp, defined, and very masculine. In art, this is achieved with angular features, broad shoulders, and bleak eyes. PetrovicÌ, author, and illustrator of the book Manga Crash Course states, "A male face in manga is mostly created with sharper angles, smaller eyes and a longer chin than the female face" (PetrovicÌ, 25). I was able to apply this to my drawing and create a very typical male manga character. 

The Drawing Process 

As in any drawing, manga or not, it starts out with basic shapes. A simple circle and line create the base for an entire character. Add in a sharp jawline and other base measurement lines. Then, add in bleak eyes, a sharp nose, broad shoulders, and sharp spiky hair to complete the character. 

Whereas in my last blog I compared the manga drawing to my usual art style, I am unable to do that in this scenario. I don't typically draw males due to their challenging anatomy and unfamiliarity. So as a whole this was a new challenge for me. But, with the help of my book and anime-obsessed little sister, I believe I did a pretty great job of showing a traditional male manga face. 

Have you ever thought of how different male and female anatomy is? 

What would make my drawing look less traditional? 

PetrovicÌ, Mina. Manga Crash Course: Drawing Manga Characters and Scenes from Start to Finish. Impact, 2015.