The Art of Manga: Traditional Japanese Clothing

Traditional Japanese Clothing 

Differences: Male vs Female

Within all aspects of culture and especially art, there are distinct differences in gender. Some may argue that this shouldn't be the case but currently and traditionally those distinct lines are still there. However, male and female traditional clothing stems from the same style. Both are made of a stiff fabric and both have a very modest design. According to the author, "A yukata is a traditional Japanese outfit meant for summer wear and is usually worn at festivals... and not waistline showing"(PetrovicÌ 69). The hidden waistline shows Japanese values of female innocence. A male yukata is very similar except for the thinner belt. 

My Struggles in the Drawing Process 

Fashion is one of my biggest interests, one of my favorite things to draw is fashion illustrations. One of the hardest things for me to do was switch the values I was focusing on. For example, in modern-day American fashion, a female's waistline is showcased and accentuated rather than hidden. Another struggle for me was drawing male fashion and trying to include broad shoulders and fewer curves. 

The drawing process as a whole was pretty simple, the basic design was easy to capture and I really enjoyed learning about my culture and this new found art style.  

Traditional Yukata, Male, and Female 

What's your favorite fashion style?

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

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.