Professional manga: digital storytelling with Manga Studio EX

252 Pages·2017·29.177 MB·English

by  Horton, Steve

Professional Manga
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Professional Manga
Digital Storytelling with Manga Studio EX
Steve Horton & Jeong Mo Yang
AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD
PARIS • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO
Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Horton, Steve.
Professional manga : digital storytelling with Manga Studio EX / Steve Horton, Jeong Mo Yang.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-240-81028-7 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Comic books, strips, etc.—Japan—Technique.
2. Comic books, strips, etc.—Authorship. 3. Comic books, strips, etc.—Marketing. 4. Cartooning—
Technique. 5. Digital art—Technique. 6. Manga Studio EX (Computer fi le) I. Yang, Jeong Mo. II. Title.
NC1764.5.J3H67 2008
741.5’10285—dc22
2008014746
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-0-240-81028-7
For information on all Focal Press publications
visit our website at www.books.elsevier.com
08 09 10 11 12 5 4 3 2 1
Typeset by Charon Tec Ltd., A Macmillan Company. (www.macmillansolutions.com)
Printed in the United States of America
Steve Horton’s Dedication
This one’s for Steve, Sue, George, and Sue, with love.
Jeong Mo Yang’s Dedication
My family.
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CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................................................... x
CHAPTER 1 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................1
CHAPTER 2 Line Art ................................................................................................................................................3
Smooth Lines .....................................................................................................................................3
Thick Lines ..........................................................................................................................................4
Thin Lines............................................................................................................................................5
Combination Brushes .......................................................................................................................7
CHAPTER 3 Shading and Textures ......................................................................................................................9
Digital Toning Revolution ................................................................................................................9
Tones Make the Difference .............................................................................................................9
Choosing the Right Texture ..........................................................................................................16
Value and the Light Source ..........................................................................................................35
Mood ..................................................................................................................................................35
Avoiding Moiré Patterns ..............................................................................................................40
When Not to Use Tones ................................................................................................................44
vii
A Final Note on Tones ....................................................................................................................47
CHAPTER 4 Speed Lines .....................................................................................................................................49
Action, Excitement, and Epiphany .............................................................................................49
Don’t Overdose on Speed ............................................................................................................58
CHAPTER 5 Blurring .............................................................................................................................................59
Alternative to Speed Lines ..........................................................................................................59
Use This Technique Wisely ..........................................................................................................59
CHAPTER 6 Perspective and Backgrounds ....................................................................................................65
Perspective .....................................................................................................................................65
One-Point Perspective .................................................................................................................65
Two-Point Perspective ..................................................................................................................67
Backgrounds ...................................................................................................................................68
Establishing Shots Explained .....................................................................................................70
Background vs. Foreground ........................................................................................................70
When Not to Use Backgrounds ...................................................................................................72
Perspective & Backgrounds: Final Note ..................................................................................80
CHAPTER 7 Technology .......................................................................................................................................81
Iconic vs. Specifi c ............................................................................................................................81
Photo Reference: Tool, Not Crutch ............................................................................................89
CONTENTS
Photo Reference: A Step Further ..............................................................................................92
Consistency over Accuracy ..........................................................................................................94
Creating Tech Digitally ..................................................................................................................96
CHAPTER 8 Sound Effects and Lettering .....................................................................................................105
English Versus Another Language: Coolness Factor ..........................................................105
Big and Bold: SFX Participating in the Action ......................................................................106
99 Black-and-White Balloons ...................................................................................................106
The Cardinal Rules of Good Manga Lettering ........................................................................107
Creating a Speech Balloon Manually ......................................................................................108
Creating a Speech Balloon Automatically..............................................................................108
Creating a Tail for the Speech Balloon ....................................................................................108
Sound Effects and Lettering: Final Note ...............................................................................109
CHAPTER 9 Other Side of the Tracks...............................................................................................................111
CHAPTER 10 Single Panel Elements .................................................................................................................133
Establishing Shot ..........................................................................................................................133
Close On: Breaking the Establishing Shot Rule ....................................................................134
The Rest of the Scene .................................................................................................................136
Close-Up .........................................................................................................................................136
Medium Shot ..................................................................................................................................138
Long Shot .......................................................................................................................................138
Low Angle, High Angle ................................................................................................................139
viii
Bird’s Eye View and Worm’s Eye View .....................................................................................141
Single Panel Elements: Final Note ...........................................................................................141
CHAPTER 11 Panel to Panel Storytelling.........................................................................................................143
Page Composition.........................................................................................................................143
Splash Page ...................................................................................................................................143
The Six-Panel Grid ........................................................................................................................143
Panel-to-Panel Transitions ........................................................................................................149
Close On to Pull Back .................................................................................................................149
Long Shot/Medium Shot to Close-Up ....................................................................................150
Alternating Between Speakers .................................................................................................151
Panels in Parallel ...........................................................................................................................153
Panel to Panel: Final Note .........................................................................................................154
CHAPTER 12 Page-to-Page Storytelling .........................................................................................................155
Serial-to-Serial ..............................................................................................................................155
Volume-to-Volume ........................................................................................................................155
The Pause that Refreshes ..........................................................................................................155
Scene to Scene ..............................................................................................................................156
Linking .............................................................................................................................................156
Dialogue Linking ...........................................................................................................................156
Visual Linking .................................................................................................................................157
Page-to-Page Storytelling: Final Note ...................................................................................159
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 13 Writing Conventions .....................................................................................................................161
The Three Acts ..............................................................................................................................161
Rising Action ..................................................................................................................................163
The Main Plot and Subplots .......................................................................................................163
Cliffhanger Endings .....................................................................................................................164
CHAPTER 14 Formats & Sizes ............................................................................................................................167
The Comic Book: Pros and Cons ...............................................................................................167
The Bleed and the Trim ...............................................................................................................168
Format and Page Size ................................................................................................................168
Manga Studio Pages .....................................................................................................................171
Manga Standard Size....................................................................................................................171
Manga 1.5(cid:3) Size ...........................................................................................................................171
Western Standard Size .................................................................................................................171
Western 1.5(cid:3) Size .........................................................................................................................171
One vs. Multiple Volumes .............................................................................................................171
Formats & Sizes: Final Note.......................................................................................................172
CHAPTER 15 Pitching and Selling ......................................................................................................................173
TokyoPop ........................................................................................................................................173
The Shooting Star Program .......................................................................................................175
Seven Seas Entertainment .........................................................................................................177
Radio Comix ...................................................................................................................................177
Antarctic Press ..............................................................................................................................178
ix
Image Comics .................................................................................................................................178
The Book Market ..........................................................................................................................179
The Book is Finished ...................................................................................................................184
GLOSSARY .................................................................................................................................................................187
APPENDIX 1 ................................................................................................................................................................191
APPENDIX 2 ...............................................................................................................................................................193
INDEX ..........................................................................................................................................................................239