Manga Drawing Tools

Hi everybody,

I will be in Japan next month. I like drawing manga. I have some questions.

Questions:

1) Are there any manga drawing tools that you can suggest me to buy in Japan? I am looking for some pencils or other tools which will make my drawings more attractive. (for example, some tools which I can use for shadowing, or some tools that I can use in coloring.) I don't know much about these tools so can you teach me some?

2) And are there any "How to Draw Manga" books in Japan? (I know Japanese)

3) Where can I get these materials? Akihabara?

Looking forward to your replies!

How about Copic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copic


You can buy Copic at Tokyu Hands(Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro), Amimate(Ikebukuro, Shibuya, Akihabara) or Ito-ya(Ginza).

Nearly all major cities and large neighborhoods in Japan have an ANIMATE chain store. Most of them have a wall or corner devoted to manga and doujinshi art supplies.

You can buy modelling figures, pencils, pens, erasers, patterns for backgrounds, coloring tools, paper (both free and pre-blocked for manga panels), sketchbooks etc.

How-to-books and books of reference photographs can be purchased in the art section of any large book store (or in the artbook section at Animate)

There are also a number of expensive, but invaluable computer programs designed to make manga creation easier and more streamlined. If you are professional or would like to head in that direction, investing in one of these programs may be wise. They are, of course, all in Japanese... but they will run smoothly on most English-langauge operating systems.

Thanks a lot for your answers!

I wonder whether there is a useful special pen or coloring tool that can be used while drawing manga. (especially tools which can be found generally only in Japan)

Looking forward to your replies.

I recommend to buy "Comic Studio", many professional manga artists are using.
http://www.comicstudio.net/
you can purchase the software at Yodobashi in Akihabara.

You can buy drawing tool also here.
Sekaido
3-1-1 Shinjuku
http://www.sekaido.co.jp/shop_honten.html
Bumpodo
1-1-14 Kanda Jimbo cho
http://www.bumpodo.co.jp/kotu/kotu_index.html

I recommend bookstores
Kinokuniya
3-17-7 Shinjuku
http://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/04f/d03/tokyo/01.htm

Sanseido
1-1 Kanda Jimbo cho
http://www.books-sanseido.co.jp/shop/kanda.html

All those answer above are great in terms of giving you a list.
But one point in your question need a clear answer : I am looking for some pencils or other tools which will make my drawings more attractive.

The tools will never do the job in your place. Whenever you use a single pen or if you use the full range of color Copic pencils and a professionnal ink pen, it's will still depend on your talent.
So, the tools will NOT make your drawings more attractive. It will make a difference, but not in attractiveness.

I wonder why nobody told something about the ink pen. Depending on the type of manga you're drawing and the side of the lines you wish to draw, you should inform yourself on the spot.

As for books, I can't really help you there. The books I'm using as mind helper and keys reminder are in French.
Manga Bible from Soleil Manga is a great start.
Just one major thing to remember about books to learn about Manga, whenever it's telling "The best of[...]" or anything that is valoring the book on its cover, it's what we a flop. It's those book which show you result and small explaination, but don't give you any actual technics and help. The most usefull books are those who come into series. It should be a minimum of 3 books. Those under that side will only show you what you don't wish to see : results with a resume about how it been talk, but nothing about how it been done.

One thing, while in japan, that you could check, if you pass near it, is the Enpitsu Club. Their members worked on books to teach drawing manga and more which are excellent. (Mang Bible is an adaptation of their work)