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Manga for the Beginner
Manga for the Beginner: Kawaii
Manga for the Beginner Kawaii: How to Draw the Supercute Characters of Japanese Comics
Kawaii —so cute it hurts!
You probably know this already, but the superpopular manga genre of Kawaii is everywhere! From Hello Kitty to Pokémon, these supercute Kawaii creatures are taking over. These characters are intensely cute, simple to draw, and colorfully graphic. The Kawaii genre puts its supercute stamp on a variety of well-known manga staples from adorable anthros to lovable monsters and animals to dark-but-still-cute Goths. Even the breathtaking and beautiful ladies of the Kawaii subgenre moe get their turn in the spotlight. The undisputed master of manga, Christopher Hart provides you with all the tools and techniques you will need to bring these beloved Kawaii characters to life. The supercute drawings and step-by-step directions provide you with everything you need to draw with Kawaii-style charm and personality.
From color contrasts to simplifying designs, Manga for the Beginner Kawaii provides the complete inside scoop on what it takes to make it as a Kawaii artist. This is the ultimate guide to bringing supercute characters from manga’s most adorable genre to life.
Kawaii —so cute it hurts!
You probably know this already, but the superpopular manga genre of Kawaii is everywhere! From Hello Kitty to Pokémon, these supercute Kawaii creatures are taking over. These characters are intensely cute, simple to draw, and colorfully graphic. The Kawaii genre puts its supercute stamp on a variety of well-known manga staples from adorable anthros to lovable monsters and animals to dark-but-still-cute Goths. Even the breathtaking and beautiful ladies of the Kawaii subgenre moe get their turn in the spotlight. The undisputed master of manga, Christopher Hart provides you with all the tools and techniques you will need to bring these beloved Kawaii characters to life. The supercute drawings and step-by-step directions provide you with everything you need to draw with Kawaii-style charm and personality.
From color contrasts to simplifying designs, Manga for the Beginner Kawaii provides the complete inside scoop on what it takes to make it as a Kawaii artist. This is the ultimate guide to bringing supercute characters from manga’s most adorable genre to life.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
71 people are currently reading
627 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Hart
155 books203 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
I started drawing character designs and storyboards for a small animation studio in while in High School. Cartooning and animation was a magical experience to me. I try to bring that experience, as well as art tips, to my readers. Their enthusiasm also motivates me.
Early in my career, my cartoon work got noticed by Watson-Guptill, a premier publisher of art books. They asked me to do a book for them on drawing cartoons. It sold 200,000 copies, which is a healthy number. So we kept going. I discovered that I enjoyed the art of creating books, which has its own special requirements. I also worked as an author for Random House, Quarto and Soho Publishing. In total, I have had 8 million books sold, and have been translated into 20 languages.
My book, "The Master Guide to Drawing Anime: How to Draw Original Characters from Simple Templates" has sold over half a million copies to date and is still very actively in print. An earlier book of mine, "Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics:" reached the number one art book in the country, according to Bookscan.
I've also been a cover story on the industry trade magazine, "Publisher's Weekly." And if you've read this far into my Bio, then I'm more impressed with you than you are with me!
Thank you so very much for letting me offer some inspiration to you in your art adventures.
Christopher Hart
I started drawing character designs and storyboards for a small animation studio in while in High School. Cartooning and animation was a magical experience to me. I try to bring that experience, as well as art tips, to my readers. Their enthusiasm also motivates me.
Early in my career, my cartoon work got noticed by Watson-Guptill, a premier publisher of art books. They asked me to do a book for them on drawing cartoons. It sold 200,000 copies, which is a healthy number. So we kept going. I discovered that I enjoyed the art of creating books, which has its own special requirements. I also worked as an author for Random House, Quarto and Soho Publishing. In total, I have had 8 million books sold, and have been translated into 20 languages.
My book, "The Master Guide to Drawing Anime: How to Draw Original Characters from Simple Templates" has sold over half a million copies to date and is still very actively in print. An earlier book of mine, "Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics:" reached the number one art book in the country, according to Bookscan.
I've also been a cover story on the industry trade magazine, "Publisher's Weekly." And if you've read this far into my Bio, then I'm more impressed with you than you are with me!
Thank you so very much for letting me offer some inspiration to you in your art adventures.
Christopher Hart
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 31, 2020
4.5 - This is, without a doubt, one of the cutest books I have read so far this year!!
The art style is just so cute. I had a ton of fun learning how to draw the chibi/kawaii characters. What I find is even better is that it is really easy to tweak them so you have your own characters!
I’ve read and own some of the author’s other books, so I’m familiar with how he draws and instructs. This one is fairly easy for a beginner to understand.
There are some sections that I just skimmed through since they didn’t seem interesting/wasn’t what I was looking for.
This has a “darker kawaii” and “animal and fantasy creature” sections in this one that I also flipped through. It’s super cute (of course) and provides good instruction.
I was surprised at the back section. It’s “moe style.” It is what people think of when people say anime girl. (Except not with huge breasts) Its cutesy and provides a good basis on how to draw the face and body in anime/cartoony style.
My favorite section (the one I drew characters on) was the “Adorable anthros.” They look like super cute characters in animal onzies.
The art style is just so cute. I had a ton of fun learning how to draw the chibi/kawaii characters. What I find is even better is that it is really easy to tweak them so you have your own characters!
I’ve read and own some of the author’s other books, so I’m familiar with how he draws and instructs. This one is fairly easy for a beginner to understand.
There are some sections that I just skimmed through since they didn’t seem interesting/wasn’t what I was looking for.
This has a “darker kawaii” and “animal and fantasy creature” sections in this one that I also flipped through. It’s super cute (of course) and provides good instruction.
I was surprised at the back section. It’s “moe style.” It is what people think of when people say anime girl. (Except not with huge breasts) Its cutesy and provides a good basis on how to draw the face and body in anime/cartoony style.
My favorite section (the one I drew characters on) was the “Adorable anthros.” They look like super cute characters in animal onzies.
September 24, 2019
Had lots of fun with this. The drawings are very easy to follow, and the results are fantastic! I was able to easily reproduce what the book showed in less than a minute or two for most characters. The book breaks down each drawing step by step, and explains why you do/do not do certain things. There are also "bad examples" that show you what happens if you draw certain parts too long, too small, etc. And the characters are spot on kawaii and look very pro.
There are 2 main styles: chibi and moe. The moe style is much much harder to draw and requires 3-4 times the time/effort compared to the chibi style. The bulk of the book teaches the very much simpler chibi style.
There are 2 main styles: chibi and moe. The moe style is much much harder to draw and requires 3-4 times the time/effort compared to the chibi style. The bulk of the book teaches the very much simpler chibi style.
October 29, 2019
I loved this book! Anime is one of my favorite drawing styles, and I really enjoyed reading about the supercute characters in Japanese comics. ~ Koala ^-^
July 24, 2020
Christopher Hart never disappoints. This isn’t my favorite manga style by any means, but I still may revisit later.
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May 30, 2012Kawaii—so cute it hurts!
You probably know this already, but the superpopular manga genre of Kawaii is everywhere! From Hello Kitty to Pokémon, these supercute Kawaii creatures are taking over. These characters are intensely cute, simple to draw, and colorfully graphic. The Kawaii genre puts its supercute stamp on a variety of well-known manga staples from adorable anthros to lovable monsters and animals to dark-but-still-cute Goths. Even the breathtaking and beautiful ladies of the Kawaii subgenre moe get their turn in the spotlight. The undisputed master of manga, Christopher Hart provides you with all the tools and techniques you will need to bring these beloved Kawaii characters to life. The supercute drawings and step-by-step directions provide you with everything you need to draw with Kawaii-style charm and personality.
From color contrasts to simplifying designs, Manga for the Beginner Kawaii provides the complete inside scoop on what it takes to make it as a Kawaii artist. This is the ultimate guide to bringing supercute characters from manga’s most adorable genre to life.
You probably know this already, but the superpopular manga genre of Kawaii is everywhere! From Hello Kitty to Pokémon, these supercute Kawaii creatures are taking over. These characters are intensely cute, simple to draw, and colorfully graphic. The Kawaii genre puts its supercute stamp on a variety of well-known manga staples from adorable anthros to lovable monsters and animals to dark-but-still-cute Goths. Even the breathtaking and beautiful ladies of the Kawaii subgenre moe get their turn in the spotlight. The undisputed master of manga, Christopher Hart provides you with all the tools and techniques you will need to bring these beloved Kawaii characters to life. The supercute drawings and step-by-step directions provide you with everything you need to draw with Kawaii-style charm and personality.
From color contrasts to simplifying designs, Manga for the Beginner Kawaii provides the complete inside scoop on what it takes to make it as a Kawaii artist. This is the ultimate guide to bringing supercute characters from manga’s most adorable genre to life.
March 21, 2014
I had bought this book to learn to draw the cutesy Kawaii style figures that the Japanese (and me) love!, and I have to say this was well worth it.
This is a nice thick book with lots of gorgeous bright colour drawings in a variety of manga styles.
Some of the designs come with step by step instructions and some of them don't but the the pictures of the cutesy food are easy to figure out.
My daughters both love the book and frequently request cute food or little people. My oldest also loves to take the book and attempt to draw them herself. My attempts are not bad but not good either!!
Christopher Hart has a whole series of these books and they all look gorgeous, my only gripe is they are a little expensive at around £15 each but I managed to get my copy for half of that from Amazon Warehouse.
All in all a great book for geeky adults like me and older children from 7 upwards
To view my pictures from this book visit my blog! http://redheatherduff.blogspot.com
This is a nice thick book with lots of gorgeous bright colour drawings in a variety of manga styles.
Some of the designs come with step by step instructions and some of them don't but the the pictures of the cutesy food are easy to figure out.
My daughters both love the book and frequently request cute food or little people. My oldest also loves to take the book and attempt to draw them herself. My attempts are not bad but not good either!!
Christopher Hart has a whole series of these books and they all look gorgeous, my only gripe is they are a little expensive at around £15 each but I managed to get my copy for half of that from Amazon Warehouse.
All in all a great book for geeky adults like me and older children from 7 upwards
To view my pictures from this book visit my blog! http://redheatherduff.blogspot.com
May 17, 2019
MANGA FOR THE BEGINNER KAWAII not only shows really great step-by-step instructions for how to do Kawaii characters, but also takes the time to explain the difference between Kawaii and several of the other types of characters found in Japanese comics. I think for someone just starting out having that information is super helpful :-)
August 31, 2015
Great book to learn all of the basic techniques and tools needed to begin drawing in the Kawaii style. Seemingly simple there are a fair amount of things to learn about this style, most interestingly of all (at least for myself) the differences between it and the Chibi style.
It has a fair amount of examples and step by steps of various Kawaii characters and even includes a bonus chapter outlining the basics of the Moe style (pronounced Mo-eh I believe). I cannot say much about the Moe section other then it is a nice bonus but not a style I am interested in in any way shape or form.
As a disclaimer I am a complete novice in my drawing skills (working feverishly to get better) so take that into consideration when reading this short review.
It has a fair amount of examples and step by steps of various Kawaii characters and even includes a bonus chapter outlining the basics of the Moe style (pronounced Mo-eh I believe). I cannot say much about the Moe section other then it is a nice bonus but not a style I am interested in in any way shape or form.
As a disclaimer I am a complete novice in my drawing skills (working feverishly to get better) so take that into consideration when reading this short review.
November 10, 2013
This is one of the more basic anime designs so it's easy to draw but there are lots of super cute ideas. Quite a number of things in the book to draw and a Chris Hart shows a lot of them in a 4 or 5 step process. There's also a couple larger "scenes" to draw at the back of the book. Got this from the library but might have to buy this one!
December 4, 2014
This book was filled with lot of inspiration. The only issue I had was in the beginning, the author made it seem like there was only one way to draw a kawaii character, which to me meant that an illustrator could never change and adapt their drawings. Later on in the book he broke some of his own rules.
October 11, 2016
I enjoy using Christopher Hart books as references and help, and this one is no different. Hart goes over all the basics of Kawaii characters, as well as a section dedicated to moe style and food art as well. With discussions and examples of different body types, poses and coloring techniques, this book is a valuable source for anyone looking to better themselves in the art of Kawaii.
January 22, 2019
I have bought a couple of copies of this book now for my son and one of his friends who were both interested in this style of drawing. They are both 6 years old and while some of the later chapters were too advanced for them, they really have enjoyed the earlier chapters. From my sons POV he has really enjoyed he simple layout and clear directions
September 26, 2012
Good drawing book....
September 15, 2012
This book is entertaining and very informative. A great resource for anybody interested in learning how to draw in the kawaii style.
November 28, 2012
Cute drawings and sassy text. Great for book talks for next summer's Teen Summer Reading Program.
January 17, 2013
Excellent step by step instructions. Very intuitive and vibrant. I would recommend this for beginners and pros alike.
January 13, 2015
I saw this at a bookstore, I am no good in making graphics or what but I fancy the sight of it, and I skimmed the pages, and everything was so adorable in it, I wanted to buy, but I lack cash. :(
March 16, 2016
Useful
I'm encouraging my children to draw. They enjoy it but my oldest lacks confidence. It's helping him be more expressive and is giving him to confidence to try new techniques.
I'm encouraging my children to draw. They enjoy it but my oldest lacks confidence. It's helping him be more expressive and is giving him to confidence to try new techniques.
May 12, 2018
Good read, interesting and fun
It helped me to think about how I draw cute characters and gave me a guide and some advice for it.
It helped me to think about how I draw cute characters and gave me a guide and some advice for it.
October 26, 2018
Drawing cute squishy things had always been hard for me, this really helps!
August 3, 2021
It wasn't exactly what I was looking for. It's not a children's illustration book guide book. It's more on how to make etsy style merchandise. This is not what I am interested in, but the history of kawaii was really interesting to learn more about.
June 4, 2023
I love this book! Through it I discovered that I really like drawing kawaii. I found the chapter on moe kawaii a little intimidating but with Hart's step by step instructions I found that style to not be so hard. I'm looking forward to creating my own designs into some acrylic paintings.
November 24, 2019
It is a very useful and an easy book.. for both the children and the artist..
I use it to prepare a drawing course for children about Kawaii drawing..
I use it to prepare a drawing course for children about Kawaii drawing..
April 13, 2020
it is very helpful and informative. on day 2 i've already improved.
December 12, 2024
Very generic
September 2, 2012
This book is AWESOME! If you're like me than you'd say this is a super cute book, and it's one you'd recommend to all my manga loving friends.
Christopher Hart makes reading/looking through this book exciting. With step by step processes on drawing styles, details and much more, young artists will be able to understand the concepts Christopher is trying to teach. He does an amazing job at not only talking about his different drawing styles, he also gives examples of the proper way to draw and improper way to. I found this book to be extremely engaging and motivational to those who want to learn how to draw Kawaii. Ever since I was a kid I have loved to draw despite not having the talent to draw very well, and have loved manga. This book is the perfect combination of the two. This is one book I think both manga fans and young artists will want to have. I highly recommend picking this one up! It's even one I think parents, teachers, librarians would enjoy having on hand.
Christopher Hart makes reading/looking through this book exciting. With step by step processes on drawing styles, details and much more, young artists will be able to understand the concepts Christopher is trying to teach. He does an amazing job at not only talking about his different drawing styles, he also gives examples of the proper way to draw and improper way to. I found this book to be extremely engaging and motivational to those who want to learn how to draw Kawaii. Ever since I was a kid I have loved to draw despite not having the talent to draw very well, and have loved manga. This book is the perfect combination of the two. This is one book I think both manga fans and young artists will want to have. I highly recommend picking this one up! It's even one I think parents, teachers, librarians would enjoy having on hand.
August 5, 2019
So good
I like it because it teaches you things you don't know. Defiantly an amazing book to read when your board.
I like it because it teaches you things you don't know. Defiantly an amazing book to read when your board.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews