Читать книгу Drawing Cute Manga Chibi - Ryusuke Hamamoto - Страница 5

CALLING ALL CHIBI FANS!

WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, A LOT OF CHIBI-STYLE CHARACTERS WERE POPPING UP IN ANIMATED SERIES AND MANGA. I THINK THAT’S WHY I STARTED DOODLING LOTS OF CHUBBY LITTLE CUTIES IN MY NOTEBOOK AROUND THAT TIME, RATHER THAN MORE REALISTIC FIGURES.

SINCE BECOMING AN ADULT AND DRAWING LOTS OF CHARACTERS OF ALL TYPES, I SEEM TO KEEP GETTING COMMISSIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS TO CREATE THE CHIBIS THAT PREOCCUPIED MY YOUTH. I WONDERED WHY I WAS THE CHOSEN ONE—WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER ACCOMPLISHED ILLUSTRATORS OUT THERE—AND WAS SURPRISED WHEN THE PEOPLE HIRING ME EXPLAINED THEY WANTED SOMEONE WHO COULD MAKE THESE EXAGGERATED AND CARICATURIZED CHARACTERS LOOK CUTE.

I NEVER THOUGHT OF BEING ABLE TO DRAW CHIBIS AS ANYTHING SPECIAL. I THOUGHT ANYONE COULD DRAW THEM AND THAT IF I COULD PRODUCE THEM, THEN IT CAN’T BE THAT DIFFICULT.

WHEN I STARTED TO ASK AROUND—A WRITER FRIEND AND THE STUDENTS I WAS TEACHING—I REALIZED THAT MAKING THESE CHARACTERS LOOK CUTE MAY SEEM SIMPLE, BUT APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEIVING. THEY SAID THEY TRIED TO REPLICATE THE CHIBI STYLE, BUT THEIR WORK NEVER LOOKED QUITE RIGHT. THEY MISTAKENLY CONCLUDED THAT THEY WEREN’T ANY GOOD AT IT.

I PRODUCED THIS GUIDE TO SERVE AS A STARTING POINT FOR BUDDING ARTISTS WHO WANT TO DRAW CHIBI CHARACTERS BUT DON’T THINK THEY HAVE THE SKILLS OR TALENT. NONSENSE: OF COURSE YOU DO! WHETHER IT’S CREATING SIMPLIFIED OR EXAGGERATED CHARACTERS, THERE’S A CHIBI STYLE MADE JUST FOR YOU.

— RYUSUKE HAMAMOTO