Tag: creative
Manga Book Review: A Gentlemen’s Agreement Between a Wolf and a Rabbit by Shinano Oumi
A gentlemen’s Agreement between a Wolf and a Rabbit by Shinano Oumi
English publication: Digital Manga Publishing
Romance and comedy
Fun, witty and sexy. Combined with smuttness and comedy. I was lucky to find this manga. I discovered it at my local library. It was tucked away covered by massive books. I was surprised to see this manga in a quite library.
At first glance It very smutty but as I read it I actually grown to the storyline. I borrowed it and check if it available to buy on Amazon or Book Depository. Book Depository has a copy to buy for £11.99 (pushing the price), I brought it for £8.99 via Amazon marketplace. I know June Manga are expensive and are rare to have so I brought it immediately.
The Male characters are hunky. Kairou and Togawa work at a toy company, they always have beef with each other. Everyone think they are enemy but behind closed door they are secretly love making.
This manga have 8 stories inside, Kai and Toga the main character and the other are sub stores. The relationship between Kai And Toga is very funny. They say sarcastic words. Togawa always attempts to get into Kairou’s downstairs department.
The side stories are fun to read too. My favourite is ‘Aroma of Romance’ a love affair between a sale man and a scientist.
The drawings are good, it on the masculine style of manga art style. Which it nice to see masculine couples together.
It is a feel good manga, My first choice to pick if I wanted something lighthearted with sauce on top,
You can buy this manga at Book Depository or via Amazon
I would recommend this manga as put of your BL collection. 4/6 stars
Writing stories improves my characters
Writing fiction is great for developing the unique characters personalities. Putting them in scenario, how they would interact to certain situations. I wanted to write my own stories as a kid but struggled because of my dyslexia.
Ince I got very bad criticism for my writing on FanFiction site. Then I relIsed how brutal the reader can be.
I did felt knocked back but I picked myself up and decide to self teach myself creative again. I read a brought a few writing exercises books to start writing my own fiction. I learnt a few writing simple techniques and my stories are much better. I leant Show and don’t Tell is key techniques in writing and point of view.
My main genre will be on romance/erotica. I read :Get Started In Writing Erotic Fiction: How to write powerful, sexy and entertaining erotic fiction is a good book for started writing erotica fiction with helpful writing exercise.
I discovered fiction thesaurus on kindle to use for fiction writing.
I have started developed confidence in writing and I can write easily without flowery language. My character are interesting and less boring. I got load of ideas for my next fiction. I keep a notebook for writing stories ideas.
Sometimes i can’t draw what I imaged, so I write it down. writing the visual description of what my characters are doing, which helped to create a picture.
I don’t know if i will publish theses stories online. But I keep writing because it is very therapeutic.
Lilac and Lavender: Romantica Watercolour Painting
I created another watercolour romantic illustration. I like painting flowers with purple hues such as lavender or lilac.
I like Purple, it is very calming colour. I get a calm feeling painting with certain colours. It helps to reduce stress. I was going to buy a specialised colour from Daniel Smiths but the winsor and Newton Cotmans Paint are great quality for watercolour painting.
I’m including Coptic marker pen on my watercolour paintings. Ink, marker pens go well with watercolour, in fact anything can go with watercolour. I might invest more Copic markers and coloured inks. the colour inks are good for colour in cloths without creating streaks.
Attraction: Stay with me. Screenshots of my working process on Clipstudio Paint
To see earlier post of my comic works click here
The story processes on, I’m still discovering got new techniques on the software and editing the story as I go along. I post screenshots on my twitter page @reebeksart. I want to be authentic in my drawing style, I included gesture scribbles/ lines. So far it looking very polished and the two characters personality are showing more. I’m taking my time to work on two pages a week, which manageable and allow me to come up with new ideas.
Clip Studio Paint contacted me and asked to feature one of my screenshot of my comic pages on their official website! You can see my post on the artist testimonial section.
Flower and Romance Watercolour
Manga watercolour and Copic illustrations.
During last weekend, I decided to got back into watercolour painting. I chosen to use Hot Press 300g watercolour paper. It has a smoothing surface than cold press.
I like drawing / painting subject with a Male romance and flowers because it very therapeutic to me.
For the characters skin tones I used Copic markers pens. It colours on the paper smoothly and nicely without bleed through the paper or streaks.
I’m planning to create more romantic watercolour illustrations.
Thanks to The Daylight light box, I can easily transfer drawings into watercolour papers. I drafted two drawings on one A4 paper. Theses drawing where copied from my sketchbook.
What ASMR triggers do you like?
I heard about ASMR on YouTube before. It suppose to help with ease anxiety, aid sleep and simulated the senses.
Somehow recently I accidentally click on on ASMR video. It was alright. Then I discovered on YouTube of Cat purring ASMR videos and other creative ASMR.
I like the sound of cat purring it very relaxing. It soo cute!
I look at a few on YouTube to see what ASMR videos interested me.
Liquid, gels, slime or water triggers my senses. I always liked listening to natural water of streams or waterfalls. It the only sound I can fall asleep too.
The sound of the slim gel feels oddly satisfying, like a release of tensions.
ASMR spa, head massage videos are very nice to watch. It’s feels realistic, like I’m getting a nice massage on my ears.
Cooking/Food eating ASMR videos are oddly satisfying. The crunchy noise oddly feel good. There this woman who do eating ASMR videos eating slowly, crunchy foods. I like the corn dog video, it has a satisfying crunchy sound.
I don’t like scratching noise, it hurts my ears.
I use my beats headphones to listen ASMR. I have my headphone very low so the sound don’t feel too sharp.
After Watching these ASMR videos, I did feel relaxed and less anxious. I suffer from anxiety attack’s most times, so I have to put a lot of effort in doing relaxation techniques.
I do deep breathing, eat well and avoid stressful situations. I also avoid watching the news too which was also giving me to much stress.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtVXKcQzDvwvhjo7Kwg3xkkg-kogeDheV
What inspires your art? Main Inspiration for My Illustrations
This will give you an idea of how i develop an my own art style from taking inspiration from other artist. I discovered them during my art education. they are the basic guidelines i use whenever I am working on an illustration or comic.
Calligraphy
Often my drawing or paintings has gesture, scribbles inspired by calligraphy writing. At college I was fascinated with the beautiful lines of calligraphy strokes. I researched Chinese, Arabic or traditional English calligraphy.
I made a mood board of the calligraphy collection on my Pinterest.
I did practice calligraphy writing. Then I started the habit to including calligraphy scribbles in my drawings. The rush energetic scribble lines give my drawings an edge. I was drawn to the movement of lines. My older artwork just had scribble. Then I developed calligraphy writing techniques and write some random word or alphabet along side with the drawing.
Jose Parla
Jose Parla uses calligraphy drawings for his abstract paintings. He was the first artist that inspired me to combine calligraphy into painting. His paintings appear like an urban calligraphy street art. His artwork have so much elementals of collage and scribbles all combined together in one massive piece. It very similar to Jackson Pollock works.
Dave McKean
Dave McKean is my next artist that I was inspired by. He creates unique drawing, combining mix media, collage and digital in illustrations. I likehis drawing the most especially his graphics novel illustrations in his books ‘A Picture that Tick’.
He illustrated one of my favourite childhood book ‘Varjak Paw’ by S.F.Said
Jean Haines
I love Jean Haines has approach to watercolour. Her watercolour style is very close to how I like to paint with watercolour, Her watercolour painting organic, loose and free. She instantly become one of my favourite watercolour artist and inspiration for watercolour. After I graduated, I wanted to include more vibrant colours in my illustrations. I felt my artwork was dull and abit too dark in topic. It her use of colours, she teaches how to use pure colour from paint. I learn watercolouring techniques from Jean Haines for my watercolour illustrations.
Frank Miller Sin City graphic Novel
Frank Miller’s Sin City gritty. I liked how he use negative space within the black background. Some have key colours for key characters for example in ‘That Yellow Bastard‘. I liked the use of composition and great dialogue. (I did watch the movie too)
It was good to explore different style of comics not just manga. I learn a lot from the drawing techniques reading Sin City. It made me consider negative space for drawing.
I trying to find and experiment with different drawing techniques while I’m working on my comic. I would like be authentic in my comic artwork.
Shungiku Nakamura Junjo Romantica
My personal favourite and main manga inspiration for my own manga. Shungiku Nakamura’s drawing style are different to the traditional style in most manga comics. I love the direction, layout and storyline. I always refer to Nakamura mangas for tips for creating boy love romance.
How Do You Handle Criticism?
Handling criticism is an balancing act. Art in general a subjective topic.
Criticism is can be hard! When I was younger I cried a lot if a teacher critis my artwork. I thought that they favour more other people’s than mine and I would complain a lot.
In art education and in the commercial work, you would have to deal criticism and may clash with ideas.
There are different kinds of critique. Someone who mainly look for technical flaws and someone who mainly judge the style of work.
Art teacher should suppose to develop a students artistic expression, develop your visual language and understand who you are.
Teachers have to complete a education criteria marking a students artwork.
I had to learn smart in distinguish what good and bad critique. Eventually, I learn to take criticism with a pinch of salt.
During my university studies in Illustrations. I would get different perspectives from different tutor or peers.
I had a mentor in university named Bex, Bex helped me with writing and organising my course work. She was really good to me. Bex gave me a fair critique without discouraging me with my art style. She talks to me very positively and pointed out unique elements within my work. Bex was a huge help me when I was beginning to feel negative about my artwork
Don’t take there criticism to heart. It does not mean your work is totally bad or your suck at drawing/painting. Go with your instincts on what will work visually. Never try to match what the mass what!
If someone was judging your artwork too harshly, find someone else.
Criticism is good for your creative process. It is important to get different opinions, to see what work and don’t works. To make improvements and have someone see things you did not noticed before. But ultimately you decided to make changes.
I don’t normally get criticism for my work, Nor I would I care now. If somebody random critics my artwork, it would not bother me.
I enjoying creating comics and illustrations without any anyone interfering. But I am open for feedback.
The Way of Manga like A Pro through World Greatest First Love and Nichijou.
I always watching world Greatest first love anime on CrunchyRoll. The anime is an insight on how manga publishers work. Ritsu and Tanako are both manga Shojou editors. Thier jobs is to work closely with the manga artist.
There is a sub story on world Greatest first love, manga Shojou Artist Chiaki Yoshino and Yoshinyuki Hatori the manga editor.
Chiaki and his team work in a studio. They working endlessly to meet the deadline.
It seem that working on a manga series is a lot of work and stressful! Luckily for me I am a one man band and don’t have to meet deadline.
I see the story board or rough draft in the anime where the character discus the rough draft. The drawings are drawn very simple, thumbnail rough, include the dialogue. The manga artist makes many pages of rough drafts drawings then show them to thier editor.
I noticed watching World Greatest first love, the manga artist divide the paper and draw two pages roughs in one page. This give them an idea how the manga read into the next page.
This gave me an idea to do the same with my drafts. I am using a layout paper to do my manga rough.
My manga will read from left to right western style.
I write my story first. Adding details to the scene and the character dialogue. I write my stories like a fiction because I want to get the essence of the characters. It is a good way to develop your characters. I aim to write between 500 – 1,500 words.
After I am happy with the roughs, I will start working the real manga on my computer on Clip Studio EX. I have a Wacom Display Tablet so it more easily draw with ease.
I am still working on my manga and uploading them on my Deviantart page. I am trying to find a good method in creating my manga. So far it coming much more nicely together.
Tip: Stick to manga that you like or inspired by. Take note on how the manga is directed, how the tone convey the mood and the panels works on the page.
Nichijou gave me encouragement when I feeling like my manga is not good enough. I just remember how Mio chan felt with her manga. She inspires me to follow your dreams in becoming a manga artist.
Episode 20 on Nichijou is when Mio’s friend help her complete her manga, but did not go well. It is a good episode to watching because you will see that every artist has those days when nothing is coming out right.
