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Drawing Academy · Manga & Anime

Advanced Manga Studio: Six Finished Projects

Follow six detailed drawings from construction to ink, tone, color and revision

Level
Advanced
Estimated study
About 73 hours
Lessons
36 lessons in 6 modules
Format
Online, self-paced

Monthly: $0 today with a card, then $34 on day 8 unless you cancel before then. After the trial, 30 days' notice applies. Active on-campus students have academy access included. Check your existing student account before buying another subscription.

About this course

For students who have finished Manga Workshop, or who can already draw constructed figures, three-quarter heads and closed hands. Six projects, six sessions each: a sword guardian, a martial artist in a foreshortened stance, a running fox, a stone-and-wood dragon, two heroes in action with a forest creature, and a finished four-panel comic page. Each project starts with gesture and volumes, moves to faces, hands and contacts, then to ink, then to light and color, and ends with a finishing and critique session. Close-up views of faces, hands and joints let you check the hard areas against the full drawing. You keep the full sequence and a documented correction for each project. All characters and drawings are original.

What you will be able to do

  • Study a detailed master drawing through construction, anatomy, ink, tone, color and lighting stages.
  • Use enlarged close-ups to check facial planes, hands, joints, material texture and difficult overlaps.
  • Carry one drawing through six sessions and document a correction for each finished project.

Course outline

Module 1: Advanced character studio: an adult sword guardian

6 lessons · 11 h 55 min

Construct and finish a detailed original adult woman, with expressive facial planes, articulated two-hand grip, layered hair and coherent costume folds.

  1. Plan the guardian with gesture, volumes and clear sword geometry1 h 55 min
  2. Construct expressive facial planes, eyes and layered hair2 h 5 min
  3. Draw connected arms, articulated hands and the two-handed grip1 h 55 min
  4. Ink the costume, hair and hard-surface details with controlled line weight2 h 20 min
  5. Map the guardian’s light, screentones, flat colors and material shadows1 h 50 min
  6. Finish the guardian with selective rim light, edges and revision1 h 50 min

Module 2: Advanced character studio: a foreshortened martial artist

6 lessons · 11 h 40 min

Develop a detailed original adult man in a grounded action pose, with a constructed forward fist, expressive features and folds that describe form.

  1. Plan a grounded stance and the foreshortened forward arm1 h 50 min
  2. Construct the martial artist’s facial planes, expression and hair1 h 55 min
  3. Draw the glove, folded fingers, opposing thumb and connected wrist2 h
  4. Ink anatomical overlaps, jacket tension folds and boot structure2 h 15 min
  5. Map the martial artist’s light, tones, flat colors and shadows1 h 50 min
  6. Finish the martial artist with material accents and a proportion critique1 h 50 min

Module 3: Advanced animal studio: a running fox

6 lessons · 11 h 25 min

Develop a detailed running fox from species-specific skeletal landmarks, connected digitigrade limbs, directional fur and coherent lighting.

  1. Plan the fox’s gesture, ribcage, pelvis and stride phase1 h 50 min
  2. Construct the muzzle, eyes, ears and expressive head planes1 h 55 min
  3. Draw connected forelegs, rear hocks, paws and rooted claws2 h
  4. Ink directional fur, overlaps and changing contour weight2 h
  5. Map the fox’s light, fur tones, local colors and cast shadows1 h 50 min
  6. Finish the fox with selective fur detail, edges and anatomical revision1 h 50 min

Module 4: Advanced creature studio: a stone-and-wood dragon

6 lessons · 12 h 40 min

Build a detailed original fusion creature with four rooted leg chains, two continuous membrane wings, connected claws and materials that follow anatomy.

  1. Plan the dragon’s skeleton, four leg chains and two wing roots1 h 50 min
  2. Construct the dragon’s head, jaw, teeth, horns and expression2 h
  3. Draw wing fingers, continuous membranes, articulated feet and claws2 h 40 min
  4. Ink stone plates, bark grain, moss roots and anatomical overlaps2 h 15 min
  5. Map the dragon’s light, screentones, material colors and shadows2 h
  6. Finish the dragon with controlled highlights, texture and attachment checks1 h 55 min

Module 5: Advanced action studio: heroes and a forest creature

6 lessons · 13 h 15 min

Compose and finish a detailed original action illustration with two adult heroes, a forest creature, readable depth, coherent anatomy and selective effects.

  1. Plan the action composition, depth and connected three-dimensional forms1 h 55 min
  2. Construct the heroes’ facial expressions, hair and creature features2 h 10 min
  3. Draw the sword grip, foreshortened fist, costumes and rooted claws2 h 45 min
  4. Ink the action scene with line hierarchy, hatching and screentones2 h 25 min
  5. Map one primary light, local colors, shadows and nearby reflections2 h 5 min
  6. Finish the scene with restrained motion, glow, atmosphere and revision1 h 55 min

Module 6: Advanced comic studio: a finished four-panel page

6 lessons · 12 h 25 min

Build a readable detailed comic page with connected acting, focused hand studies, original dialogue, drawn sound effects and consistent ink and color.

  1. Plan the four-panel page, camera choices, gutters and reading order1 h 55 min
  2. Draw connected character acting and the two enlarged hand studies2 h 55 min
  3. Draw speech balloons, captions and readable dialogue with clear tails1 h 55 min
  4. Draw visual sound effects, motion paths and action lettering1 h 50 min
  5. Ink the page with consistent line hierarchy, shadows and screentones1 h 55 min
  6. Color and polish the page, then revise its visual reading order1 h 55 min
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