Hello,
I have seen in Romania some artists that want to make manga, and when they have the necessary drawing skills, instead of making an original themed manga, they actually try to copy from the Japanese manga that already exist and are successful. For example, you don’t have to just think “i liked “Hana Kimi” by Hisaya Nakajo ” so let’s just make one the same: with cross dressing and boy harem! This is just wrong! You have to realize that the original is always better!
In my opinion, their first mistake is that they want to give their characters Japanese names. The location is often Japan and the story – as i already said – is copied from Japanese manga.
If you read manhwa – Korean manga – you will see that they use their own names, their own culture, traditions and have a slight different subjects and styles (they are more into street violence); they even draw differently. It is the same in manhua (Chinese manga). So, just try to do this yourself: try to understand that even if you like the Japanese style very much, it is no use if you make a manga with Japanese people, about Japanese culture and places – these are already made by the natives…so you will not stand a chance!
So, be original! Try to look around you: beautiful places and restaurants that are worth drawing, high school life – that is a slight different from Japanese one; there are also your own country’s traditions and culture. For example in my country – Romania – there is a unique holiday called mărţişor which i really love and i already made an illustration about it. And there are more customs, traditions, holidays and i’m anxious to do even more illustrations that relate to my culture.
“Originality exercises”
1. As an exercise for you, i propose you look at your news channel and see what are the everyday happenings: this way you will see what is characteristic for your country and you will become aware of your surroundings.
2. Chit chat with you friends and find out what their problems are, what they do, where they go, how do they have fun, what they suffer for. Try to note down the ideas that you find interesting. In the meanwhile you can write down the same things but from your own perspective. This way you will get a glimpse of one or two social categories and also some interesting places, thoughts and personalities.
3. Another exercise is to note down all the names you can think of and then if you don’t know their etymology you can jus search it on the web – note a small idea for every name. This way you will make yourself a great material when it comes to your characters names.
4. Make a list of some cool characteristics: intelligence, cool headiness etc. Then make one of the uncool ones: clumsiness, air headiness etc.
These exercises will help you build your story and characters without thinking all the time at the mangas you already read and you liked.
I’m telling you again: BE ORIGINAL!
Hariana
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