Before I begin, I want to point out that this is a guideline, and that this isn't the only way to draw a head in profile. This is a way that I'm comfortable with. Try it out, but then find a way that suits you, and your style. If it's the same as this, fine ^^.
I also want to point out that the drawings are better at explaining themselves than the text.
Coloring the lines of your artwork can give your picture a more natural look, especially if you are working directly from pencils. If you are working from inks, this method might subconsciously evoke Disney-esque nostalgia in the viewer. It could be fun to experiment with using these subtle cues. How would a person perceive a profane image that subconsciously reminds them of The Little Mermaid?
This tutorial follows my work as I colored one of the panels of The Perfect Smile, a gURL.com comic. I used Photoshop 7, but surely these techniques will apply to older and newer versions of the software and its competitors to some extent. All shortcuts are for Windows. Macs arent' that different. Just use the option key instead of control, I think.
Note: The images on this page may take some time to load.
Getting a good scan is vitally important to how a finished image will look. It will also make the coloring process easier and faster. I'm using an HP scanner, but these settings should be on any scanner. I'm also using Photoshop5.5 for editing. It's the only software I'm familiar with at this point in time.
Set the scanning resolution. 300dpi (dots per inch) is what I like to use. This particular scanner goes to 1200dpi; but the higher the resolution, the larger the file size. (Note: Rachel recommends no less than 600dpi if you plan to some day print your artwork professionally.)
(The images on this page may take some time to load.)
Selection is key to most coloring, highlighting, and shading techniques; but can seem complicated at first. There are several methods for selection, and only you will know which one is best suited to you and your artistic needs. This tutorial covers the basics of the most versatile methods, and includes a few tricks to make them easier. I’m using Photoshop 5.5.
Call me crazy, but my favorite method is the Magic Wand tool. You simply click inside of an area that you want selected, and boom, there it is. Some people don’t like the magic wand because it can be a bit inaccurate and tempermental depending on what you're trying to select. But, you can remedy this inaccuracy by setting the Tolerance.
Here's a pile of miscellaneous information that might help you draw manga-style eyes.
Notice how the upper lid of the eye is almost always longer than the lower lid.
When the eyes are opened wide, a crease forms above the upper lid. It makes the face look alert, and when you leave white around the iris (as in this picture) it gives the chara a surprised expression (don't forget to raise the eyebrows in that case).
When people start feeling sad or hurt, their brows start to pucker toward one another (figure 1.b) and their lower eyelid pooches up (figure 2.b), hiding part of the iris. Note: The lower eyelid does the same thing when people get angry, too.) I always draw extra sparkles in my eyes and try to draw them a little wobblier to suggest wateriness (figure 3.b).
When the eyebrows severely furrow, a crease will form between them (figure 4). In real life, tears well up and spill over in the inner corner of the eye, near the nose. In manga and anime, however, the eyes are so distorted that this kind of tear flow looks downright weird. So, when drawing in the manga style, have the tears well up in the outer corner of the eye (figure 5). This actually happens in real life, so it won't look unnatural. Tears should be drawn lightly with broken lines to suggest shininess and transparency (figure 6). Small sparkles can be drawn on large tear drops, and features like lashes can be seen through them.
Start out by drawing just a simple, round shape several times until it is roughly a circle. Then draw a small line following the bottom of the circle shape for the bottom of the eye. You can draw the top of the eye where I have to give your character a young, innocent look or draw the it at half mast for an evil or dreamy look.
Slightly above the top line, draw a smaller version of the top eye line to show the crease where the eye lid closes. Draw it at the level of the top point of the circle (the iris), even though you can't see it.
Draw a nice almond or narrow oval shape.
The box model is a variation of the Naoko Takeuchi method. It allows for slightly more structure in the eyelashes (ala CLAMP). It is best to master the Naoko Takeuchi method before trying this one, as you need to have a good feel for where your eyelashes will go, how the lids are proportioned, etc.
Start by drawing a simple square, your "box."
Now, your lower lid will probably dip below the edge of the box while the upper lid will arch over it. Use the box's edges to keep all the lashes in order. Rule of thumb (for beginners): The lashes should touch each corner of the box.
Fans of Sailor Moon already know that Naoko Takeuchi's distinctive style consists of two lines, one over the other, finished with a wide, white-pupiled eyeball. This is a very easy technique to master as it only uses two lines and a circle. I learned how to draw manga by copying Ms. Takeuchi's style until I was perfect. Although my eyes look very different now, they are always consistent because they are still essentially built upon the "two lines, one circle" method. This is the simplest technique for drawing manga-style eyes and after much practice, it can even be adapted to create realistic eyes.
