7 Free Manga and Sumi-e Drawing Tutorials 

From first brush strokes to creating characters, Japanese-style illustration experts share top drawing tips for beginners

A country with a rich artistic history, Japan has given rise to illustration techniques that have had huge influence on creatives and audiences all over the world. Among them are manga and Sumi-e, two expressive mediums with their own powerful identities.

Whether you're a beginner interested in exploring these styles or you're looking for new drawing tricks, in this article Domestika teachers share tips for everything from how to draw glistening manga-style eyes and faces to how to create expressive ink brush strokes.

But first, let's quickly explore the philosophies and backgrounds behind these artforms...

What is manga?

Referring to Japanese comics and graphic novels, the word "manga" is comprised of two written characters, or kanji: the kanji for informal or whimsical (漫 man) and the one for drawing (画 ga). Thought to date back to scrolls of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the medium began with depictions of anthropomorphic animals and cartoon-y exaggerations of daily life.

Popularized by world-famous mangaka (manga artists), today, manga features thrilling action, comedy, romance, and commentary about modern life, told through illustrated panels and dialogue. Every page is packed with detail for readers to get lost in.

What is sumi-e?

Sumi-e translates to ink painting, formed by the characters for ink (墨 sumi) and painting (絵 e). It is a centuries-old drawing technique that came to Japan with Buddhist monks from China, and has since been combined with other techniques and original interpretations.

Sumi-e incorporates philosophy and religion, and its artists represent the essence of elements, without dwelling on the details: it's a technique that doesn't seek realism, but rather evokes more abstract feelings in its viewer.

Watch the videos below and click on the read headers for the full tutorial post.

Manga illustration tutorials

Anime Tutorial: Face Proportions for Beginners

They may look simple, but each manga or anime character has a unique, expressive look that can be recreated by following a few simple rules. Watercolor artist Geoff Pascual (@geoff_pascual) is known for his beautiful, Japanese-inspired compositions. Heavily influenced by the manga and anime that inspired him as a child, Geoff makes artwork from his Californian art studio, Pascual Productions.

Before adding the expressive details that help his characters pop from the page, Geoff follows a set of simple rules to ensure that their proportions are correct—which he shares in this tutorial.

Character Design Tutorial: How to Draw Manga Eyes

Manga characters haven't always had the oversized, glistening eyes that have become characteristic of the genre today. This shift happened in modern manga (which was pioneered by artist Osamu Tezuka in the 1940s). However, expressive eyes have always been (and still are) very important when it comes to strengthening the features and emotions of this style.

Here, one-half of manga comic specialists EUDETENIS (@eudetenis), Giovana Serafim teaches essential drawing techniques to take your drawings to the next level by creating interesting expressions through different eyes shapes. All you’ll need is a pencil and some paper to start practicing!

Manga Tutorial: Give Eyes Color and Sparkle

Once you've mastered drawing manga eyes, you can start playing with color, tone, shadows, and sparkle. In this tutorial, Tania Oksentiuk (best known as @taniidraw) will guide you through a creative exercise for working with color combinations.

Inspired by anime and other traditional Japanese artforms, in this tutorial, she shares her tips for adding color and sparkle to anime eyes with marker pens. Under her guidance, you will discover that there are as many types of eyes as there are characters.

Manga Tutorial: How to Draw Princess Mononoke

If you’re a fan of manga, chances are you'll be familiar with Princess Mononoke. Written by Hayao Miyazaki and published in 1993, it was later made into an anime film by Studio Ghibli in 1997, breaking records when it was released in Japan by achieving a box-office revenue of 19.3 billion yen.

In this tutorial, professional manga artist and illustrator Natalia Batista (@nataliasmanga) teaches you how to draw the comic's titular character—also known as Wolf Girl. Starting with her face right through to finishing touches, Natalia will show you how to draw Princess Mononoke step by step using a pencil, before adding detail with a pen and ink.

Manga Tutorial: How to Draw Tanjiro with Markers

Another character manga fans will know is Tanjiro Kamado, the hero from popular manga and anime series Demon Slayer. In this tutorial, Brazilian cartoonist and illustrator Caio Yo (@caioyo) teaches you how to draw the protagonist using his favorite medium: felt-tip pens.

First created by Japanese designer Yukio Horie while working at the Tokyo Stationery Company in 1962, markers are versatile, colorful, accessible, and practical—and Caio Yo (@caioyo) is fascinated by them. Watch, learn, and try this style for yourself by following the video below.

Sumi-e illustration tutorials

Illustration Tutorial: Applying Sumi-e Techniques to Watercolor Painting

Although the Sumi-e technique is originally carried out with India ink, there are a series of strokes that can be applied when using other materials, such as watercolors. If you’re interested in trying out these strokes, then this tutorial is perfect for you.

Illustrator Flor Kaneshiro (@florkaneshiro) will teach you all the steps for carrying out different brushstrokes, paying special attention to pressure, speed, direction, and rhythm. Let yourself be carried away by the delicate and soft strokes of this traditional technique.

Illustration Tutorial: Ink Strokes And The Sumi-e Technique

Over two thousand years old, India ink is much more than a means of creative expression. Offering endless, unpredictable results, this material produces unique effects on paper.

Below, award-winning artist and illustrator Mika Takahashi (@takamiks) will invite you into the world of India and show you how to master the brush and create mesmerizing strokes.

Complete Guide to Anime and Manga Terms

If you want to dive into the world of Japanese manga and anime, but aren't quite sure where to start, this guide is for you! Whether you want to discover your next favorite series or movie, or are interested in learning how to illustrate your own comics incorporating these styles, discover some of the most commonly used terms and find out what fits your tastes and needs.

If you want to keep learning, you can explore Domestika's manga and Sumi-e illustration courses.

You can also discover more free creativity tutorials from the pros by keeping an eye on the tutorial lists section of our blog.

You may also like:

- What Are the Key Characteristics of Manga Illustration?
- Free Template to Create Manga Facial Expressions
- Basic Materials for Sumi-e Painting
- How to Create an Expression Sheet for a Character You’ve Designed
- 7 Mesmerizing Comic-book Character Timelapse Videos