Manga Tutorial: How to Draw Tanjiro with Markers

Create the protagonist of the anime ‘Demon Slayer’, Tanjiro Kamado, using only markers, with Caio Yo

Japanese designer Yukio Horie created modern felt-tip pens while working at the Tokyo Stationery Company in 1962. They were versatile, colorful and practical.

Since this first edition, designers and engineers across the world have improved his tools. Their work has made felt-tips a key tool for artists, stationery lovers, bullet journalists, design thinkers and countless other professionals.

Brazilian cartoonist and illustrator Caio Yo (@caioyo) is fascinated by felt-tip pens. His cites classic manga artists and engraving as his main influences. He works as an art director for video games, animation and advertising studios. But his true passion is drawing and painting with Copic pens.

In this tutorial, Caio teaches you how to draw Demon Slayer hero Tanjiro Kamado using nothing but felt-tip pens. Don’t miss his tips!

Sketch your hero

Start with a piece of paper or your sketchbook. It’s best to create the initial sketch in pencil or pen. Define your character’s basic body movements, ready to apply the felt-tips of your choice.

Once you’re happy with your drawing, transfer it onto a weightier piece of paper. It’s a good idea to scan and print it out so you can work on a more solid base. You can also expand your drawing and make any little adjustments before starting to add color.

Add color

Alcohol-based felt-tips are better for shading, so create the darker areas like hair, shadows and areas of depth first.

The great thing about these pens is that you don’t have to worry if the ink dries out. This also means there’s no rush. When you need to layer another pen on top of the first color, the alcohol will blend into the pigment and allow you to keep working.

Apply heavier shadows in specific areas

Repeat the previous steps for the face. It’s important to start with the strongest areas of color first to allow yourself to create interesting, fluid shading. The lighter colors will dilute the pigment and allow you to create smoother combinations.

The ink will always be darker when the pen first touches the paper. Don’t worry. Wait for it to dry to get a better idea of the final result, then apply new shades to adjust if you need to.

Always apply shadow working from the outside into the center of the image.

Use graphite to finish

Add in dry pigments to give your drawing a special touch at any time. Graphite, pencil, pastel and other similar techniques work really well.

Establish a line hierarchy

Now sharpen the contrasts by filling in the other colors. Use lines of different thicknesses and intensities to highlight, saturate or darken specific areas and create more volume.

Think about this step as creating a line hierarchy: each option performs a different function and has varying degrees of importance. Define each type of line according to the results you want to achieve.

Love this tutorial? Check out our full range of online Manga drawing courses and don’t miss Caio Yo’s course, coming soon on Domestika.

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