Manga Comics: Narrative, Rhythm, and Composition
A course by Kenny RuizComic Artist
A course by Kenny Ruiz, Comic Artist
Captivate your readers by learning to narrate and compose stories with Clip Studio Paint that follow the energetic rhythm of a manga
Ever thought about creating your own manga comic? If the answer is yes, manga illustrator and author Kenny Ruiz is the perfect person to help you achieve that distinctly expressive and professional touch so characteristic of the genre. His seemingly endless list of projects includes El Cazador de Rayos and Barcelona with Paquet publishers, and the series Dos Espadas and Malefic Time: Soum, with Norma Comics.
In this course, Kenny teaches you to narrate any story you like and turn it into a piece with the energetic and intense rhythm of manga. Develop the first chapter of your comic and give it the power that Japanese publishers require to reel in the reader and have them hooked from the first page. Fill two entire pages with professional manga comic art using Clip Studio Paint.
What will you learn in this online course?
28 lessons & 19 downloads
Construction of your manga universe
14 minutes, 52 seconds
How to create manga rhythm 1
13 minutes, 21 seconds
How to create manga rhythm 2
9 minutes, 51 seconds
The nemu
15 minutes, 42 seconds
Basic Clip Studio Tools 1
9 minutes, 59 seconds
Prepare the project in Clip Studio
14 minutes, 37 seconds
What's included in this course?
Meet your teacher for the course, Kenny Ruiz. He introduces himself and talks about his long career in the field of manga as well as his biggest influences and sources of inspiration.
Get familiar with the characteristic manga narratives and what your comic needs to hook in the reader. Then discover the secrets to building your story's universe, how to develop and sustain the rhythm panel by panel, page by page, as well as explore the term nemu in more detail.
Begin creating your comic with a sketch that combines dialogue and illustrations using Clip Studio Paint. Kenny teaches you the basic tools to get you started.
Time to get to work! Now it's time to decide on the structure of your story. Sketch the evolution of your sequence before adding dialogue and then take a look at how to make it more expressive.
As the course comes to an end, see how to color your work as well as create effects that give the scenes movement. Wrap things up putting the finishing touches on your piece.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create a two-page manga comic with a professional feel.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone interested in manga comics and illustration who wants to take their passion to the next level.
Requirements and materials
You need basic illustration skills to take this course as well as some experience with Clip Studio Paint.
In terms of materials you need a pencil, paper, and a computer installed with the software.
Reviews
- arantes_aPLUS11 days ago
Merci pour ce cours. Il permet de trouver des bases solides pour se lancer en narration, On découvre les techniques universelles et les base de Clipstudio pour le manga. Merci !
- 17 days ago
O curso é excelente.
- 1 month ago
Tô gostando bastante!!!!
- soazigmerandPLUS2 months ago
bon cour
- 3 months ago
lo que estaba buscando gracias a este curso afine muchos conceptos
He currently produces his own manga series titled Team Phoenix for the Japanese publishing house Akita, whose protagonists are characters created by manga maestro Osamu Tezuka. He also teaches at U-Tad, Escola Joso, and ESDIP.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Inspiration
- U2
Understanding manga
- What makes the manga work well
- Construction of your manga universe
- How to create manga rhythm 1
- How to create manga rhythm 2
- The nemu
- Basic Clip Studio Tools 1
- Basic Clip Studio Tools 2
- U3
Chapter 1 of your manga
- Prepare the project in Clip Studio
- Story structure 1
- Story structure 2
- Story structure 3
- From the structure to the sketches
- Sketches page by page 1
- Sketches page by page 2
- Sketches page by page 3
- Sketches page by page 4
- Sketches page by page 5
- Sketches page by page 6
- Sketches page by page 7
- U4
Inked
- Inking basics and tools 1
- Inking basics and tools 2
- Inking basics and tools 3
- Inking basics and tools 4
- Inking basics and tools 5
- Final art: screentones 1
- Final art: screentones 2
- FP
Final project
- Manga Comics: Narrative, Rhythm, and Composition
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
The course is aimed at intermediate learners, so it’s recommended to have basic drawing skills and familiarity with digital tools before starting.
You’ll need a computer, a graphics tablet, and Clip Studio Paint installed. Internet access is also recommended for classes and resource files provided.
You’ll learn Japanese visual storytelling techniques, character creation, pacing, documentation organization, and professional workflows to create and publish manga, including specifics of the Japanese market.
The course covers everything from creating manga characters and worlds, composition and visual storytelling techniques, to advanced Clip Studio skills for structuring, inking, and coloring professional manga pages.
You’ll learn how to structure pages, control narrative pacing, balance text and images, and use Japanese techniques of anticipation, action, and reaction to create engaging and clear visual rhythm.
Yes, the course includes hands-on explanations on using tools, organizing layers, creating and editing panels, using masks, and optimizing workflow in Clip Studio Paint.
The course covers building main and supporting characters, defining their goals, roles, and conflicts, as well as giving them charisma and narrative consistency.