Creating Urban Manga Characters
Learn to design manga characters with a focus on street style fashion, composition, and the use of references.
Dive into the art of creating urban manga characters with Florencia Namur, also known as Nemupan, as she guides you through her creative process.
You'll learn to blend the influence of anime and street fashion to design characters that not only stand out visually but also convey deep stories and emotions.
You'll apply narrative and stylistic techniques to transform simple drawings into complex, lively characters that reflect your unique personal vision.
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 26 downloads
Character design and storytelling
15 minutes, 20 seconds
Proposing a concept
5 minutes, 45 seconds
Thumbnails and composition proposals
8 minutes, 2 seconds
lineart
11 minutes, 14 seconds
Color 1
20 minutes, 1 second
Export for web, social networks and print
13 minutes, 21 seconds
What's included in this course?
To start, you will delve into the study of manga culture and its impact on character design, discovering how to incorporate elements of urban fashion into your creations.
Next, you will learn about composition and color theory, two fundamental pillars that will help you capture attention through your works. Following that, Florencia will share her approach to character development, from conceptualization to the final illustration, teaching you how to convey personal and cultural narratives in your creations.
Finally, you will dive into specific digital illustration techniques, including the use of software and tools that will enhance the quality of your projects.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
The final project is to develop an urban manga character from scratch, applying all the techniques learned to design it with a style that reflects a personal story or concept, showing how fashion can be a powerful means of expression in your creations.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is aimed at illustrators, graphic designers, and manga and anime enthusiasts who wish to explore and enhance their character creation skills.
It is ideal for those interested in incorporating urban fashion elements into their designs and learning how to convey visual stories through their artistic creations.
Requirements and materials
You will need basic drawing materials and access to digital illustration software, as well as graphic tablets and drawing programs.
It is also recommended to have a variety of visual references related to manga, urban fashion, and Japanese pop culture on hand to inspire you throughout the process.
Reviews
- 2 months ago
Es un curso muy bonito y explica detalladamente.
- 2 months ago
Estou gostando muito do curso. Está me incentivando a retomar os estudos de ilustração
- 3 months ago
Un curso excelente con buenas bases
- 4 months ago
Muy lindo, la profesora explica muy bien y es entretenido de ver. Es interesante ver su proceso y aprender como conceptualiza sus ilustraciones.
- 5 months ago
Me encanto este curso, la dedicación y facilidad de cada paso para que uno pueda aprender es lo mejor, todo el proceso fue super entretenido y quede contenta con el resultado final, recomiendo totalmente el curso para nuevas personas que quieran dibujar.
Her career as a freelance illustrator has led her to collaborate with renowned brands such as Intel, XP-Pen, WIU, and Vapor 95. She also participates and works at international anime conventions like Anime Expo and Anime New York City, where her original designs have captured the attention of a global audience.
With a focus on characters that blend modern aesthetics with visual narratives, Nemu continues to explore new forms of expression through her art, always maintaining a close dialogue with her followers and the online creative community.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
Project preparation and design bases
- What are manga characters?
- Urban characters and street fashion
- Character design and storytelling
- Color theory and color palettes
- Silhouettes and composition
- U3
Create the work step by step
- Proposing a concept
- References and mood board
- Thumbnails and composition proposals
- Sketch and final composition
- lineart
- Color 1
- Color 2
- U4
Post-production and final steps
- Color correction and final details in Photoshop
- Export for web, social networks and print
- FP
Final project
- Creating Urban Manga Characters
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
Yes, this course is designed for people with basic digital drawing skills who want to deepen their knowledge in designing and illustrating urban manga characters, blending fashion and advanced visual composition.
You’ll need a computer, a graphics tablet, and access to Photoshop or another compatible digital illustration program. Internet access is also recommended for downloading references and sharing your work.
You’ll learn how to design manga characters inspired by Japanese street fashion, apply color theory, create sketches, line art, digital coloring, and export illustrations for social media, web, and print.
Basic digital drawing skills and some familiarity with Photoshop are recommended, though essential tools are explained during the course. If you only draw by hand, some prior digital practice might be needed.
Yes, the course includes brainstorming exercises, thumbnail creation, sketching, and developing original characters, incorporating urban fashion references and visual storytelling.
Yes, you’ll learn how to adjust resolution, formats, and color profiles to export illustrations optimized for social media, printing, and selling at fairs.
The course covers differences in composition, eye styles, visual storytelling, and cultural references between Japanese and Western manga, highlighting the influence of Japanese street fashion.