Drawing manga the hard way

[@yuko966]

16:43 "To love something is to demand nothing of it, to have no expectations of it, to love it for what it is" that quote hit hard

[@rolandomota415]

ive been learning how to draw and seeing very little progress lately so this quote really hit different

[@ufreo3003]

Star Wars sequel haters need to hear that

[@blackshogun272]

@@ufreo3003 but we don't love those films. This point is dead on arrival.

[@Shelsy12]

In fact, for me it would be quite the opposite. To love something is to love it and want to have it, there is no one who is satisfied with just "loving something."

[@lemin0u]

@@Shelsy12 speak for yourself bruh

[@jimjimson6208]

having a drop of ink drip from the nib onto the page is basically a rite of passage with this kind of pen haha

[@ChromaMoma]

Not my first rodeo 🤠

[@joezz.77]

Alternative title, drawing manga the EXPENSIVE way

[@KingDiszi]

I was ready to disagree till this man said fly to Japan to get deleter paper 😂😂, I was like damn that is expensive

[@jimjimson6208]

@@KingDiszi it's not cheap to import it either, at least to my country. A couple years back I got curious and went to check. I did not in fact end up buying any lmfao

[@ImpTheVicious]

i was just about to write this lol

[@kucingduduk28]

realll haha

[@club882]

Yeah. He isnt exactly copying kentaro miura's style

[@YokaiAkito]

The second that you added the highlights by rubbing off the screentone, I thought "Oh. That's manga now." Like, the look of screentone is so iconic to me. Just adding it to your panels transforms them from a page of cool art to a page of manga. 100% henshin

[@clairestanfield-ui1fg]

👀👉👍👍🥰 yup!!!

[@lilpixie25]

I love the reframing of the "trust the process" to "love the process"; I think, as artists, a lot of the time we are too focused on the end result rather than what bring us joy. That's why I value sketchbooks so much, it allows me to be a child again and try any and everything without fear.

[@FlameRat_YehLon]

Beastars is completely done on paper. And that's probably a good example of what's the benefit of doing everything on paper. All the imperfections kinda made up for the unique texture of that manga.

[@gabrilapin]

Oh really ? I have to check it out then ! I've just seen the anime so far

[@serbrawl7981]

Beastars or bastards

[@FlameRat_YehLon]

@@serbrawl7981 Beastars. The name means "beast starts"

[@serbrawl7981]

@@FlameRat_YehLon furry stars

[@FlameRat_YehLon]

@@serbrawl7981 Yes, and yes.

[@Gingrnut]

Dude, turning that ink blob into a vent on the helmet, that was some big brained stuff right there. I noticed that in the footage & wondered if it was intentional, and in the Timelapse where you just went in and added that detail, that looked so slick! I guess you do just gotta embrace the mistakes when doing things the traditional way!

[@ChromaMoma]

it was that or redraw the whole thing

[@VishKeks]

@@ChromaMoma oh, what about a bit of opaque white paint? I know it was used in manga making

[@Dinosox16]

Trust the process

[@mis.-ty7ej]

​​@@VishKeksyeah I've seen someone using opaque acrilic to cover up some imperfections and making highlights

[@bakkyarou]

I thought the same thing, I was like "oh no!" But then you added the extra details and I thought it was intentional until the end part. Improvising at its finest, it turned out amazing 👍

[@semirionu]

This 97 year old KZbin channel still serves their manga the old-fashioned way.

[@nidhishshivashankar4885]

Great comment 🤣

[@mikk.t.7824]

Cock Cola

[@Hanaronxd]

Yeah that's what I woulda did 🗣🔥

[@BreakfastKid]

dudeee i know this too, it is the old fashioned cola thing

[@mustaadtheguy]

my reaction when they no longer serve it the old-fashioned way:

[@TheCrewExpendable]

Man, old school, pre-digital graphic design was nuts.

[@Allyfyn]

I believe most manga artists still do it this way. Manhwa artists however have already mostly transitioned to digital for a while now.

[@WieldMyWord]

​@@Allyfyn like 90% of all mangaka do it digital nowadays, the last era that did traditional was mangakas from early 2000s and up to mid 2010s after that things started go full digital. Depending on artstyle and mangaka they usually don't use screentoning since that is more a 90s thing (in especially mecha genre) and instead they focused on line quality and traditional crosshatching, nowadays they use more thicker lines and more rough drawings or they go more webtoon style.

[@Allyfyn]

@@WieldMyWord can you tell me where you got that information from?

[@The_BlOb]

@@Allyfyn You can tell by looking at something

[@devALLjapan]

There is always just...something about, well made, traditional art of all kinds. The imperfections allows the brain to explore all the possibilities of each stroke. Just so good

[@eggycat]

I’ve never seen the sheets applied like that before. The sheets I’ve used in the past you simply hold it over the area you want to fill, then rub with a smooth plastic tool to apply the dots. Gives you greater control without cutting into the original sketch.

[@EvonneLindiwe]

What are they called ?.. the sheets you use

[@degree5305]

Watch the documentary series Manben for the entire process by multiple professional mangaka, the thing to keep in mind is that Mangaka weren't doing this alone and had entire teams with each person dedicated to one task. But of course if you were a beginner submitting your first shot you probably were doing it alone.

[@puppeli]

I think that also depends on how successful the mangaka is. You know the mangaka have to pay their assistants, out of their own pocket. Like if the mangaka makes $30K a year, they can probably only hire one part time assistant.

[@imashoe1029]

Naoki Urasawa is a goated mangaka

[@jaysax7381]

Not always

[@Shinkami_Chuu]

@@puppeli Don't the publishing companies manage the assistants?

[@Wet-Milk]

@@puppeli yeah the assistants were through their publishing companies im pretty sure.

[@tannerweinheimer7839]

0:08 Spoiler: He did not, in fact, draw his manga with cofee grounds

[@A_penguin_]

Dang it

[@AgentAreYouthere]

Holy guacamole!!🤯🤯I thought this was drawn, you are a genius!!

[@crystalrose043]

I love what you said about loving the process! I recently did a commissioned public artwork and it made me realize that in my art im not seeking validation or a sense of worth from others, i just love the process and making something i want to make! I didnt enjoy having to have my process changed and not given as much time as I would have liked.

[@sonpanchan]

I’ve done film photography and when you shoot in film and develop the film and then make a print of your photo on paper you get a very different result than if you were to take it on digital and then print that out . Especially with color photography. I don’t know how to explain it but the colors are so vivid and beautiful, especially when you shoot in color positive film. I know Fuji film cameras have tried to use filters to give their users similar results than what you get in film but it’s really the same. There are also photographers that still use the collodion wet plate process (the first negatives before film was introduced) or still shoot using the daguerreotype method which fell out of favor in the late 1800’s when negatives were introduced and you could make multiple images out of one plate.

[@nailbomb420]

One thing you can do to combat overly perfect screen tones digitally, is to layer noise over it.

[@Rosen666]

you can add 6 percent blur

[@JH-pe3ro]

Or get scans of the originals and turn them into textures. That technique works for a lot of old art supplies that are hard to come by(Duotone is a good example of an alternate to screentone that isn't being made now).

[@BlackCat-tc2tv]

I’m old and we used to use another companies tone sheets called Zip-a-tone. Cutting into the Bristol feels weird until you realize e it was all for the print and the original art is (technically) disposable. We also used to use bleed proof white over the tone for shiny star highlights. Having done old school screen-tone shading and photoshop style tone filters there is a difference. It’s sort of how some folks enjoy the crackle of vynal records over digitized musics “perfect” tone.

[@reginaldforthright805]

No one actually likes digital; it’s just about saving time and money.

[@VishKeks]

@@reginaldforthright805 speak for yourself, nothing wrong with digital, it's just a different tool

[@jasonmp85]

@@reginaldforthright805I like digital and think people who like anything else-except for fetishistic process reasons-are ignorant.

[@reginaldforthright805]

@@jasonmp85 Go to a museum. Open a book. Digital is only good for scrolling on social media

[@jasonmp85]

@@reginaldforthright805 we were talking about music, but for books, I value the knowledge. I understand some may undergo transference instead. For art? Of course I’d want an original, what else is the point. But for music, unless it’s live, digital is the way to go. This isn’t an opinion.

[@JH-pe3ro]

One of the major reasons why comics and manga landed on the ink drawing + screentones approach was because it enabled color to be layered over the inked pages. That added some flexibility and distribution of the production workload, and if they wanted to reprint it later, they could choose between a black and white print and a colorized one. If the print process itself used halftone dots, the source material could be from another greyscale medium and still reproduce well. Examples of this can be found in the MAD Magazine catalog from when they first started using a newsprint magazine format in the late 50's - the artists used pencils and ink washes and other materials as well as the more strict ink + halftones approach. I've been toying with using water-soluble graphite in this way, myself.

[@ricksquiggles2473]

That's interesting, I never knew that regarding screentones, thanks for sharing.

[@watsonwrote]

I do love the look of the non-digital screen tones. They are this great mid-ground between something embodied and some ideal abstract design. They're not natural, but they're not as unnatural as a digital version. And I think that embodies this kind of art so well: stylized and geometric, but rooted in organic reality. So beautiful.

[@vaness_1166]

Your letterless keyboard is my worst nightmare 😭

[@M0rshu1]

WHAT THE FUCK

[@Eggtart-thetoad162]

Fr, I have to look at my keyboard every time I write a word. 😅

[@uipex9333]

“why do we, do this to ourselves?” 🤣🤣

[@Lilly-Lilac]

fun fact, that keycap set costs 135 usd

[@Mdragonmaker]

True😢😢

[@mvpine4288]

This was absolutely delightful. As someone who appreciates the slowness and texture of traditional art, this made my day

[@allyson_gari]

Ahh memories! I remember this sheets in the 80's when one of my uncles was studying arts. a decade after when I was studying Design with a printer house that has the old machines working with film before to transfer an image to the offset plaque. Those dotted film made the half work done and speeded the printing process. So glad those still exist because gives a classic vibe to your drawings. Delightful to see! thank you for sharing!

[@MauroRincon]

There is something so human about imperfections. I went to see "The Guernica" (painting by Picasso) and you can see several places where the artist changed his mind or made a minor mistake, then tried to cover it up but the hints of those changes remained in the background. It makes the painting all the more beautiful.

[@momoatsuko727]

today we're practicing mindfulness :3 this is exactly why, as a poet and songwriter, i still keep physical notebooks, even though its way faster cheaper and convenient to just write stuff in my phone, its nice to have a keepsake from my passion, and there's something about that physicality that makes me more creative. its like i have to do this in a way that is satisfying to me. exactly like you say, i love the process.

[@Inconsistent-Dogwash]

The anxiety before starting and the little accidents are so relatable, the final outcome truned out amazing by the way. New Subscribe made today x

[@Tine_of_Nice_Dreams]

Watching you work with the exacto knife made me recognize for the first time the parallel between applying tone and woodblock print cutting. A little cultural through-line I never thought of before 🤯

[@fizzymizzy_]

its really tough to evaluate whats better or worse, but man watching mangakas do it digitally and traditionally is just wonderful. i personally really liked how kaoru mori did her work for the cover of her manga, a demo of that is found on youtube. however after reading oyasumi punpun, i found the crazy hybrid method that inio asano does his manga work, of both digital and analogue drawing. and i seriously suggest you guys take a look at his workflow. and i mean, if you have ever read a page of his work, you'll know how insane his skills are. an entire documentary episode of his workflow is also found on youtube. great video again!

[@fizzymizzy_]

@@karakurie sorry for the late reply, i just read your comment! its impressive that you are comfortable switching mediums so easily based on the story's vibe. i think most people, including me, are scared of changing mediums, solely for the fear of it not looking up to par with the medium they are comfortable with. and yeah, the more and more manga i read, the more common it is that ive found that most new manga have very realistic background art. but i cant tell if its a full digital workflow that they have, or a hybrid workflow like inio asano. but anywho, it still produces some really beautiful images at a very quick rate. i've never talked to a person who seems to know the ins and outs of manga before, so it was really interesting to get a comment from you! thanks, and i hope you can get that first chapter of that manga written and drawn. it sounds pretty cool!

[@bbcsbiggestfan]

I love getting to see the artistic process up close like this, especially for something new where you go from shaky and uncertain to more comfortable and experimental. The old school method has a charm for sure.

[@losj3020]

seeing a regular person trying to use screentones actually really hammers home why most mangakas have assistant(s) to do it for them if they can afford it. Imagine already suffering carpal tunnel from drawing and inking pages upon pages then having to deal with this

[@KingOfSlackersComic]

Chroma Moma just dropped a new video? Well, guess I better inform my boss that my productivity levels just flatlined-coffee in hand, I'm ready for some serious art! Priorities, people! ☕📺👨‍🎨

[@frostspork4282]

Name checks out. Moving on.

[@inoma.]

BAHAHA THIS MADE MY DAY

[@barvelo26]

Agreed 👍💯

[@workinprogress5431]

This was my first introduction to screen tone sheets. I had no idea! The dot matrix is something I've always seen but never considered how it was applied. Great work and presentation, thanks!

[@bogbert7019]

not only was this really educational, but it had a nice message... 10/10 as someone who's trying to get into making comics i always appreciate learning more about how people used to do it before digital. The history of manga and comics and other graphical storytelling forms is so interesting so thanks for sharing some insight into how it used ot be done!!

[@Kamawan0]

Sometimes when we see the finished result, we are unaware of the process involved. This is nothing short of incredible, great work and precision!

[@Navelol]

Your new take on loving the process has entirely changed my outlook for the better. Thank you

[@treelineresearch3387]

I always assumed screentone worked like the old process PCB artwork layout or transfer lettering used, where you have a sheet that has the texture element printed on to it and you burnish the backing paper where you want it to stick. Cutting out all these mask elements is so much more labor intensive, but also explains how traditional manga artists keep things like gradients consistent across whole pages.

[@surraciddac170]

I just wanted to say you having a Miffy mug is the best.

[@Rich77UK]

I'm so envious of your skills. The page looks AMAZING.

[@barvelo26]

I'm so encouraged to see some one else who is this skilled in his craft have the same challenges as I did when i first experimented with this! But the end results are so satisfying!

[@18Aleziita]

You have answered a big question I had. Thank you so much for keeping the tradition of manga, you are a great artist

[@honeysal]

I think my favorite parts were actually the inclusion of the little candid clips at the end, those are so much fun to see! great video, I'm honestly a really big fan of stuff like this, amazing work

[@pakjai5532]

It's like watching Jackie Chan films. You know there will be funny out takes in the end, so it keeps you seated until the very end. It's actually a smart way to keep viewer retention.

[@kaoru007]

0:21 Been there, done that. 😅

[@jadefae]

YEAHHHHHH!!!! Really really really love your wording of "loving the process". I hadn't put it that way myself, but it's always what I've felt. Being able to recognise that and put words to it is a real true skill, and shows that you really care about being an artist. I hope to be as insightful in my own works.

[@ChromaMoma]

You got this!

[@jenetikitty]

I 100% agree with everything you said about loving the process!! i've always heard 'trust the process' used more to describe the concept of "Oh god, i think i ruined my artwork, I fucked it up, I should have stopped. No, no, trust the process, it always looks like a mess at this stage until I clean it up. just keep going and it'll get better."

[@Rev-ln1xx]

Man 16:41 is just something I really needed to hear, just been procrastinating lately, I don't even draw much or read manga, I randomly clicked on your video, im glad you threw in that random hard hitting philosophy into it, this was a good video man thank you

[@Zephirite.]

Wow, this was so pleasant to watch! I never knew how screen tones worked, so this was quite informative. And your “love the process” quote is wonderful. I’m definitely using that!

[@JennyLaine]

I remember reading Sailor Moon and the author had side panels where she wrote about the manga process. One of those stories was about how much she disliked screen tone. I could picture the process, but actually seeing this really shows why she felt that way. It's so tedious!

[@daniels2946]

I am living in Japan and have seen these before, they're at my local stationary store... let's just say that I will be going for a drive tomorrow... I never knew what they were used for... you learn something new every day. thanks for the great video.

[@kumazenge]

I was worried you'd accidentally dip your pen nib in your coffee, since it's also a dark liquid nearby, and something I would totally accidentally do. It gave me a good chuckle when you almost did it in the bloopers 😆 Thanks for another inspiring video!

[@redfoxblacksocks]

Dip pen in the coffee, then sip from the ink cup 😋

[@jackwatson7323]

Digital art is sooo boring to me which made this video very refreshing. The way the picture began to pop was very exciting

[@lumiciedal]

just because we don't use a real halftone screen doesn't make digital art less interesting than traditional art 🙄 you know we can scan textures and apply it to our illustration made on digital apps right? the only thing that should be condemned is AI made art, stop trying to cause a rift between artists who use different mediums.

[@bored-bt4nn]

@@lumiciedal chill bro he didn't mean it that wayyy He just said that he prefere traditional over digital He didn't mean to insult our who use digital😅😅

[@kamilytee]

I have never done digital and even I can tell that this comment is mean. You don't need to put others down while complimenting things you like

[@ricardogarciarevilla6922]

it's boring to him, so what?

[@kaivenfigueroa]

Idk why but adding screentones on my pages instantly makes them look professional, like something I’d see in a seinen

[@timjackmaster1385]

I think one of the best points in your video is the quote "Love the process". I am doing only digital art, and have a huge respect for the traditional process. I am simply not dexterous enough for traditional art, so i really didnt have a great time with the traditional process, but luckily we live in a digital age. that made it much more enjoyable for me.

[@Foervraengd]

I used to use screentone sheets for my comics, and i honestly would still use them if it wasnt that theyre pretty much too expensive and difficult to buy nowadays. Fun fact: the screentones in clip studio paint follow the same dot intensity standards as physical screentones. So the knowledge on how to properly use and stack traditional screentones can be applied to digital tones in clip studio, because in japan csp is the industry standard for digital manga making.

[@OtakuBoxes]

Beautiful work! I agree that working with an imperfect medium really makes you appreciate the process. I find myself enjoying traditional artwork at lot more, despite having super-ultra-powerful computers and iPads these days.

[@twocansamm]

"Imperfections you wouldn't get digitally" *screenshots the close-up, sets it to multiply in PS, converts the whole thing to a stamp- imperfect version on demand. xD

[@jeremyphelps5140]

I tend to “do things the hard way”. I taught myself many skills, including music. “To love something is to expect nothing of it”. That’s so true, though I’d also say, to love something is to bleed for it. Doing things the hard way takes time and energy, but you find your own “voice” in a much more natural way. To me, that makes it worth it. Great video dude, and awesome skills

[@Genya_Is4merican]

0:16 I thought he was gonna draw manga with coffee

[@Jeff-ml2ek]

I am making a one shot currently this way. After realizing how expensive screen tone is to import I just started to print my own. Very cheap this way and not hard to do.

[@LucienMize]

I've been researching different methods for creating your own because of the expense. Would you mind sharing the method you've been using? I'd greatly appreciate it!

[@milesdevine1161]

ye how u doin that?

[@Jeff-ml2ek]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3zYiJmQeaeenacsi=PNMEI4CqL4-TdWNO

[@Jeff-ml2ek]

The Video "MANGA SCREEN TONES DIY with CLIP STUDIO PAINT" by the channel "the ryan_cardinal" describes the process pretty good. It is important though that you have fast printer and make sure your backing paper is thick. You gotta experiment a lot. Took a long while for me to figure out. Not every brand of adhesive roll is good for this process. The one in the video used is good.

[@Jeff-ml2ek]

I don't know if this method was new to you but I hope I could help

[@patrickcasella]

love how you used the screen tones. Beautiful work man!!

[@littlepinkcactus]

Whenbi started drawing manga as a kid in elementary, my parents also bought me these sheets and I LOVED using them! I think I still have some of those flying around still and your video made me inspired to try again 🥰

[@Andreas_Buhl]

“In a perfect world…” the timeless classic sequel to the hit “Potion Seller”

[@1kennylo]

I feel obligated to extend my gratitude to you for all these videos for free. I have now discovered screen tones!

[@heckensteiner4713]

Really clever the way you used that droplet. I didn't even catch it in the time-lapse. Only at the end in the blooper reel. 😅

[@EqualsThreeable]

Oooh, I always like the term, perfect imperfections. It's the small imperfections that really give something that authentic feel.

[@Tsunamimiko]

This is such an awesome video! It was so real. I related to the struggle😂 when I first used these materials I was just so nervous to even put the pen on the nice smooth paper, and cutting out intricate shapes into the screen tone was even more nerve-wracking, especially since it was so expensive!😭 I unfortunately can’t go on a trip to Japan for them, but when I do get the chance to go, I’ll make sure to get some LOL.

[@Jeffdraws19]

Tradisional art is crazy skill. I must say that because this is true

[@reparosempra8901]

Good stuff. I have also been practicing with real screentones and it's really fun. Use a flatter tool to press the tone down onto the page once you apply it. There's a trick where you overlay a sheet of paper first so that you can use broad strokes with the tool and firmer pressure, that way there's no worry of smudging or dislodging the loosely-applied tone. Good luck!

[@fenzs6126]

Beside the art being absolute FIRE can i point how well this video put together? i felt excitement and nervousness through screen and was worried and sweating along :D Thank you so much for sharing your experience, i felt inspired

[@ChromaMoma]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

There's something about traditional media that just can't be fully replicated digitally. It's also part of the process of using physical media that changes your production method. I like both digital and analogue tools, pros and cons to both.

[@Narja23]

I love these sheets of screen tones! The look is so iconic, and the application process is really satisfying! When i was drawing Mangas in my teens, all my money would go into these things xD

[@magsmatcha]

As a traditional artist and someone just getting into creating their own comics, this was amazing!!! I really loved what you said about film photography and traditional manga creation being similar - there’s just something in the process of creating things the “difficult” way that is so satisfying and enjoyable! And I think there are people out there who appreciate the process we go through as artists, too. :) Also, loved what you did with the drop of ink! A happy accident, haha!

[@PLKinka]

Human mistakes keep things human. The more automated it gets the more it’s boring or uncanny. Some of my best works were made by accident, often forced by the medium.

[@SilviaSbraNutri]

Thanks for making this video. I didn't know how it was made. I love traditional art.

[@amandacarter291]

I know nothing about drawing or how this video came across my feed but it was really fascinating to watch this process. Well done!

[@Dukefazon]

I don't know how YT thought I might be interested in this but YT guessed right. This is amazing! It's cool to see how thigs were made back then and it's mindblowing to see you work! That robot panel at the bottom already looked great but when you added the ink, then the tone, THEN scratched off some highlight, it really came together. I wish I could draw like you!

[@CatsBanana-1983]

Trusting the process isn't just about winning. It is improving. That is defined however you want it to be. For you, it is getting more comfortable and confident at drawing. And, the confidence to step out of your comfort zone knowing it will be a struggle, but still end up good. You could say that is a 'win'.

[@ForLorNVuLgaR]

OMFG I had no idea this was an actual manual process. My respect for manga just leveled up 0.O

[@_lukemoloney]

That was so awesome to watch - I'd never been interested in this style but this was eye opening! Also, your artwork looks fantastic, I'd assumed you were a pro if I saw that image on it's own.

[@peepsqueek923]

I love your philosophy of loving the process rather than the result!

[@GamerBunny2024]

The bunny mug is so cute!! 🐰 Also, the comic came out great with the screen tones... but omg, I was feeling your stress cutting and scraping them... my hand was shaking just thinking about it 😭

[@skobayashiceleste4533]

10:50 *presses ever so slightly harder* “Well there goes my paper time to restart!”

[@מעייןחברון-ט9י]

As a big manga reader. And a big art ignorant. Making it on paper give it a really nice look.👍

[@ZorrotheArtist]

I think the sheer stress and precision of it is why I’ll never use tone sheets. It may be more time consuming, but I’d rather do all the little details by hand, I feel my art works and looks better that way. That, and the price, I can’t imagine this would be in any way cheap.

[@Birdsflight44]

17:02 This is a rather meaningful point about love, in general. Not that you shouldn't have standards- there should be a time where you decide whether you're making a commitment in the first place. But when you love, it should be without demand, or else, you're putting your feelings entirely at the mercy of external factors.

[@michaelstevenson5044]

Honestly this process looks like so much fun

[@syystomu]

I've wondered about how these screentones actually work so this is so interesting!

[@SkyMist227]

17:40 "To trust the process is to demand consistency from an inconsistent universe. To love the process is to give something of yourself to the universe." Thank you for your wise words

[@onlypaintmode8496]

Oh my! Screen tones were my little treasure back then, and tbh, they still are. There’s this specific feeling you get holding a piece of art in your hands that - literally - exists just once. No duplicates. You can investigate the piece for techniques the artist used, feel the screen tone and outlines of the ink applied. Dang, you can even SMELL the ink. When I started drawing manga, I learned from the books by DELETER. There’s a tool called Tone Hera you can use to press the screen tone a little firmer onto your manga page for easier editing. To highlight the applied screen tones, you can also use a hard eraser - it creates softer highlights often used in Shoujo. For small highlighting or detailing, you can also use white ink, which comes in handy for mishaps in line art or unwanted blotches of ink. You can also layer the screen tones for even more depth; but beware the moiré effect! The fascinating thing about traditional art is that it trains your confidence in just going along the process, learning to either correct mishaps, improvise on them (like you did with the blotch on the helmet) or just live with them. There’s no easy way out, and traditional art is also the beauty and skill of working with mistakes. Gosh, back then screen tones were so hard to get and super expensive. I live in Germany, and DELETER screen tones were only to be purchased online.

[@richardcharlesriojas]

You are awesome. The way you explain what you are doing helps alot. Keep up the great work.

[@Carnables]

Towards the end of the video, you touch on something that, as an old man (31 lol), I've been thinking about a lot when it comes to art. Digital media is undoubtedly great, efficient, and fast. But with analog, there's something that makes it feel more natural, or like, each part of the piece was put there intentionally, even if it wasn't. And that's a beautiful thing, a human thing.

[@ChromaMoma]

Well said!

[@gringofett3944]

Congratulations. You have discovered what its like to be a Gen Xer. We grew up between the physical media and digital age and this is how we did things back in the day. I have done more screen tone applications than I care to remember. Back in the early 90's a couple of friends and I attempted to produce an Indy comic that was very heavily influenced by Manga. This was before Manga really had gone mainstream so people didnt really accept it but it was fun making it. We would ink and tone pages all weekend fueled up on pizza and caffeine. One hint. We would trace the drawing underneath and then cut out the tone sheet. Peel off the backing and stick it on. That saves your tone material, minimizing waste.

[@jennilocke]

I remember seeing screentones explained in a 'how to draw manga' book back in the early 2000s and being completely overwhelmed 😅

[@richardrothkugel8131]

That's nuts. Looks so damn authentic though. Your panels are incredible

[@joelcarson9514]

I experimented with Zip-A-Tone sheets over 50 years ago. I even did some black and white film photography and enlarged 35 mm prints by increasing the print exposure with halftone sheets on top of the photo paper. It made interesting effects.

[@siyabongandlovu5436]

Loved the video, ill subscribe... dude's energy and speech are great, the work is even better. Great video

[@estycki]

I remember my first "How to Draw Manga" book which explained how to apply these screens... I think that was 25 years ago and this is the first time I am actually seeing someone using one for real

[@sinephase]

13:05 - it depends if there's gradients or not - color stepping is really bad even in "high" bit depth photography but with analog they get infinite transitions between values so it's very smooth looking

[@takemetoyonk]

It's exciting to see your hesitance in the video while you commit to finishing your work, as someone who tries to do traditional art as much as possible, simply because it's the most natural on my arms and shoulders. My nerves, I suppose

[@charliemayfilms1550]

In an ever increasing digital word the desire for tangibility increases

[@gchungus]

And this is why manga artists have assistants, who show up in their end-of-volume extra strips and are probably closer to them than their blood family lolol

[@Omnivolv]

With AI knowing these analogue art skills will become more and more valuable

[@rexharrison6827]

This takes me back! When I worked in the graphics business, we used Letratone by Letraset, a UK based company famous for its rub-down lettering. There were many imitators, but Letraset was the first and the best; the other brands all had minor problems. As far as Letratone was concerned, there were two types; the cut out and stick down type, as exampled in this video and the rub-down type, which came in very handy for creating a less mechanical effect. I think it was called Letratex (but don't quote me, it was a long time ago!) and as its name implies it featured a number of "natural" textures of various sizes. When selecting a sheet of tone, it was important to take into consideration 1: the size of the original art, 2: the size when printed, 3: the half-tone dot tolerance (lines per inch -lpi) of the printing process being used which was either Letterpress or Offset Lithography or Gravure. Each of these processes has different maximum half tone limits which are as follows: Letterpress 55 - 65, Offset 65 - 85 and up to 150 depending on stock used, and Gravure up to 200. The 4th thing to consider was the printing stock and its weight and quality. Comics were most often printed Letterpress on newsprint, which had various weights and absorbancy levels. Offset and Gravure could handle any stock from newsprint to high quality coated papers found in magazines like Vogue and National Geographic. So, if working twice up from the finished size, a designer/illustrator would select a tint roughly half the lines per inch of the printed job, eg 30 or 40lpi for a 65lpi print run. Having said that, there was some leeway, but it always paid to be cautious and avoid ink spread. The pen nibs you're using here look pretty good and the drawings are excellent. There is one downside to the use of tone sheets and that is, over time they can shrink, sometimes by quite a bit. I don't remember them discoloring, but they may have. Oh, and they weren't particularly cheap, even back in the '70s! 😄 Excellent video! 👍