Drawing with a manga pen

[@morganhay3968]

I love that classic 'manga screentone' look, but the thought of artists having to painstakingly apply them manually to each drawing makes me feel weirdly anxious . . .

[@ChromaMoma]

It makes my wallet anxious

[@calamityganon8114]

I believe it’s usually the job for the assistants. The mangaka might label the area with a number and the assistant will put on the corresponding screentone

[@majourvelencianna5810]

@@calamityganon8114 yeah, that's right! Also, that's the reason why most mangaka nowadays use digital art to help them out with screen tones, or just completely use digital to draw.

[@AngelGarcia-op3bd]

@@majourvelencianna5810 am I tripping, or aren’t they formally called halftones?

[@rickh3714]

I have an old political newspaper cartoon published in the mid 70s with the halftone sheets stuck to it. I also remember buying expensive Letraset sheets of halftones in the early eighties just before I did did some zinc plate photo etching intaglio and process work with halftone sheets. Oh the joy's of Methyl Ethyl Ketone KPR solution. NOT! The one pen I used at the time in the 80s was a gold nibbed Kohinoor pen made at that time ( I think ) by Rotring as it worked with their tech pen ink. Wonderfully expressive flexible nib. I made the mistake of letting someone else use it. NEVER do this with your own pens peeps! The guy was a talented sketcher but his drawing style wrecked the nib for my style of drawing which was more fluid and expressive.

[@nickgkekw]

"I did a quick 5 minute sketch" ... *Sketches a masterpiece*

[@Luke-dg2uv]

@@teeceedee it’s not that deep bro

[@vandalg282]

Seriously, you must not see a lot of work/sketches smh. Casuals smh

[@kam2894]

@@vandalg282 are you joking or genuinely this sad of a person?

[@nicholashedrick8924]

@@vandalg282 bro this is the cringiest and saddest thing I’ve ever read and I’ve seen ppl supporting incest 💀

[@vandalg282]

OP thinks this is a materpiece....bruh, youtube more vids of quick sketches, whats cringe is your name, pic and everything else, move on casuals.

[@ogmoiz]

8:13 that is literally the most relatable thing lol. the god damn usb never fits at first

[@anastasiospapadopoulos9397]

the dummy feeling when happens with third try... lol

[@geroni211]

Really enjoyed seeing the digital part, I had never really seen how artists did that part (I'm very much a beginner)

[@ChromaMoma]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@nokiot9]

The “G” cut makes the tynes thinner so they can flex and you can get variation of line easier. The eye also hold a good amount of ink in the surface tension too.

[@akiman712]

The craft and skills it took to create artwork and animation before photoshop, wacom -- before any digital tools -- was simply stupendous dedication and patience. It was almost like you had to enter zen mode to finish pieces of work and not only that but be ready to do it all over again if the directors of a studio didn't like the design. I cant imagine the discipline it took to create detailed pieces of illustration by the dozens everyday for.months on end. One stroke too hard, one droplet of ink, just one little deviation and your piece could potentially be ruined. There was no erasing if it was ink, no "undo" button, this was "get it right the first time" flow. Then consider the techniques and tools that artists useed. Each one serving a purpose. Each one needed to be mastered and calibrated and maintained. Everything was manual. Everything was as is. Pure mechanical work in a way. This is the type of craft most current artist will.never understand or go through. You don't even need steady hands theses days anymore.

[@kbob6980]

WOOOW that looks incredible! I've always thought that mechs aren't fun at all but I guess looking at your artworks changed my mind

[@Heopful]

its like the easiest fun bit

[@seanchrisregner3390]

Hmm where should i buy that pen that looks fun

[@Damidas]

I never knew those dots in old school manga was a sheet of screen tone applied to the illustration. I thought those dots were a result of the compensated printing process. thats crazy

[@honeysal]

It’s always so lovely seeing your art, amazing stuff as always, and I’m excited to just keep seeing you improve honestly

[@ChromaMoma]

Thank you so much!!

[@chuntguntley8771]

the style is like somehow very busy, and loud but also geometrically satisfying with clean lines and fine detail.

[@logicss2893]

Bruh loud?

[@chuntguntley8771]

@@logicss2893 loud, like there’s a lot going on. A lot of parts and pieces.

[@Hikazey]

I don't know shit besides the fact that this is satisfying to watch, and a beautiful piece, even if Gundam isn't my thing! Great video

[@jennywill8541]

Definitely love the tid bit about the art supply not being the main source of a quality product because that is so true! Thanks for your videos! I love your mecha drawings a lot!!! :D

[@NiPok86]

As a water colour artist, I have to say your video was engaging, humorous & educational, I have been doing a lot of digital art lately after burning out, but you good sir have me want to pick up a dip pen & some brushes, thank you for the video! :)

[@boffinalexander1247]

amazing drawing. I'm blown away by how you just seem to make all those little mechanical details (on the spot)

[@delroku]

I'm not a manga fan or anything but i do a lot of drawing, i honestly have a taste for ballpoint pens because of how fluid they feel. I was wondering why people use these "inkers" for drawing But i swear the moment i saw those lines I finally understood, it looks so intuitive. Is almost like having a ink pencil.

[@cripplinguser4752]

Got any good ballpoint pen recommendations?? Drawing wise

[@delroku]

@@cripplinguser4752 I like Bic fine points The ultra fines seem to get bloats of ink for some reason

[@delroku]

@X5J9 what does that have to do with anything?

[@Mario28037]

@X5J9 inking is a whole other part of the art making process, whether it be for comics, manga, or in general… sure, it may be tracing, but inkers really give the life to the original picture, giving characters depth with the shadows, interpreting the lighting of the scene, and making the scene, again, come alive Look at the initial sketch of the gundam: would it really look as good if even the slightest of details weren’t inked? Yes it may be tracing, but calling all inkers untalented? Dunno about that one

[@twistanimations7802]

@X5J9 its his sketch that he continues by tracing and adding more, its art

[@alexanderkenway]

All that effort for a panel I would normally just scroll through while reading. The amount of effort that goes into manga is insane lol

[@ishantdhankhar1171]

you can also burn the tip of the nib for a second or 2 with a lighter that way only the tips coating gets burn't or melted off and some coating is left which still prevents it from rusting

[@shiny8238]

I was feeling hella burnt out as a digital and came across gpens during my visit to the stationery shop and didnt know what to for to start, this video is a lifesaver!!

[@gameboyjacks]

i had no clue that you could do half tones that way. wow

[@gameboyjacks]

this was awesome, subbed :)

[@Van-Leo]

i say you succeeded in making a manga worthy mech! i have both the blue pumpkin and the G nikko, personally i find the G easier to work with since if i water down any of my inks just slightly the blue pumpkin cant hold onto it at all. some of my colored inks don't even work with it either.

[@ChromaMoma]

I'm glad you think so! I really wanna give both of them a good go before deciding on my favourite :)

[@w0197]

I actually loved the photo shop portion. I have been wondering about adding screen tones to my art. This was very cool to watch and very informative. Thank you! And that finished product is gorgeous.

[@Frustratedartist2]

*draws amazingly with a pencil* "let's try inking with this pen! maybe it will also be amazing!" *it's amazing*

[@Jurtango]

Enjoyed this one Ken, its nice to hear your thoughts, I’ve tried soo many art supplies over the years but one that you might like is the Kuretake clean colour brush pens, as they’re a watercolour brush pen, they work amazing with pentel water brushes and also great for smudging with your finger like K.J.G and Xylene free as well

[@AwakenedGaro]

Impressive video! I’ve always been amazed at the amount of detail within mangas.

[@sxnthwave]

I draw with a mouse and a custom rotary knob for pressure so I feel a bit out of place here but I honestly love watching videos about real stationary techniques because it really helps me to refine my own techniques and break away from the typical digital art box. Great video overall, loved the photoshop bit with the screentones, I do the same thing on my digital art. Digital screentones saves a lot of money for me, its almost worth having photoshop just for that lol. Great video!

[@Snowmouse]

I love how every video you make is insistent on the importance of your work over your supplies. As an almost exclusively traditional artist, I’m kind of guilty of spending too long looking at watercolours. Having done absolutely no research on the subject, I would imagine the reason the G-nib and other Japanese nibs are so coveted as the ultimate manga tool is that they were what was widely available in Japan at the time and as a result, what everyone used. Their initial popularity was probably as a result of convenience rather than quality, but because many popular manga artists happened to use them, they’ve gained some of that online art clout That being said, I’m sure they’re great nibs and I don’t actually mean to diss them. If you’re interested, why not give them a try?

[@ChromaMoma]

Yep! I think that's a very reasonable explanation. As much as I preach not simply buying art supplies, I tend to buy a lot of random stuff :D

[@maevethefox5912]

I spent years mastering acrylic figure painting, and the first...dozen of those were with cheap brushes and whatever paints I could find. When I finally got a really top end sable brush and high pigment acrylics, the quality of my work took a huge nosedive for a while, as I was so unfamiliar with the flow and coverage differences from what I was used to. That said, after a few months of practicing with them, the familiarity grew and suddenly I *did* notice that my work looked *professional* all of a sudden. It's a wonderful blend of skills and tools.

[@MiggetyMattR]

@X5J9 "talent" as you think of it is a lie, nobody is born talented. Talent is often confused for skill, which is something built up over years of experience and practice. Nobody is just naturally a good artist, you have to get better.

[@AllanReyesDesignsTV]

yea

[@sammiller8925]

I love this piece so much!

[@_snowylil]

My thoughts are that it's probably similar to say, a different type of kitchen knife. Sure, a professional chef may care a lot and want different precise knives for each thing they're cutting, but when it comes down to it, you can probably use just one of them to cut everything, and it won't make a *huge* difference on the final product. And more so than that, it's not going to suddenly make you amazing at cutting up ingredients - the chef learnt how to do that properly anyway, and the knife isn't the thing generating those good cuts, it's the practiced skills. So, regardless of the pen nib, it might help a little, but you're better off practicing the skills rather than searching for the "perfect pen" - maybe at some point you'll find one that fits the skills you've practiced a little more, but until then? It's just another pen

[@epicbanger4626]

I know literally nothing about art or anything mentioned in this video but it's just so satisfying to watch. This is currently my 5th time.

[@fart676]

The whole G-PEN thing is cool, but the only thing that surprises me though is how he sketched all of that detail in only 5 minutes. If I were sketching something like that, I would probably need at least 25 maybe…

[@backwards_in_time8430]

Manga artists are insane lol they draw so fast it’s amazing

[@gurgleblaster2282]

It's repetition. The more you do something the faster you get. He has probably drawn this type of Gundam hundreds if not thousands of times.

[@kissen1_]

@@gurgleblaster2282 if not millions of times

[@saph_fire]

@@kissen1_ If not tens of times

[@kissen1_]

@@saph_fire if not millions of times

[@OguzDemirelli]

Like a fountain pen. I'm more of a western artist so using a caligraphy pen is very alien to me, I dig it thou bro, mainly those fine lines. Props

[@wadehunter8113]

It’s really not that alien - crow quill nibs were the standard for inking westerns comics until everyone started doing it digitally.

[@OguzDemirelli]

@@wadehunter8113 WHEN WERE THEY DOING THIS?

[@wadehunter8113]

@@OguzDemirelli Pretty much throughout the 20th century. When people were still using Bristol board instead of a digital canvas. Rapidograph pens and round tip brushes (especially the venerable W&N Series 7 #2) were popular, too.

[@MidnightStriked]

You drew the Sazabi!!! My favorite Mobile Suit in the U.C. Timeline of gundam!! so cool!!

[@hikikomorij1229]

i am so envious with people who have skills like these

[@lordlem]

I first heard about the G-nib in Akira Toriyama's "Hetappi Manga Kenkyūjo", a manga drawing tutorial from 1982-84. Though, I only read it later, in the mid 2000's as manga was starting to explode outside Japan. At that time I did get a G-nib and used it quite a bit. I liked it for it's flexibility and dynamic lines, though I never really put in the work or got good

[@ninjashadow1739]

dude this channel got me into dip pens, i really love them now and like the sound it makes!😁

[@g3nki747]

Saw this in my feed, clicked automatically. Heard about these cool manga drawings, im inspired to draw my own gundam

[@almaibarra3484]

My God this was relaxing. And I'm not even into drawing or painting. I couldn't stop watching because of how peace-full it was. Amazing work man, keep it up :)

[@vbjoker]

You know what it is about screen tone, it reminds me of the film grain noise you find in movies pre digital. It just gives it that needed aesthetic to bring out the picture more.

[@Ronald_Raegun]

30 seconds in and you already earned my subscription. Recommended section working as intended.

[@ZonymaUnltd.]

Your drawing came out so nicely! I’ve been a huge fan of Gundam since the early 2000s.

[@LJ-vo3xe]

That Sazabi is fkn gorgeous dude, has always been my favourite mobile suit

[@harrynowizard]

This really motivates me to try some manga style for my art in the future, thanks for this awesome workflow!

[@ChromaMoma]

Happy to hear that!

[@overseastom]

Dude, you're a wizard. I don't draw, but have loved mecha since I was a kid watching Robotech (Macross) and Transformers cartoons, so I had to check out your video. You're amazingly skilled, and have a great mellow demeanor, perfect for the voiceover, alongside the smooth music. I've subbed, just to watch you work :P Cheers mate, and much respect from an internet stranger :)

[@emanuellopes6166]

the matter of digital drawing is very prominent, I remember seeing a mangaka whom drew whole chapters with just a phone, and then the publisher discovered and sent him a tablet, the older generations tend to be more attached to the pen and paper. Its also a matter of taste, if you were used to old tools and know how to use them to achieve these kind of effects on your drawing, why bother with digital and lose faithfulness to the craft? Some other people just see convenience, get good using it and don't bother to use any sort of pen

[@glahnii23]

I love the technique! Very inspiring my friend. Great work.

[@imshaunnurse]

Oh my God those Manga pictures in the beginning from Gundam brought back memories. Jeez. Thanks for that

[@stanimirgeorgiev.87]

Yes, it's not from the tool, it's from the craftsman. I know someone who draws with rough pen-ink, but everything he did was professional, because he is very good. btw, great mek portrait.

[@paralympix]

the bleeding is caused by the paper, not the nib. Is bleeding because the cellulose fibers soak up the ink, instead of sitting on the white chalk coating.

[@360addict70]

8:12 The most relatable thing I've ever seen filmed.

[@niisecart7232]

You always get me inspired ! brb gonna try and draw with screentones :)

[@keithmaynard8394]

It doesn’t matter what you use as long as you’re comfortable with it.

[@neboskii8756]

I don't know why you are very relaxing to watch...

[@lutsurugi]

homie, that looks absolutely amazing!!! nice video :)

[@dreamrestore213]

There is no tool that will instantly make you a master.... It's ALWAYS hype...!

[@Unit_With_Legs]

That's amazing for a 5 minute sketch. Bravo

[@OnPoint760]

thumbs up on that intro. the pause was perfect. I fucking love Gundam.

[@MiyamotoDGuts]

I thought manga artists just used normal pens. No wonder why their lines are so small

[@datgio4951]

I was just watching this random video and I noticed a couple great life advice! Great Video!

[@loki_lokasenna]

Thank you for making this! This was a great review, you felt like a real person and not a "youtuber," if that makes sense, which was really relieving in an over-saturated world of the former. Really enjoyed watching your process. Thanks!

[@ChromaMoma]

I appreciate that!

[@mglickman13]

It sounds like the manga nib world sort of parallels a similar phenomenon in the music world. The "rumors" regarding the G nib gets passed from one to the next kinda like if you play a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, you will sound like so and so...as you correctly suggest mr. chroma, it's the artist... the same "look". or "feel" (by the right hands) can be achieved even using a brush. Really liked the video too😁

[@giorgio6421]

Great video! I think the same way about instruments! There is a lot of value in knowing your instrument and finding the way that works for you with it

[@TA-gc4oi]

That Gundam 00 intro was everything.

[@BooDoodlezzz]

Discovering this late, apparently. I could never get used to using G/Maru pens, even though I bought quite a few to boot. I prefer using multi-liners and having line width be more consistent, even if it might end up being more expensive in the long run to replace individual pens. I then go back over lines that I want to be thicker, and for screen tones I just scan/import into something like CSP and handle that digitally.

[@actuallysanta9241]

The only time I’ve heard of the g-nib is from bakuman, it’s a manga about 2 kids making manga, it’s amazing and made by the same people that made death note and hikaru no go. It’s my favorite and I highly recommend it, IMO the manga is better than the anime but the anime is on Hulu

[@Birtcrug]

i am very impressed it looks very accurate in my opinion

[@G-_Money]

These nibs are also amazing fir calligraphy, I have a couple of titanium nibs. This reminds me thatvI should start to do calligraphy again to pass the time.

[@danielmantell3084]

Great vid, glad to see an actual g-pen review after like 20 years of hearing about it. Pretty sure I've used one before, or one similar, but I've never seen a nib labeled that in the states. Getting a tool you like is the most important thing, but that being said trying a lot of different tools is the best way to find out what suits you. There's no right or wrong to do art as long as you like what you are producing. I went down a lot of rabbits holes trying to be similar or dissimilar to certain styles, but it was really a waste of time.

[@Krinapatel716]

Everytime I watch your vids I learn something new

[@ChromaMoma]

I'm glad you find them helpful :)

[@sur7a7zal]

SUDDENLY i'm drawing with screentones!

[@davexbit]

Dude, welcome to old school!!! We use to do this with Letraset back in the day. Digital saves a lot of aggravation and expense.

[@T33K3SS3LCH3N]

For an "industry standard" tool it's probably not just the quality, but also the price, availability, consistency, and life cycle. At that price point it's easy for beginners to get used to, and advanced users won't have to regret the replacement cost if it gets worn out, as long as they last long enough that the number of replacements doesn't turn into a nuisance.

[@kauru3844]

You did a sick job, that looked awesome! :)

[@analogies]

I had the same experience with the g nib. Just didn’t really get the hype of it.. but so many of my favorite manga artists use it. I think your sentiment about using what works best for you regardless of perceived quality is very true and good advice. I really enjoyed watching your video and process 👍👍

[@アマードコアおたく]

確かにすごいね。綺麗とかっこいい。great video!

[@KoboldCommando]

You remind me a lot of playing music, especially brass instruments. I would try out a legendary type of mouthpiece (or other equipment), and I could tell why it was revolutionary in its day. However most modern equipment is now designed with the knowledge of that advancement. And what you're most familiar with often beats everything anyway.

[@5baMpL]

Looks good to me. I normally use “whatever” pens, but the lines from this look nicer.

[@kilianstarzengruber6835]

My main tool are disposable BIC Pens, since you can drop them without hard feelings like a used bullet

[@averysayles3269]

this was the content i didnt know i wanted or needed

[@FineCurry]

I really wished I watched a guide for the nib usage when I was big into using a gpen, might give it another go now that I'm getting better at normal inked stuff

[@shaunhall960]

I try and ignore the hype in new gadgets. Time spent doing your craft is where your energy should be going.

[@jabuknesselviech6673]

This is my type of ASMR

[@MadscientistRookie]

instantly subbed, gundam was my upbringing as a kid, especially when anime was one of the many things that pushed me to want to push to draw, since then music has taken that place but I want to make music for at least one gundam project

[@schrodingerscat1863]

I have been using G-pen nibs for calligraphy for years and I find them to be very good. You need a good quality paper to stop the ink spreading out as it gets absorbed but for a cheap flex nib I haven't found better, for calligraphy at least. They are more expensive for me in the UK as I have to get them shipped from Japan but still way cheaper than other flex nibs of the same quality. The scratchiness of the new nibs doesn't last long and after that they give a very smooth writing experience.

[@gasgiantmotu]

So just found this video, and I would have to agree that tools are only a part of the total in terms of what anyone as an artist can do. With enough skill you can use a cheapo Bic ball point pen to draw whatever you want. I once saw an interview with Steve Ditko and he took out one of the cheapest looking felt tipped pens Id ever seen and with no pencil lines, proceeded to draw a print ready picture of Spider-Man in something like five minutes. While I know that isn't manga, it still proves the point.

[@twrea]

The dynamic nature of truth - this is a good video.

[@loykianos]

don't know how I ended up here, but this is freaking awesome

[@wolfetteplays8894]

You should compare it to an Apple Pencil, because I remember Miyazaki tried it for one of the ads. I wanna see how well it would hold up in a non-sponsored segment

[@arnavdixit983]

Bro, youre drawing is sick 🔥

[@Slater6977]

so insane, such a pleasure to watch the process :)

[@drillz8945]

This was the coolest thing ever

[@andrewedgar3935]

I’ve been told I have some talent with singing and acting which is nice to hear, but whenever I see people draw like this I get so jealous! I am so miraculously untalented when it comes to art 😂

[@user-rw1mo6vg7z]

I F****ng Love Gundam. Best Opening Line to a video ever.

[@izukumidoriya1766]

Moral of the story: The pen doesnt make the artist, the artist makes the pen

[@yoshikagekira9781]

The Sazabi isn't a gundam, it's a mobile suit

[@ProtoMekka]

"The Gundam I am drawing is the Sazabi Gundam" Me: *Visible confusion*

[@walderjohan]

Hey man, like your videos and vibe in general. good job ! I felt like commenting since there are a few pointers i am well aware of since I do manga and live in Japan 🙂 Screentones: the dots size is actually a choice, even in traditional sheet that you paste you can buy different line count like 60 dot per cm or 65 dot or 70 and so on for the newer mangaka: the majority uses the soft Clipstudio which has a good screetone seting - you basically fill an area by painting or filling in a selection in grey and the software transforme it in dot according to the count number you choose. screentone price: in Japanese shop the real screentones are getting fewer also - it is slowly disapearing wich is sad but understandable - prices online are over marged - in a shop here on sheet B4 ( between a4 and A3 ) is aroun 300 / 400 yen 4 USd G pen : it is very good in my opinio, like you said it is a bit less flexible - wich allows for good control - the maru pen: ( meaning "round" ) is a little one for drawing background with ruler on adding details finnally - if u get to read this comment . for you art you can select with the magic wand the outside of the robot - menu selection - invert and in 4 second you have the entire robot ready to be filed ( I was suffering watching you erase the mask with a brush ( I also use to do it haha ) A bit of a long one but really enjoy your art !! No to commercial drop but you can check my stuff online ( walder johan ) if you want :-) Cheers,

[@skylerdickson2939]

forget Da Vinci. I want that mathematically perfect crosshatching that seems to be normal for every panel of every manga ever...lol...and I've never been able to do a perfect cross-hatch in 10 years of drawing comics. Although, now, I wonder how long have I been fleeced by perfect digital crosshatching? Screentones are everything.

[@EricFaries]

Honestly, i think the only real reason this tip, as well as a couple others, are so known as "Manga" tools, is just cause so many artists happened to use it. And they probably all used it just cause, it was available, probably was affordable to get in bulk amounts, and so they just used it a lot. I've used it as well, and yeah it's a really good pen tip, as are a few other pen tips i've tried. I think it's more a situation of trying things and seeing what "feels" the best in your hand. Not everyone handles a pen the same, or applies the same levels of pressure. Great tool still, but it's not something i'd say is as you said, a "magic pen" that will instantly make your art better. Get a reliable tool that doesn't fight you and is affordable, then draw like crazy with it to get good with it.

[@cabellism]

"Sketches" Sazabi in 5 mins... jesus christ, it would take me hours i'd feel like.

[@Cobra-yo7fx]

Nice video! I found your channel in the all feed in the home on the safari version of KZbin on my iPhone! Nice video!