The Pop Manga Sketchbook

INTRODUCTION

Sometimes we can use a little boost on the path to creativity. I know what it s like when you re learning how to draw since I m self-taught, I know it can feel all uphill! But I ve also been drawing for a looooooooong time, and I m still learning new techniques. This sketchbook is my offering to you: it s one part inspiration, one part guidance, and a whole lotta space for you to continue your own learning.

On these pages, you ll find some prompts and ideas to get your creative juices flowing. The prompts I ve written up aren t step-by-step lessons, like in my books Pop Manga, Pop Painting, and Pop Manga Drawing, but bite-sized suggestions to spark new ideas, to sharpen your basic skills (like drawing expressive hands, wispy hair, and textured clothing), and to twist a realistic sketch into something new and surreal. You can use this as your main sketchbook or pick it up when you need a jolt of inspiration. I ll always be here!

The most important thing to remember is: HAVE FUN! Part of what I ve loved about creating Pop Manga is that there are no boundaries I get to bend reality, turn the natural world upside down, and bring ultra-adorable, crazy-expressive, totally fantastical characters and creatures to life. So, if you re ready to jump into the imaginative realm of Pop Manga, let s get to it!

Camilla d Errico

Camilla d'Errico has gained wide acclaim for her illustrative work, including nominations for the Joe Shuster Award and the Will Eisner Award. She is the co-author of Pop Manga and the author of Pop Painting, Pop Manga Coloring Book, Pop Manga Mermaids and Other Sea Creatures, and Pop Manga Drawing. She has worked with Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, Hasbro, Disney, Sanrio, and Neil Gaiman, and created her own cult-sensation properties Tanpopo and Helmetgirls. She is also well known for her melting rainbow, big-eyed girl oil paintings, which have made her a hit in the international Pop Surrealism movement.