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