How to Start Making Manga Even If You Don’t Have Drawing Skills
Many aspiring mangaka dream of bringing their epic stories, fascinating characters, and amazing adventures to life. But a common hurdle is feeling like your drawing skills just aren’t good enough yet. If you find your ideas stuck in your head because you can’t draw them out on paper, you’re not alone. The good news is, you don’t have to be a great artist to start making manga. The best time to start is now, no matter your skill level.
Why You Should Start Making Manga Now
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking your art has to be perfect before you create anything. When you see the polished works of top mangaka, it’s natural to feel like your drawings don’t measure up. You might find yourself saying, “I’ll start once I’m better at drawing,” or “I need more practice before I can make my manga.” The problem is that this kind of thinking keeps you stuck.
The reality is, you’ll never feel 100% ready, and if you wait for the perfect moment, you’ll never start. Instead of overthinking, use your time to take action now. Drawing regularly, even if it’s simple sketches, will help you improve and build confidence. Starting your manga journey today sets the foundation for growth.
The Reality of Improving Your Art Skills
Feeling like you’re not good enough is something every artist goes through. Improvement is a gradual process that comes with consistent practice. Japanese manga artist Na Yazawa shared that her early years were full of confusion about how to make manga, but she kept drawing anyway. Slowly, through lots of practice and entering amateur manga competitions, she grew into a professional mangaka, with works eventually adapted into anime.
As she says, “Your art may suck now, but just keep drawing.” This mindset shows that growth comes from action, not hesitation.
Taking Action Over Perfectionism
Instead of getting stuck worrying about imperfect art, just start drawing. Finish short projects, no matter how small. This approach offers several benefits:
- Builds your drawing skills step by step
- Boosts your confidence with completed work
- Keeps motivation high as you see progress
The key is to “just make one anyway” — push through doubts and create. Remember that each drawing is a step toward improving your craft.
Setting Realistic Expectations: Don’t Compare Yourself to Pros
It’s important to accept that your art won’t look like professional mangaka such as Yus Morata or CLAMP at the start. That gap is huge, but instead of letting it discourage you, let it inspire you. Progress, not perfection, should be your focus.
Your art is not the pros’ art — and that’s OK!
Everyone starts somewhere, and every expert was once a beginner. Your goal is your growth, not instant mastery.
What to Draw First as a Complete Beginner
Jumping straight into complex topics like anatomy, perspective, or hands can be overwhelming and frustrating. This often leads to boredom and burning out fast. Instead, focus on what keeps your passion alive.
Here are beginner-friendly drawing approaches you can try first:
- Copy panels or characters from your favourite manga or anime.
- Draw simple shapes or objects you enjoy.
- Sketch your favourite characters repeatedly.
- Start with easy poses or expressions.
- Practice drawing backgrounds in simple ways.
Keeping it fun and manageable at the start keeps motivation alive, which is crucial.
Drawing What You Like Helps Avoid Burnout
Passion is the fuel that keeps your drawing journey alive. When you draw what you love, whether it’s anime girls, cool characters, or objects you enjoy, you’ll find it easier to stick with practice. Many artists say that even on tough days, doing something they enjoy helps maintain their commitment.
Finding joy in your practice builds the habit and makes learning exciting.
The Power of Copying: Master Studies as a Learning Tool
One of the best ways to learn is by doing master studies—copying your favourite manga or anime art to understand the style and techniques. Even PewDiePie improved his art skills dramatically by copying panels from manga like Chainsaw Man and Blame.
Master's studies help you:
- Learn anatomy, shading, and linework from the pros
- Understand panel layout and storytelling pacing
- Build skills by drawing familiar, enjoyable subjects
To do master's studies effectively:
- Choose an artist or manga style you love.
- Pick panels, pages, or illustrations you admire.
- Copy these pieces carefully without tracing.
- Compare your work to the original and note differences.
- Practice until you can draw similar art from memory.
- Gradually start adding your twist and original ideas.
Master studies are a foundation for building your manga art skills. For more detailed guidance, you can check out a master study overview relevant to manga creation.
Copying vs. Tracing: What You Need to Know
Copying by eye means observing and recreating details, shapes, and shading to understand a drawing’s construction. Tracing, on the other hand, is simply outlining an existing image, which doesn’t help your skill development.
Do not trace; use references. Always try to analyze the original art’s lines and proportions to learn as you draw.
Progressing from Copying to Creating Your Art
Once you're comfortable copying certain styles, you’ll find you can start drawing from memory. This is a sign of growing skill and confidence. At this point, many beginners begin crafting their characters and scenes inspired by the styles they studied.
One student shared how copying his favourite manga for months helped him confidently create original characters in his style. This gradual shift from copying to original work is key to developing your unique manga artistry.
Developing Your Own Unique Manga Art Style
Your manga style will come from blending different influences. Take inspiration from various artists rather than copying just one.
For example:
- Tyler, a student, loves My Hero Academia. He adopted Kōhei Horikoshi’s style mainly for drawing faces.
- For body poses, Tyler studied another artist from the anime Game Elor.
- For dynamic expressions and action scenes, he learned from works like Gurren Lagann.
By mixing these elements, Tyler created his unique look, which you can do too by exploring multiple artists.
Exploring Different Manga Genres to Broaden Your Horizons
Don’t confine your reading or inspiration to just one genre like shōnen. Try exploring:
- Shōjo: Romance and emotional storytelling
- Seinen: Mature themes for adult readers
- Josei: Women’s perspectives and slice-of-life drama
Exploring genres broadens your creative toolkit and might lead you to fresh storytelling ideas you wouldn’t get otherwise.
Learning from Memorable Manga Panels and Scenes
When you enjoy manga, pay close attention to what grabs your eye in panels:
- How do they use lines and shadows?
- What panel arrangement keeps tension flowing?
- Which scenes evoke emotion most effectively?
Save screenshots or copies of these panels and take notes on what elements you like. Revisiting these references solidifies your understanding of your art preferences and storytelling style.
Here’s how to analyse manga panels:
- Look for unique line techniques or shading.
- Notice pacing and panel size changes.
- Observe character placement and background details.
- Understand how the panel directs the reader’s eye.
Getting Inspired by Stories and Concepts
Story inspiration is just as important as art. Ken Wakui, the creator of Tokyo Revengers, decided on a time travel manga after reading Re: Zero and Erased. He liked their use of time travel and wanted to add his spin.
Studying how other manga handle specific story ideas can spark your creative concepts.
How Legendary Mangaka Found Inspiration
Some of the best manga artists were inspired by previous works but created something new.
Kentarō Miura, the late creator of Berserk, took artistic cues from Fist of the North Star while crafting a whole new dark fantasy world. Miura worked with the Fist of the North Star writer early on and developed his skills by combining those lessons with his ideas. This shows how blending inspiration with originality leads to success.
The Most Important Thing: Having Fun With Your Manga Creation
At the heart of everything, have fun with your manga art. Love what you do, even if you’re not great yet. Improvement will come with time, and seeing your stories take shape on paper is deeply rewarding.
“Enjoying the process is what keeps you going and growing.” Your passion will show in your work and inspire you to push forward.
What to Do If You Don’t Enjoy Drawing
Not everyone loves drawing. If you find it’s not for you, that’s okay. You can still create manga by focusing on writing and teaming up with an illustrator.
Take Aka Akasaka, writer of Kaguya-sama: Love is War, stepped back from drawing manga due to the stress of weekly serialization. He now works with an artist, Mango Yōko Yari, illustrating his stories like Oshi no Ko.
To find the right illustrator partner, consider:
- Friends or family who might be interested
- Hiring artists online through platforms like Fiverr or Dribbble
- Posting in manga-related Facebook groups, Reddit forums, or Discord communities
Matching visions and strong communication are key to successful partnerships.
Tips for Finding the Right Illustrator Partner
Finding someone you can trust who shares your vision is vital. Clear communication ensures your story and art match your ideas.
Start small—work on test projects to build trust before big commitments. Look for artists who:
- Understand your story’s mood and style
- Show flexibility and creativity
- Communicate clearly and respectfully
If You Want Full Creative Control: Learn to Draw Manga Yourself
If you want to handle all aspects of your manga, including drawing, story writing, and storyboarding, consider structured learning. This one-shot manga Join Program offers step-by-step guidance from professional Japanese mangaka with decades of experience.
You’ll get personal feedback and join a supportive community of fellow beginners.
The Importance of Community and Feedback
Joining a community of aspiring manga artists accelerates your learning. Feedback helps you identify strengths and improve weaknesses.
Being part of a group keeps motivation high, offers chances to showcase your work, and opens doors to collaboration.
Overcoming the Number One Beginner Mangaka Misconception
The biggest misconception is “My art isn’t good enough to start.” This thinking kills progress and confidence.
Starting regardless of skill level leads to growth, learning, and satisfaction. You can watch a dedicated video on overcoming this mindset for more inspiration.
Starting your manga journey doesn’t require perfect art. With passion, practice, and the right mindset, your stories and creativity can come to life. Whether through learning to draw or partnering with an artist, the path is open for you to create your manga today.
For inspiration on great anime series to watch while creating, check out some of the best anime series for your next movie night from The Manga Menagerie.
If you’re looking for a starting point or help on your manga creation journey, take a look at the introduction to Manga Menagerie’s beginner-friendly manga collection for tips, encouragement, and support.