MoonglotexasI love learning new art styles and have completed a couple of courses on Manga so drawing chibis wasn’t a huge leap for me. The simplistic lines which convey such emotion fascinate me. I’m a doodler or sketcher – lots of lines and fixing, rubbing out and returning – but forms like chibis require forethought and flow and it’s a good meditation for me.
Piuuvy is an incredibly talented artist (if you don’t already, follow the art on Instagram) and the characters are gorgeous in the book. I found the instructions a little light though especially for a “beginner’s guide”. The principles at the outset are easier to follow but still take large leaps which my previous art experience filled in. The characters form in even bigger steps missing key things like shading techniques (especially for those not creating it digitally) and page-to-form proportions.
Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed it, I caution anyone picking it up without prior experience, I think you’ll find it frustrating and disappointing. If you are au fait to some extent with drawing forms and have done some manga work before, this won’t be a problem. It’s a three out of five on the enJOYment scale.
Below is my first chibi from the book:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Quartro Publishing Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
From the back cover:
Master the art of drawing chibis! First, learn the key principles, then draw a wide variety of characters following step-by-step tutorials.
In Draw Chibi Style, chibi artist Piuuvy is your guide to:
- Chibi Essentials. The first 18 lessons teach solid drawing fundamentals that demonstrate how to draw chibi characters from the ground up and will help you build the skills you need to create your very own supercute characters.
- Chibi Characters, Step by Step. Through step-by-step drawings, from rough sketch to finish, discover the drawing process for 44 adorable characters in a range of genres and themes, including a witch, a butterfly fairy, a shark, a shadow knight, and an action hero, each presented in a different pose.
Whether you’re just beginning to draw, trying your hand at chibi for the first time, or looking for ideas and guidance for bringing your own chibi characters to life, Draw Chibi Style is your go-to guide and visual reference.
