Activity Information
Ages: 8-12 | Activity Length: 1 Hour
Skills Learned
- Drawing skills (Proportions, pencil drawing).
- Historical context of Japanese Manga and Anime.
Chibi-tastic is a program presented by The Asian American Resource Center and Austin Public Library. Typically, Chibi-tastic is hosted at the AARC, but due to the center being closed to the public, AARC and APL staff pivoted to online lessons. These online drawing lessons, illustrations, videos, and historical context were provided by APL Youth Program Specialist, Ambray Gonzales, with editing provided by the AARC program staff. We hope to see you at our next Chibi-tastic event in the future!
INTRODUCTION
Chibi is a Japanese slang word used to describe something short. In traditional manga, chibis are short, childlike, and ‘cute’. They can be people, animals or objects. They have unnaturally large heads on small bodies. Their simplified details, super-sized eyes, exaggerated facial expressions and emotions (similar to a caricature), contributes to them being considered comical, outrageous, or cute. The Japanese idea of “small” and “cute” has been popularized and become commercially successful in Japan; and has spread throughout the world.
HISTORY
In Japan, manga is featured in all genres and for all ages. In 1930’s, it was a form of cheap entertainment, printed on cheap newsprint paper as weekly or monthly chapters of a series. When all the chapters of this weekly or monthly series is printed and bound together in a cheap, telephone size book, it is called ‘tankobon’. After 1959, tankobon came to included multiple series from different authors.
U.S. definition of manga is comics or graphic novels originating in Japan. Japan’s definition of manga referred to comics, cartoons; and by this definition…Choju-giga (The Animal Scrolls) from 1053-1140 is the earliest form of manga. Choju- giga was a humorous story of frogs and rabbits told through use of comic pictures.
The word manga was invented in 1814, by Japanese artist Hokusai—who used it to describe some of his drawings meaning “whimsical picture”. Contemporary manga style (as known today) developed in late 19th century.
TESUKA OSAMU: Father of Manga, Godfather of Anime
The first major Manga/ Anime artist was Tesuka Osamu (born in 1928). Before and after WWII, he was very influenced (as a child) by images and themes of European and U.S. films, cartoon, and comics. He especially loved cartoons and animation from Walt Disney Studios (Mickey Mouse, Snow White and 7 Dwarves; watching Bambi 80 times); and Max Fleisher Studios( Betty Boop, Popeye, Superman- (hero themes).In 1928, both Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Fleisher’s Betty Boop cartoon characters already had chibi characteristics of: over-large heads, small bodies, big eyes, cuteness, etc.
Compare Tesuka’s Astro Boy/Girl with Mickey Mouse and Betty Boop. See if you can find the chibi similarities between them.
As a child in school, Tesuka became very popular for his manga drawings,(writing his first multi-page manga at age 9). Due to an early childhood viral illness (which almost resulted in the loss of both arms); his manga art was highly influenced by the medical, scientific and humanitarian aspect especially noted in his manga-Astro Boy. From age 17, he studied medicine and became a doctor by age 24. Although, studying and practicing medicine, Tesuka also pursued his first love…manga.
- At age 19 --He published New Treasure Island—which sold 400,000 copies. His innovated changes to manga art helped to establish his career as a top manga artist (use of vivid drawings; captions in different size boxes to emphasis mood change; special camera effects learned from foreign films (different angles, zooming in for close-ups or panning across a scene, etc.).
- At age 24 (1952), he published his manga series ’Tesuwan Atomu’. It became very popular in Japan, with the animated series show from 1963-1966 on Japanese Fuji TV.
- In 1963-65 Astro Boy (the English version of ‘Tesuwan Atomu’)--became the first ‘anime’ seen overseas, and all over the United States. This anime became so popular that Tezuka Osamu was recognized as the “Father of Manga, Godfather of Anime."
With 1991 Japanese manga/anime series of Sailor Moon, came the recognition of the term ‘Chibi’. In Sailor Moon, the character Chibiusa, was so small, childlike, adorable and ‘cute’, that she caught the imagination of manga fandom everywhere; and learning how to draw Chibis became popular.
Image source: jpellgen, flickr.com
CHIBI -TASTIC
VIDEO LESSONS & GUIDES
How to Draw a Chibi and a Puppy
How To Draw a Two Head Tall Chibi
Drawing demos presented by Austin Public Library, Youth Program Specialist Ambray Gonzales.
How to Draw a Three Head Tall Chibi
Drawing demos presented by Austin Public Library, Youth Program Specialist Ambray Gonzales.
How to Draw a Four Head Tall Chibi
Drawing demos presented by Austin Public Library, Youth Program Specialist Ambray Gonzales.
How to Draw a Chibi and Puppy
Drawing demos presented by Austin Public Library, Youth Program Specialist Ambray Gonzales.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Measurement & Proportion
It is important to understand the term heads tall as it is used as a form of measurement when drawing manga-chibi characters: If you draw several same-size balls stacked on top of each other (with the top ball always being the head). Count all the balls and that how tall your character is. So if there are 4 balls (including the head), then your character is ‘4 heads tall’.
Another term to understand is super exaggerated. The tallest and shortest manga characters are considered super exaggerated because that are far from realistic. The following are character manga measurements:
- Super elongated = 8 to 9 heads tall [super exaggerated]
- Realistic =7 ½ heads tall
- Compact cartoon = 5 ½ heads tall
- Chibi = 4 to 1 ½ heads tall [super exaggerated]
CHIBI EMOTIONS
Download How to Draw Guides
- HAPPY - click here for guide
- SAD - click here for guide
- UPSET/MAD/DEVIOUS - click here for guide
- LOVE/SURPRISE/SHOCKED - click here for guide
- WORRY/SCARED - click here for guide
Image Source: "Chibi Emotions Guide - Happy" - Ambray Gonzales, Youth Program Specialist, Austin Public Library-Central.
AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOKS
Dive deeper and grow your skills through books available at Austin Public Library!
- You Can Draw Manga ChibisYou Can Draw Manga Chibis, eBook
- How to Draw Manga Chibis & Cute Critters, eBook
- Super-cute Chibis to Draw and PaintSuper-cute Chibis to Draw and Paint, Book
- Manga for the Beginner Chibis, Book
- More Supercute Chibis to Draw and Paint, Book
- Manga Mania Chibi and Furry Characters, Book
Credits:
Created with images by vinsky2002 - "sailor moon cute" • vinsky2002 - "captain america toy" • Hermann - "books stack literature"