Manga – Introduction to Japanese Comics - (10:00 - 16:00) - 1500 CZK

"Let's get to the mysteries of creating Japanese comics…"

What is Manga? Manga is a name for Japanese comics. By current statistics, about 450 000 000 Manga novels are being sold in Japan every year (this doesn’t include Manga-magazines, comic notebooks, and comics sold as an e-book). With such a great popularity an inspiration by Japanese drawing style rises, not only on Japanese islands but also towards West, what leads to so-called West Manga, printed for example in Europe and USA, which frequently loses its visual quality. With growing popularity, it´s important to specify what Manga really is at all, what are its characteristics and how to choose a proper story to read.

• Where? Fine Art Studio Balbínova 28, Praha 2 Vinohrady
• When? 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (with a break for lunch)
• How much? Membership fee C (1500 CZK)
• Utilities: All utilities are available in the studio for free
• Reservation is necessary: by submitting the application for you commit yourself to pay the advance deposit of 500 CZK within 2 days from receiving the confirmation
• Scheduled dates: 6. 4., 1. 6. 2019

Manga is mainly based on beauty and simplicity of Japanese drawing and Japanese love for stories, which can be tracked for example to medieval ages, for example, 12^th century. The Stories on scrolls were developed by image series, which were improved by a short text. Despite a fact, that Western society got into a touch with Japanese comics as a product during a break between 19^th and 20^th century, factors which influenced the final look of Manga can be found in rich Japanese art, mainly in graphics and monochrome painting. From the first illustrated books for children at the beginning of 20^th century Manga rapidly got in the bestselling and most popular publications in Japan (and not only for children) but also worldwide.

A good comic artist is able to bring the reader into the story the way that he has a feeling that he really hears all that´s going on in the story. Astro Boy, Maki Miyako, Genius Bakabon, Doraemon, Akira, Dragon Ball, Bakuman, Blade of the Immortal, Lone Wolf and Cub and many other comics become popular worldwide. Why is that and how these stories differ from Western narrative understanding? We will try to find an answer to this question on whole-day workshop dedicated to Manga.

What awaits us in a course:

• Introduction to Japanese comics: evolution, the most important historical milestones, authors and their work.
• Finding the answer to a question: how does the Japanese comics differ from Western comics?
• Introduction to Manga and Japanese comics rules and “speech”.
• Presentation of interesting samples of different Japanese comics genres and types.
• Creation of a story from the text of a Japanese short story.
• Development of visual and narrative skills.
• Constant consultations during practical part

What are we going to learn?

• we will get to know interesting Japanese authors of Manga
• different approaches and processes in comics stories
• basic rules and characteristics of Manga
• how to build a comic story
• what is important in creating Manga
• how to do comics phases
• what to not forget in a story finalization

„Tearoom at the three strings“

One story and countless options how to tell it. Participants of a course could use a text of Japanese story (in the printed version) and it will totally depend on themselves how will they use the narrative. Will they follow exactly the original version of a text or will they change some parts and tell the story from the end? Would it be modern or maybe futuristic Manga or we would dive into a world of samurais and geishas? How they will approach this theme is totally on themselves, but they should not forget narrative rules which matter in Manga and about which we are going to talk about in the introduction to the course.