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DRAWING MANGA
Mecha’s
Contents
Creating Simple and Cute Mecha’s........................................................................3Drawing a single-shape body.............................................................................3Mixing it up with a multi-shaped body................................................................4Drawing Pilot-Operated Mecha’s............................................................................5It’s all about the shapes.....................................................................................5Enter the lightweights............................................................................................6Lead character mecha........................................................................................6Sidekick character mecha..................................................................................7Here come the heavyweights................................................................................8Lead villain mecha..............................................................................................8Construction mecha...............................................................................................9
Creating Simple and Cute Mecha’s
Simple and cute mecha’s serve as either companions or pets. In almost all cases, these types are either createdby their owners and move independently or they operate by remote control. The simpler, independent mecha’sdon’t play a role in any fighting or heavy-duty lifting — they just look cute and evoke that “awww” sentiment inyour readers. The more sophisticated mecha’s, on the other hand, help save the day in unexpected ways that atfirst may appear to be trivial. Using geometric shapes (spheres, cubes, cylinders, and cones) makes drawingsimple mecha fun. Overall, even a simple mecha has some degree of human resemblance. Keep in mind,though, that you don’t always need limbs and full features in order to make a mecha that has personality or thatcan win over the reader’s affection. In this section, I select several mecha’s that start from a single geometricstructure.
Drawing a single-shape body
In this section, I show you how to draw a mecha with a single geometric shape as its main body structure. Followthese steps to create a simple mecha based upon a single shape:
1. Start at the centre of your paper with a simple geometric shape (cube, sphere, cylinder, or cone); drawyour shape large enough that you can add the smaller details or embellishments in the following steps.
In my example, I use my character Java’s little spherical companion mecha called the Braid Maid. Her role is tomake sure Java’s hair (as well as the rest of her hygiene) is shipshape (because Java is kind of a big slob). Thissphere is all I need to start the basic body shape.
2. Add simple facial features
In keeping with the simplicity theme, you don’t have to draw all the features (eyes, nose, ears, and mouth). As Ishow in my example with Java’s Braid Maid, I don’t even include the other eye. She’s basically a Cyclopeandroid. I use a small hatch to represent her mouth, which opens to reveal a Taser gun that the Braid Maid uses towake Java up in the morning.
3. Draw the simplified limbs
Limbs can include a representation of an arm, leg, or even tail. Think about how these shapes move in relation tothe body. Do they extend out from the body, or are they left exposed the entire time? How will they bend or twist(if they even have joints to begin with)? Again, avoid the misconception that you need to draw the limbs of thesetypes of mecha’s with complicated parts or shapes. I use popular round lids as hatch doors on both sides for thearms. The idea is that the mecha carries an assortment of hair braids in her body, and each time the arms comeout, she carries a brand-new braid in her claws.
4. Finalize the small droid with your own cosmetic touches
You can add a serial or model number or design stripes that are painted
onto the body. Think about what kind of accessories you can add that
reflect the mecha’s role or function. I shade the spherical body and
darken theinside where the arm joints meet the body to give the image
more realism and dimension. I paint mascara over her single eyelid as a
joke fashion statement.
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