G-Pen

The g-pen is a pen nib which is originally used for writing letters in the old days. G-pens are the most famous type of pen nib used by professional mangakas. These pen nibs can produce both thick and thin lines depending on the amount of pressure applied from our hand towards the paper. Among all the other pen nibs in manga g-pens can produce the thickest line. G-pens are mostly used for shonen manga genres (such as action, sports, etc) since most shonen manga uses thick lines to deliver strong impressions to the readers. If you are a beginner it isn't suggested to use the g-pen since if you can't control the amount of pressure added towards the pen you might make a very thick line that would ruin your drawing or even a line that is too thin for your drawing.

Pencils

There are many kinds of drawing pencils; here’s an overview of lead hardness, line darkness, and varieties of pencils for drawing. A good pencil is an artist’s best friend. No subject is beyond an artist’s rendering if they have the pencils they need. A good rule of thumb to remember what each pencil does is to remember that the softer the lead, the darker your line will be. Pencils with “B” in the name are soft. Pencils with “H” in the name are harder leads.

Types

Grades of graphite-Lead

Paper

Any papers can be used in draft and designs, but in doing the storyboards and the final page, mangakas mostly use Manga paper. This comes in all kinds of sizes depending on a publisher’s personal specifications but there are some standards that you can use.

Sizes

• A4 (210 × 297 mm; inches: 8.3 × 11.7) – Used for doujinshi aka fan-made comics
• B4 (250 × 353 mm; inches: 9.8 × 13.9) – a larger paper used for professional manga.

Weights

• 110 kg (about 243 lb)
• 135 kg (about 298 lb)

Types

Wacom Tablet

Many of the most popular manga and comic book artists use a Wacom pen tablet or creative pen display to tell their stories. Get the tools you need to create and bring your characters to life. Intuos Manga pairs the freedom of ink with digital convenience. The pressure-sensitive pen gives you a natural brushstroke, the same way you draw on paper. There's an endless array of digital brushes, colors, and effects right at your fingertips. No need to frequently replace supplies or clean up a studio. Sketch, ink, and color with one tool.

Screen Tone

Screentone is a technique for applying textures and shades to drawings, used as an alternative to hatching. In the conventional process, patterns are transferred to paper from preprinted sheets, but the technique is also simulated in computer graphics. Traditional screen tones are apllied by sticking it on the paper and then using a cutting board and a cutter, the tones a cut to match its desired position.

Graphics Tablet

A graphics tablet (also known as a digitizer, drawing tablet, digital drawing tablet, pen tablet, or digital art board) is a computer input device that enables a user to hand-draw images, animations and graphics, with a special pen-like stylus, similar to the way a person draws images with a pencil and paper. These tablets may also be used to capture data or handwritten signatures. It can also be used to trace an image from a piece of paper which is taped or otherwise secured to the tablet surface. Capturing data in this way, by tracing or entering the corners of linear poly-lines or shapes, is called digitizing. Today some mangas are only drawn on computers using a tablet. So this piece of technology is a powerful tool that enables artists to do amazing things.

Assistants

Mangaka often use assistants to help them complete drawing the manga within schedule. The mangaka decides the number of assistants and their roles in the manga production. The assistants may help the mangaka in a number of ways, such as: