Drawing Manga-style Padmé Amidala

Ever wanted to draw Star Wars characters and vehicles just like the professional comic book artists? In this step-by-step series, Star Wars artists and illustrators show you how to draw some of the most beloved characters in the saga.

Graphic storytelling is a respected and centuries-old art form in Japan, and since the end of World War II, comic books -- known in Japan as "Manga" -- have remained the country's dominant medium of entertainment. And over a period of at least the last twenty years, Manga have become increasingly popular with international and especially North American audiences. While every Manga artist has their own artistic flare, you can definitely see similarities in the style as a whole.

The biggest difference you'll notice in the way Manga is drawn from comics in the Western World is the enormous eyes that the characters all have. With larger than life highlights, and refined detail, the contrast in shape and value really make the eyes "pop." While this can often make the characters appear child-like, it also opens the door to making expressions and moods visually interesting.

Here our own Star Wars illustrator Matt Busch (as you can see in Manga form at right) explains with these easy-to-follow steps on how to draw a Manga-style portrait of Padmé Amidala.

Step One:
To draw a basic Manga head, we'll start with a head-on view of Padmé. You begin by drawing a circle, with a triangular jaw underneath. Remember, at this point, you should be sketching lightly. That makes it easier to erase, and you can always draw darker later.

Step Two:
Still drawing lightly, begin to "build" the head. Draw the neck and shoulders, and add Padmé's tiny ears. Next map out where the eyes are going to be. They take up about a third of the head, centered vertically. As well, each eye takes up about a third of the head horizontally, with an equal eye space in the middle.

Step Three:
Now that you have the basic head constructed lightly, draw in the most important part first -- the eyes! Make them very stylistic, with just a few thick eyelashes whisking out. Also note that the eyes' irises are darker at the top and get lighter towards the bottom. Begin to lightly sketch where the hair, nose, and mouth will go.

Step Four:
It's time to start making darker, more confident lines! Shade the hair dark to help the contrast, and add cross-hatching to her vest.

Side Note: Manga characters seem to almost always have bangs. Even if the character being drawn in real life does not, the Manga style usually incorporates them anyway, along with longer than usual flowing hair. This often helps add dramatic action to the pose or motion.

For more fun and helpful like these tips on how to draw your favorite Star Wars characters, check out the book You Can Draw: Star Wars from DK Publishing.

Also don't forget to watch Matt Busch in action with his You Can Draw Star Wars videos here.