How does manga drawing control the depth of the line?

Traditional Japanese manga is drawn with a dip pen, called a dip pen, which has interchangeable nibs, paired with different nibs to draw different thicknesses.

Dipping pens look like this

Different nibs have different properties, as shown in the picture.

The thickness of the line can be controlled by wrist changes, but the effect will vary with different nibs.

For example, the G nib draws lines with a high degree of variation, and some lines with strong variation effects are drawn with the G nib.

The effect of G nibs

Round nibs and student nibs are harder, and the lines drawn are more slender, which is more suitable for drawing the lines of teenage comics, as well as the details of the eyes and eyebrows.

Round Nib Effect

The D nib and Whistle nib effect is in between the G nib and the round nib, and can be chosen according to different drawing habits.

Because of the popularity of computers and the Internet, there are many cartoonists who use computers to draw, and the use of computers to draw requires a set of digital drawing boards and corresponding drawing software, and the general cartoons use wacom digital drawing boards.

This is the digital drawing board

Using the digital drawing board can simulate the brushstrokes inputted on the paper on the computer, and the same is also through the wrist wrist force to control the thickness of the line.

The software used for drawing is usually Sai or comicStudio.

Sai's interface

The tools used to draw manga are described above. But these are just tools, in the end, the cartoon is still rely on people to draw, the tool is good, there is no certain amount of training, the same can not draw a beautiful cartoon, even if a good hand to throw a stick to him, he can also draw a beautiful painting. So you have to practice and watch to master the tools and techniques.