Posted by Will on 1st Feb 2025

How to be a Manga Artist Signing With Fumio Obata and Balthazar Pagani

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We're thrilled to announce a very special signing with Fumio Obata and Balthazar Pagani! After How to a Draw a Graphic Novel, writer Balthazar Pagani shines a spotlight on the Japanese world of comics in How to be a Manga Artist! Joining Balthazar for the signing is the incredible artist Fumio Obata, renowned for his amazing comic, Just So Happens. Join the duo for a signing on Saturday 8th March 2025, from 1-2pm. Here's a little about the book from publisher Thames & Hudson:

Following How to Draw a Graphic Novel, Balthazar Pagani returns, joined by manga expert Asuka Ozumi, to demystify the process of creating manga, from the creative spark that inspires a story, to what it’s like to work in a professional manga studio.

Featuring the work of Italian manga illustrator Silvia Vanni, and told from the point of view of two young manga fans, How to be a Manga Artist delivers a blend of professional advice and practical tips to guide aspiring creators, including how to construct a compelling narrative, develop characters your readers will fall in love with, and the basics of printing, digital file set-up, and self-promotion.

How to be a Manga Artist also includes a specially commissioned chapter by renowned Japanese illustrator Fumio Obata - who encourages readers to look beyond the aesthetics of manga and to put themselves into the story to develop a style that is entirely original and true to them - as well as biographies of famous manga artists, definitions of key Japanese terms, and a list of must-read cult classics.

Fumio and Balthazar will be signing copies here on Saturday 8th March, from 1pm. You can pre-order a signed copy of the book for mail-order or collection by clicking the link here.

Keep up to date with all news over on our Facebook event page.