Development Sketches

These are the development sketches in my little sketchbook. 

Character concepts

Old Wizards House concepts

This my initial rough sketch of my idea.

It then developed into this:

Until finally I created this page of concepts:

I also put together a very rough sketch of the kingdom, due to lack of time.

Project Evaluation

The projects in BA7 consisted of a research document, consisting of research into my Studio project, and a research report, a 1500 word report on a chosen subject. In these projects I learned to communicate my ideas effectively and academically, and conducted research into my chosen subjects with depth. For the BA7 research document, I pooled all of my knowledge together to successfully research into films, games, artists, and techniques and art styles. For the research report, I used my knowledge of academic writing to create a 1500 word document written on Osamu Tezuka. I used an extensive amount of books to conduct research into his life and works, and successfully gathered a large amount of information and sources.

My research report was based solely on Osamu Tezuka, his life and his work. Also known as 'The God of Manga', Tezuka transformed manga to this day, and I used research to examine what remains of his legacy in manga today. I was extremely happy with my initial research into the subject, compiling a list of books, studying each and noting down all the important information. Having a solid bibliography of books, I began writing my introduction and first chapter, and then having short summarised chapters. After some feedback I had realised that I had not answered my question in my first draft so I had to add some more information. After concluding my essay, if I have had more time I would have shorted my first chapter much more to give myself more room to answer my question successfully, of what is left of his legacy.

The research document for BA7 required a lot of time management and planning. I began the project with a joint idea for a game with Liam Gallagher-Vaes. This then transformed into a list of research areas which would aid me in my project. I began by studying films and games that I felt would be most inspirational and influential to my work. This led me through the Studio Ghibli films and the Walt Disney films, finding myself drawn to the idea of merging two styles together. When I began to research games, I found quite a few examples of games with a similar style to my own, and using these to influence gameplay ideas, and narrative ideas, as well as my character and environment design. Because of my love and interest in the Japanese manga and animation and the American animation, I decided to look into the most famous of each, Osamu Tezuka and Walt Disney. Through my research report, I had already gained extensive knowledge on Osamu Tezuka, so using this I compiled a short summary of his work and also reference images to influence my art style. Looking at Walt Disney’s work was also very inspiring, as his small sketches of characters can influence me greatly in the design of my own unique characters. From this I also studied Victorian period artists, which gave me an idea of clothing and art techniques used by artists of this era. To finish my document, I compiled a few pages of techniques and programs to use in BA8, also looking closely at the techniques used by Studio Ghibli and Disney to create a watercolour look to their films. Overall, I am very happy with the outcome of my document, I feel it will strongly support my artwork and will be useful with referencing. If I had more time, I would have conducted much more research into the design of my characters, looking at animals especially.

Conclusion

To conclude my research document, all my research conducted throughout this project will influence me in some way. Through looking at animated films from Studio Ghibli and Disney, I have gained inspiration to merge two styles together, and influence on character design and environments. Looking into games also gave me some insight into games already on the market like our own idea. It also gave me influence in my art style and character design, as well as many ideas into the narrative of our game. After looking at films and games, it was studying famous artists that gave me knowledge on techniques and style. Looking at Osamu Tezuka provided me with examples of successful manga comics, as well as enchanting character designs. Walt Disney is also a key inspiration, with his work inspiring my character design greatly. The research into Victorian artists was to gain knowledge of the fashion of the time period, to reference when creating my character designs. It was also useful in studying how artists would paint at this time, and how women were portrayed. My final stage of my research led me into looking closely at the techniques of the Studio Ghibli animation studios and the Walt Disney animation studios. Both use the same techniques of watercolours and sketches, however they both have unique art styles, which is an aspect I want to explore further in my own artwork. Following this closely, I decided to look at watercolour techniques that would benefit me greatly when creating environments, as well as digital painting techniques. Rounding all my research off, I noted which programs I will be using to create my work. All of my research I have conducted has inspired me to create a unique art style of my own, and influenced how I will design my characters and create my artwork.

Programs

Programs to Use
Manga Studio, Photoshop and Premiere Pro

This is the section where I will be addressing which programs I will be using throughout the project to advance my work. Firstly, I will be using Manga Studio to create my manga comic. For all my other artwork I will be using traditional techniques and Photoshop. To finish my whole project, I will be creating a show reel of my work, created in Premiere Pro.

Manga Studio
For creating my Manga comic
http://manga.smithmicro.com/

To create my Manga, I decided to use Manga Studio software, as it is incredibly useful and ideal for creating comics. The software specializes in creating comics, starting off with creating panels where you can adjust them to your own requirements. The program features layers like Photoshop, to allow for sketching your characters and scenes roughly before finishing with a fine line. The backgrounds also give you an opportunity to have ready drawn environments as backgrounds, or solid colours. The variety of brushes also allows the artist to create a comic look to their work, or a realistic look with brushes ranging from dots to fine pens. Another advantage of using this software to create a comic, is that you can create pages, and have each page open while you work. This can then be turned into one file, (a book) and distributed or printed. This means it is easily possible to create a book, rather than have lots of pages separately. The extras in this software also come together to help you gain a finished page. Speech bubbles, sound effects and speed lines all help to create a finished, polished page, ready for printing. Overall, this software is perfect for creating my manga, and using a variety of techniques I can finish a book to have printed.

Photoshop

For creating Digital Images

http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/photoshop.html

For creating my digital paintings, I decided to use Photoshop due to its extensive features and brushes. I have always used Photoshop to create my digital paintings, as it is very customizable to your needs. With an enormous amount of brushes online, you can find any brush to suit your painting, from watercolour brushes to text brushes. They are then easily imported into the software to use. Another advantage of this software when painting is the ability to create a palette of swatches of the colours you are using in your painting. This way, your colours are easily accessible. Like Manga Studio, Photoshop also allows the user to crate layers in their images. This is useful in creating depth in paintings, as well as creating unique effects. Finally, Photoshop features a range of effects to add lighting and textures into an image. This is useful for creating mood and textured effects on a painting. Photoshops features are extensive and all are used to aid the user in creating a successful image. I will be using many of the features in this software to my advantage, to create beautiful digital paintings of my own. 

Premiere Pro

For creating my Show Reel

http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/premiere.html

I chose to use Premiere Pro video editing software to create my show reel, as I feel it is one of the best editing software on the market. It easily allows the importation of video files, and with infinite amounts of layers available on the timeline (right) , the user can easily create smooth following video, with overlaying text or images. Because of the many layers, you can also easily transition music throughout the video, and even have voice playing over music. It is also easy to add effects onto your video file, creating contrast or tinting it a colour. The transitions are also easily added onto the timeline, having smooth flowing transitions into the next video clip. Overall, Premiere Pro is a professional and easy to use software that will provide me with the tools to create a beautiful show reel containing all my work and information.

Techniques

Techniques 
Watercolour and Digital Paintings

These are the techniques I will be using throughout my work. First of all, I will be using watercolours traditionally to create scenes and characters, and then transferring them digitally to manipulate and add to them on the computer. I will also use digital painting to create characters to go into the scenes, to give an example of how I want our game to look.

Watercolour Painting
Traditional Painting using Watercolours
http://www.watercolorpaintingandprojects.com/techniques/more-and-effects.html

First of all, I put some research into finding out the best techniques I could use in creating environments. The use of different brushes and techniques can create different looks on the image. Firstly, the dry brush technique (Fig 1)  is used to give a rough look, using a dried brush to slightly dab the colour on the paper. This can be used for wood textures and grass. The salt technique (Fig 2) may also be useful in creating trees, using a pinch of salt while the colours are drying can give the effect of leaves on a tree. The sponge technique (Fig 3) is also used to create a look of trees, with an everyday household sponge, dabbing a small amount of colour onto the painting with give a unique 'splatter' look.

Fig 1

 Fig 2

 Fig 3

Digital Painting

Digitally Painting using Photoshop

After studying the first stage of my artwork, I needed to look into the best way to create my images digitally. Using Photoshop, I will be transferring my traditional images onto a new layer. Using a mixture of brightness and contrast as well as colour adjustments, I can fit my painting into this new digital layer. Using a set of watercolour brushes (Fig 2), or a soft edged brush (Fig 1) I can add onto the original image if I need to, editing any faults I can see. From this I can add new layers to add in characters and extras, using a mixture of brushes to create a solid look for the characters. 

 Fig 1

 Fig 2

Disney art style and techniques

Disney Films
Art Style and Techniques
http://movies.disney.com/

Walt Disney Animation has always been ate the forefront of animation, with their films being household names across the world. Founded in 1923 by Walt and Roy Disney, the company has grown into something incredible since its small beginnings. 'For more than nine decades, the name Walt Disney has been preeminent in the field of family entertainment. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to today's global corporation, The Walt Disney Company continues to proudly provide quality entertainment for every member of the family, across America and around the world.' (http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-disney/disney-history/1930-01-01--1939-12-31) I chose to study the work of Walt Disney Animation as I have always been inspired by the beautiful art portrayed in the films. Looking at the earlier works, I can see that their techniques of creating these beautiful scenes is the same as Studio Ghibli, creating a script, characters, storyboards and then sketching the individual characters. This is then painted with watercolours onto cells. Also like Studio Ghibli, the backgrounds and characters would be painted separately. (http://www.justdisney.com/animation/animation.html) It is however noticeable, that the styles of Studio Ghibli and Disney are different, with Studio Ghibli trying to create a traditional painting look, and Disney wanting to create a crisp, perfect scene. It is both techniques and styles which I want to experiment with in creating characters and scenes.

Victorian Artist research

Victorian Era Artists
Human Form Artists from the period

To delve deeper into my subject, and to gain an understanding and knowledge of Victorian style clothing and art, I conducted research into several artists of this era. I chose four artists to look at, all specializing in portraiture who portray the Victorian era of fashion and living. To create a Victorian look to my characters clothing, I need to have a grasp on the types of clothing they wore at this time, and how the fashion was specific in both male and female clothing to separate the sexes. It is also important to study how women were portrayed at this time, with a female child main character, I need to understand how women were conveyed through paintings. Each Artist I chose, I looked into their artwork to decide which would have the greatest influence on my designs. I chose different styles of art, from portraiture, to group paintings, and also a female painter who focused on painting young girls. For each artist I will give a brief overview of their life and work, and chose a painting from each to study the contents and characters portrayed.

William Holman Hunt
1827-1910
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/william-holman-hunt-287

The first artist of this era I studied was William Holman Hunt who was born in 1827 in London. Before being accepted into the Royal Academy Schools in 1844, William worked as an office clerk. It was here where he began to exhibit paintings of his own. He also formed a group with some acquaintances, called the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. ‘The group's stated aims were: 1, To have genuine ideas to express; 2, to study Nature attentively, so as to know how to express them; 3, to sympathise with what is direct and serious and heartfelt in previous art, to the exclusion of what is conventional and self-parading and learned by rote; and 4, and most indispensable of all, to produce thoroughly good pictures and statues. (William Michael Rossetti, ed., Dante Gabriel Rossetti: His Family-Letters, with a Memoir, London 1895, I, p.135)’ (http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/william-holman-hunt-287) Creating a variety of paintings through his lifetime, it was in 1852 when his first piece of work which conveyed his new symbolic realism style. It was after this time when he was commissioned to create many paintings, until his death in 1910 in London.

The painting I decided to look at, painted by William Holman Hunt is The Awakening Conscience. This picture was painted in 1853, and portrays a man and his mistress. ' Rising from her lover's lap, she gazes into the sunlit garden beyond, which is reflected in the mirror behind her. The mirror image represents the woman's lost innocence, but redemption, indicated by the ray of light in the foreground, is still possible. Intended to be 'read', the painting is full of such symbolic elements. The cat toying with the broken-winged bird under the table symbolises the woman's plight. A man's discarded glove warns that the likely fate of a cast-off mistress was prostitution. A tangled skein of yarn on the floor symbolises the web in which the girl is entrapped. In terms of my own work, I decided to look at this image for its symbolism, but also because of its portrayal of women. In my own designs I can reference to this image for Victorian style clothing and appearance, but also for the way Hunt has conveyed this woman in the image. Her stance portrays a of frailty and entrapment, conveying how mistresses would have felt in this era.

Arthur Hughes
1832–1915
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/arthur-hughes-283

The second artist I studied was Arthur Hughes, who was born in 1832 in London. Having a first class education at a Grammar School, Arthur went on to enter a School of Design in London where he went on to win an art studentship at the Royal Academy Schools, where William Holman Hunt studied. It was William who had influence on Arthurs art style, with symbolic realism being noticeable in his work. ‘Although a Pre-Raphaelite sympathiser and intimate of their circle, Hughes was never a member of the group. He converted to Pre-Raphaelitism in 1850 after reading the Pre-Raphaelite magazine The Germ; in the same year he met William Holman Hunt, D.G. Rossetti and Ford Madox Brown.’ (http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/arthur-hughes-283) Arthur also had a successful career as an Illustrator, with many of his illustrations being used in famous works. His last exhibition was at the Royal Academy in 1908, with only a few years passing until his death in 1915 in Kew, London.

The painting I decided to look at, painted by Arthur Hughes is called April Love. Painted in 1855-1856, April Love is one of Arthur Hughes most famous paintings. Painted to convey young love, the painting was originally made alongside a poem. 'Hughes changed the setting from a millstream with chestnut trees and forget-me-nots to an ivy-clad arbour or summerhouse with lilac outside the window and rose petals on the stone floor. As with many of the artist's works, ivy is also used to decorate the frame. The Pre-Raphaelites often included symbolic elements in their work. Ivy signifies everlasting life, roses love.' I was drawn to this painting of Hughes by the beautiful use of colour in the image, the use of the colour blue makes the girl stand out in the painting, but could also connote sadness. I also looked at this image in particular as it gave a clear portrayal of a young girls dress and look. The long colourful dress, puffed sleeves and scarf create a beautiful young outfit, which I can take influence from in creating my own young girls dress.

William Powell Firth
1819-1909
http://www.avictorian.com/Frith_William.html

Another artist in the Victorian era I looked at is William Powell First, who was born in 1819 in Aldfield. At a young age, William was passionate about art, and when he reached his 19th birthday he gained entry to the Royal Academy of Art. Working as a portrait painter to gain money for his studies, Williams style and subject matter changed throughout the years. He began to be strongly interested in painting people in everyday situations, and creating group paintings. ‘He was greatly influenced by others such as his friend David Wilkie, who painted “The Chelsea Pensioners”. He admired the works of the novelist Charles Dickens. These men inspired him to branch out into larger composite pictures which soon gained him fame.’ (http://www.avictorian.com/Frith_William.html) His career as a painter was long and he exhibited many paintings, and even sold one to Queen Victoria. It was in 1909 that his career ended, with an illness causing his death aged 90.

This painting by William Powell Firth is called Poverty and Wealth, and was painted in 1888. The painting features a group of people, with those richest on the left side of the image, and the poor on the right side of the image. The painting was created to convey the contrast between these two worlds, and also the activity of London streets. Featuring all age groups, this painting was the perfect example for me to study as I could view many different styles of Victorian dress. From the poor young girls on the left who wear ragged dresses and aprons, and some with no shoes, to the richer young girls. On the right side of the image we can see young girls wearing posh dresses and hats, she is also carrying a handbag, which contrasts to the young girl on the right carrying a bucket. This image will be very influential on my designs as I can get a clear view of how the different classes lived and dressed in this era, and I can implement this into my designs.

Sophie Anderson 
1823-1903
http://www.avictorian.com/Anderson_Sophie.html

Sophie Anderson is the final and most inspirational artist I studied. Born in 1823 in Paris, Sophie self taught herself to paint throughout her childhood. After moving to America in 1849 and exhibiting works there, Sophie married a British painter, and moved to England. It was here where she came into fame as a painter of Pre-Raphaelite works of art, exhibiting her work in the Royal Academy. Sophie’s work is most inspirational to me as she is ‘known for her pictures of over sweet little girls, sometimes boys, and with titles such as ‘Peek a boo’ and Little Red Riding Hood’. But her technique was good, and her depiction of nature almost photographic, with the flowers and leaves most naturalistic.’ (http://www.avictorian.com/Anderson_Sophie.html) Creating a vast amount of artwork, and even a childrens book, Sophie worked hard throughout her life even in ill health. She died at the age of 80 in 1903, in Falmouth, England.

This painting is called The Turtle Dove, and was painted by Sophie Anderson. The image portrays a young Victorian girl, holding a turtle dove in her arms. The use of the turtle dove in the image gives connotations of innocence and purity, and give a sense of serenity to the painting. The young girl is dressed in a velvet dress, with long golden hair, the light being used to give her an angelic glow. I chose to look at this image, as it gives me a sense of how young girls were portrayed in paintings in this era. It conveys the beauty and innocence of the girl, and creates an idyllic look. For influence, I can use this image to gain an understanding of how young girls were painted in this era, to influence my art style. I can also gain knowledge of the girls clothing, and understand how young girls were dressed at this time.

Studio Ghibli art style and techniques

Studio Ghibli Films
Art Style and Techniques
http://www.ghibli.jp/

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation company, set up in 1984 by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. The full length feature films produced by Studio Ghibli feature beautiful fantasy stories, with unique characters and fantastic backdrops. They 'boast wonderfully realised worlds, elaborate structures (such as flying cities), detailed domestic settings and complex natural worlds populated by bizarre creatures, spirits and sprites. They also feature compelling, sophisticated stories with wide appeal. Many of Miyazaki's pictures focus on strong, independent young women.' (http://www.film4.com/special-features/5-min-guides/studio-ghibli) The reason why I chose to look at Studio Ghibli is because I am strongly inspired by the techniques they use to create their artwork for animating. They begin with a script, create the characters and their costumes, and then create a storyboard. Each scene is then sketched, and painted using watercolours, characters and backgrounds separately.(http://ghibligabble.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/behind-scenes-at-studio-ghibli.html) It is this technique of using watercolours which I want to experiment with in my own work. The use of watercolours gives a beautiful traditional look to each film, with each still having the quality to be its own painting.

Artist research

Artists
Osamu Tezuka and Walt Disney

To further my research from Films and Games, I decided to look at a few artists, who I feel are key inspirations to my work. Looking at previous artists work, I can gain ideas of how to progress my own work, with ideas on techniques, style and also design. Firstly I decided to look at Osamu Tezuka. Because of my work into Manga for this project it was necessary I studied 'The God of Manga' and his works. From this, I can examine the techniques used to create successful manga comics, with the use of unique panels and sound effects. I also decided to study Walt Disney and his famous works, to create a mixture of Western and Eastern styles. I will study his character designs to influence my own. Also for Inspiration on my designs, I looked at a variety of Artists from the Victorian Era. I chose four who conveyed different types of portraiture, looking at individuals, groups and also young Victorian girls. From this I can gain a knowledge of the dresses and outfits that were worn at this time, as well as the portrayal of men and women in this era. It is with this knowledge I can create unique character designs which feature strong resemblances to the Victorian period.

Osamu Tezuka
1928-1989
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0856804/

Osamu Tezuka, also known as 'The God of Manga' was born in 1928, and began drawing comics from a young age. After WWII, Tezuka changed the way manga comics were drawn and received by society through the use of new techniques. Without his influence, manga would not be what it is today. 'Osamu Tezuka (手塚 治虫) was a manga author and creator of many of the first Japanese animation. While Tezuka’s best known creation is, arguably, the world-renowned children’s series Astro Boy, he drew more than 150,000 pages of manga in his lifetime - touching on every style and genre. He wrote for every age-group, from young children to mature audiences, and single-handedly created the majority of the genres and character-types we see in manga and anime today.' (http://tezukainenglish.com/) His use of unique movie like panels, and sounds effects created a diverse narrative, engaging the reader. His work will influence me greatly in my own manga, as well as my character design. His most well known characters, Astro Boy and Kimba (below) feature similar styles to the works of Walt Disney, with himself quoting he was influenced by him. Featuring large eyes and cute infant like features, his characters are loveable and encourage the reader to follow their story. His very Japanese style of drawing characters is a style I will experiment with in drawing my own characters. I will also use his style of drawing manga to influence my own panels and pages, using drama and creative layouts to portray and deep narrative.

Walt Disney
1901- 1966
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000370/

Walt Disney, was born in 1901 and lived his life creating animation. It was his imagination and creativity that began a new age in storytelling. 'Walt Disney is a legend; a folk hero of the 20th century. His worldwide popularity was based upon the ideals which his name represents: imagination, optimism, creation, and self-made success in the American tradition. He brought us closer to the future, while telling us of the past, it is certain, that there will never be such as great a man, as Walt Disney.'(http://www.justdisney.com/walt_disney/biography/w_bio_short.html) His love of art began at a young age, when he started drawing characters and selling them to his neighbours. It was this passion that drew him to create his most famous character, Mickey Mouse. Featuring large eyes and ears, Mickey was a unique mouse. He wore gloves, shorts and large shoes, and went on to feature in his own animation. Walt Disneys art style developed over time, with his new characters such as Bambi and Snow White featuring a new style with eyes with pupils, rather than Mickeys black eyes. His love of nature inspired him to draw animal characters, with large personalities, featuring in their own animations. Disney's art style has inspired me throughout my life, and in this project I want to study his character designs to give a Western look to the predominantly Japanese style of Manga.

Bioshock infinite research

Bioshock Infinite
A Irrational Games Game
http://www.bioshockinfinite.com/home

Bioshock Infinite is a First person shooter game made by Irrational Games and released in 2013. The narrative follows the story of Booker, a man tasked with rescuing a girl from a city in the sky. 'Set in 1912, players assume the role of former Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt, sent to the flying city of Columbia on a rescue mission. His target? Elizabeth, imprisoned since childhood. During their daring escape, Booker and Elizabeth form a powerful bond -- one that lets Booker augment his own abilities with her world-altering control over the environment. Together, they fight from high-speed Sky-Lines, in the streets and houses of Columbia, on giant zeppelins, and in the clouds, all while learning to harness an expanding arsenal of weapons and abilities, and immersing players in a story that is not only steeped in profound thrills and surprises, but also invests its characters with what Game Informer called “An amazing experience from beginning to end."' (http://www.bioshockinfinite.com/the-game/) The game features an Old American style world in the sky, with the buildings and environments having some influence from Victorian buildings. Its unique and beautiful world and characters are all strong inspirations to my work and designs.

Character Design

The character I want to look at in Bioshock for design inspiration is Elizabeth. Having a very Victorian inspired outfit and presence, she presents the perfect influence for my character design. The experimentation of Elizabeth’s clothing features long colourful dresses, conveying a strong resemblance to Victorian dresses worn by upper class women. The close up image of Elizabeth also has a very Victorian look, with the use of skin tone and flushed cheeks, with pouted lips, used in female portraiture of this era to portray the beauty of women. This style of painting and concept art is a style I will experiment with, creating a Victorian look to my female characters through the use of skin tone and expression. The final design for Elizabeth is a mixture of a Victorian style, with modern elements. This is also a style of design I want to explore with my own main character, with the concept art for Elizabeth being very inspirational to my designs.

Environment Designs

I chose to look at the environments in Bioshock Infinite as they are extremely unique and beautiful, and also create a Victorian look with a mixture of modern elements. This is a technique and look I want to explore in my own work. The exterior of the buildings have an old-fashioned look to them, with thin windows and columns, as well as beautiful designs. The high roofs with windows also creates a unique look, with the colours also resembling those used in Victorian times on their homes. With the traditional look of the house at the top of the building, the bottom features technology beyond this era, however it is styled in a way to look similar to the building and not look out of place. The interior of the buildings is also inspirational to my work, as the use of wooden beams on the walls, and patterned wallpaper create a very Victorian look. The use of furniture and colours in the interior of the house are successful in creating an old fashioned look to the buildings, which I will need to implement in my own designs of the interiors of my houses. 

Final Draft for Submission

'In the Expanding world of Modern Manga, What remains of Osamu Tezuka's legacy and how has he influenced others?'

Academic Report

By Sophie Woollard

GAD Year 3

1100199

• Introduction

• Chapter One - Osamu Tezuka: An Artist from Childhood

• Chapter Two - After WWII: Changing the face of Manga

• Chapter Three - His Work, and its Influence on Modern Manga

• Chapter Four - Leaving his Mark on Modern Manga and Animation

• Conclusion

• Bibliography

Introduction

Japanese Comics, or Manga, are one of the biggest forms of storytelling in Japan. Used for both everyday reading and educational purposes, Manga occupies an extraordinarily large part of Japanese society and culture. Although, It was not until 1945, the year in which America took control of Japan after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings during WWII, that the modern manga was born. From the initial small panel comics found in the newspapers and magazines in Japan, they developed into something much bigger due to the western influence brought in by the Americans. This included the import of Western cinema and comics, and both had a major impact on artists at this time. It was during the years following the end of the war when modern manga was developed and distributed in society, and integrated forever into Japanese culture. ‘They have taken the fundamentals of American comics, the relationships between picture, frame and word, and by fusing them with their own traditional love for popular art that entertains, have ‘Japanized’ them into a storytelling vehicle with its own distinctive form.’ (Gravett, (P) 2004, pg. 10) Manga is now the biggest form of media in Japan, larger than Television and Film. In Japan, most animations, live-action films or television programs derived from a narrative in a manga. (Gravett, (P) 2004, pg. 5) But how is it that manga developed so quickly from small comics in newspapers, to millions of books sold worldwide? The answer to this question begins in 1947, when one artist created the first ever manga book, pushing Japanese comics into the next generation. This artist, also known as ‘The God of Manga’ was Osamu Tezuka. It is known across Japan that ‘without Dr Tezuka, the post-war explosion in comics in Japan would have been inconceivable’ (Gravett, (P) 2004, pg. 24) The scale of the boom of comics in Japan was due to his innovations in both comics and animation, and they ‘continue to influence both platforms to this day.’ (Gravett, (P) 2004, pg. 24) It was Tezuka who led the way in transforming Japanese comics, and this was all due to his passion for manga, as well as being strongly influenced by Western influences such as ‘Walt Disney and the Fleischer Brothers’ (Koyama- Richard, (B) 2007, pg. 148). He was the first manga artist to take advantage of a major shift in Japan after the war. Because of strict censorship laws in place, artists had no expressive freedom, however after the war, Japan lifted these laws, which enabled Tezuka to use his imagination and express himself freely in his creative field. It was this expression and freedom that separated Tezuka from the comic artists at this time, as his imagination led him to experiment with different techniques and styles to create something new and unique. ‘He led the way in transforming manga’s image through the sheer range of genres and subjects he tackled, his nuanced characterizations, his kinetic layouts and above all his emphasis on the need for a compelling story - one that was unafraid to confront the most basic human questions of identity, loss, death and injustice.’ (Gravett, (P) 2004, pg. 24)

Chapter One - Osamu Tezuka: An Artist from Childhood

Osamu Tezuka was born in 1928 in Toyonaka, Japan. At the age of 5, his family moved to Takarazuka in Japan, where he was raised. Tezuka had a privileged childhood in comparison to many at the time, being able to watch ‘8-millimeter prints of Disney and other American and European films in his own home’ (Kelts, (R) 2007, pg. 41), which was very rare for families at this time. His father was an avid reader of comics, both Japanese and American, giving Tezuka the opportunity to experience comics and take influence from them at an early age. His father also had a hobby of trying to replicate comics, drawing his own copies of them. This hobby was taken up by Tezuka, sparking his passion for drawing his own comic panels. His mother was also a key influence on Tezuka as she would regularly take him to attend shows at their local theatre, the Takarazuka theatre. This theatre however was run by women, so all of their shows contained actresses. The piece of work by Tezuka where the theatre was a clear influence is his first shojo manga, Princess Sapphire. ‘His famous heroine, Princess Sapphire, complete with those characteristic shining stars in her huge eyes, resembles those of the Takarazuka Theater as much as she does Disney animation.’ (Koyama- Richard, (B) 2007, pg. 152). The theatre gave Tezuka a feel for drama and instilled a sense of cinematic wonder. This went on to grow with the introduction of cinema in Tezuka’s life, especially animations by Walt Disney. Tezuka spent much of his childhood in the cinema, watching Disney movies and even taking a sketchbook and drawing some of the images. ‘He loved movies in general. And he loved the natural world.’ ‘He loved Bambi so much that he claimed to have seen it eighty times, memorizing the film from start to finish.’ (Kelts, (R) 2007, pg. 42) It is greatly noticeable throughout Tezuka’s work the influence Walt Disney animation had on his art style.

It was cinema, above all the other influences during his childhood, where Tezuka gained most of his influence. It was through amateur filmmaking with his father that he began to look at comics in a different way, and tried to create movement using flipbooks. From watching so many films in his lifetime, Tezuka asked himself, ‘how can I draw comics that make people laugh, cry and be moved, like that movie?’ (Gravett, (P) 2004, pg. 26)

Tezuka’s style was completely new, as he created his Manga in a style of a movie, creating a unique page layout with a ‘clever use of sound effects, and a lavish spread of frames to depict a single action’. (Schodt, (F.L) 1986, pg. 62) It was this unique style of drawing comics which enticed readers to want to see more from the artist, thus beginning an era of manga and animation which transformed both mediums.

Chapter Two - After WWII: Changing the face of Manga

After the war, Tezuka began to experiment with the limits of manga. He strongly felt that ‘existing comics were limiting… Most were drawn as if seated in an audience viewing a stage, where the actors emerge from the wings and interact.’ (Schodt, (F.L) 1986, pg. 63) He sought to create something new and engaging, and wanted readers to experience ‘tears, grief, anger and hate and I created stories where the ending was not always ‘happy’.’ (Schodt, (F.L) 1986, pg. 63) It was after the war and with the import of Western comics and cinema into Japan, that Tezuka began to take influence from Western media. Tezuka’s new way of creating comics grew immensely in popularity, through his first manga book ‘Shintakarajima’ (New Treasure Island), and it is estimated that this book sold between 400,000 and 800,000 copies with no publicity. (Schodt, (F.L) 1986, pg. 62)

Chapter Three - His Work, and its Influence on Modern Manga

Through comics in childrens magazines and manga books, Tezuka developed his style and modern manga. He soon became a household name in Japan, but it was in 1950 that Tezuka’s work transformed with the release of ‘Kimba the White Lion (also known as The Jungle Emperor), with its touching animal character, brought him an international reputation.’ (Koyama- Richard, (B) 2007, pg. 150) It was, however, Astro (Testuwan Atomu) or Astro Boy which has been his most famous manga. It was this comic, along with the masses of others Tezuka released, that influenced the next generation of artists and gave birth to gekiga. This style of creating manga is defined as drawing realistic panels and stories, featuring violence and gore. This movement began in the Kansai region in the 1950s, and their mangas contain dramatic images, ‘bereft of humor, their stories offer a bleak reflection of everyday life and social problems.’ (Koyama- Richard, (B) 2007, pg. 154) With the expansion of his popularity, Tezuka began experimenting with ‘his new style in a spate of productivity, creating science fiction, detective stories, historical works, and romances for girls.’ (Schodt, (F.L) 1986, pg. 64) Continuing his expansion of works, It was in the 1960’s where Tezuka began to create comics for adults, containing ‘satires for consumerism, eroticism and ambition.’ (McCarthy, (H) 2009, pg. 162) It is in this experimentation, Tezuka created ‘new cinematic techniques’ which ‘allowed a level of character and plot development that had been previously unimaginable.’ (Schodt, (F.L) 1986, pg. 64)

Chapter Four - Leaving his Mark on Modern Manga and Animation

Tezuka’s life work led him to be known as ‘The God of Manga’, with his place in history being regarded as equivalent to ‘that of D.W. Griffith in the history of cinema.’ (Gravett, (P) 2004, pg. 24) He is regarded as a remarkable 20th century figure, and even has his own museum in his home town of Takarazuka to celebrate his long career in manga and animation. Tezuka’s passion for animation led him to create many short animated films and television shows of his manga stories. It can also be said that Tezuka was a strong influence on Walt Disney, with ‘Kimba the White Lion’ having striking similarities to Disney’s ‘The Lion King’. A close friend of Tezuka claims that if he were alive when ‘The Lion King’ was released, ‘“and if he knew about even the rumor that Disney might have copied elements of his work, he would have been proud.”’(Kelts, (R) 2007, pg. 45) The legacy of Tezuka can be seen in all modern day manga, with their uses of sound effects and unique panel structures and characters. Through the birth of gekiga, brought new forms of manga, such as dark comics, adult erotic comics, as well as comics containing horror and violence. These all derived from Tezuka’s works, with his influence strongly present in every manga on sale to this day.

Conclusion

Osamu Tezuka is internationally known for his work and transformation of manga and animation. ‘Tezuka is where today’s anime style starts.’ (Kelts, (R) 2007, pg. 41) He was the beginning of ‘ interrelations between Japanese and American artists-a cross-pollination of influences that traverses the realms of computer-generated images (CGI), limited or two-dimensional animation, and live action.’ (Kelts, (R) 2007, pg 42) Tezuka’s passion for manga stemmed from his attempt at crossing national boundaries, claiming that ‘comics are a bridge between all cultures.’ (Gravett, (P) 2004, pg. 30) It was this passion that led the artist through an extensive career in manga and animation. He explains how he has seen ‘ all the twists and turns that mark the extraordinary growth of Japanese comics over the last nearly forty years.’ (Schodt, (F.L) 1986, pg. 11) His life's work was to ‘further peace and goodwill among nations’ (Schodt, (F.L) 1986, pg. 11) through comics and animation. He was successful in his goal, with manga and Japanese animation (Anime) being a large part of culture in both Japan and across the world. This was because of Tezuka’s hard work and dedication that this was all possible. Most nights, only sleeping for a few hours, Tezuka created his work, fueled by his passion for comics. Although he died young, he had produced 150,000 pages for 600 manga titles as well as 60 animated titles, as well as lectures, essays and film reviews, enough to last lifetimes as well as influence generations to come.

Bibliography

Gravett, P. (2004) Manga: sixty years of Japanese comics. London: Laurence King.

In text citation: (Gravett, (P) 2004, pg. )

Kelts, R. (2007) Japanamerica : how Japanese pop culture has invaded the U.S. New York; Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

In text citation: (Kelts, (R) 2007, pg. )

Koyama-Richard, B. (2007) One thousand years of Manga. Paris: Flammarion.

In text citation: (Koyama-Richard, (B) 2007, pg. )

McCarthy, H. (2009) The art of Osamu Tezuka : god of manga. Lewes: Ilex.

In text citation: (McCarthy, (H) 2009, pg. )

Schodt, F.L. (1986) Manga! manga!: world of Japanese comics. Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd.

In text citation: (Schodt, (F.L) 1986, pg. )