International
Manga Summer School ®
Manga courses by the
European Manga Academy since 2007.
Beginner level
What you’ll learn: principles of breaking figures into geometric shapes; body structure; hair designs; hands and feet; dynamic poses; facial expressions, emotions, and feelings.
Fundamentals of inking techniques with Japanese pen nibs applied to characters and patterns; basics of character design.
Layout and structure of yon-koma manga; colour balance on black and white pages; framing, angles, and standpoints.
Intermediate level
What you’ll learn: Perspective and background design.
Aori and fukan perspective applied to characters. Different body structures. Clothing, accessories, and props design.
Page layout; higher-level inking techniques with Japanese nibs and fude-pen; lights and shadows.
Fundamentals of Japanese screen tones; basics of story telling and name-note.
BEST DEAL: Beginner + Intermediate Levels!
If you feel like one week of training is too little, why not stay two weeks instead?
You can attend both the beginner and intermediate levels within a fortnight!
Careful though: you might start arguing about the right ingredients for pasta carbonara like a true Italian once you’re back home.
Advanced level
What you’ll learn: Analysis and application of framing and compositions. In-depth study of layout on multiple pages; development of an original story.
Advanced perspective and background design. Advanced inking and screening techniques for both backgrounds and effects.
Coloring techniques with alcohol and water-based colors.
Master course
What to expect: A one-week in-depth production course with a Japanese professional teacher from Tokyo Designer Gakuin, dedicated to those who have completed the Advanced Level of our introductory courses.
The content of the master course changes every year, but is always focused on the production of original manga pages and illustrations. The starting prompt is sometimes decided based on a series of keywords, poetry, Japanese folklore tales or even take a more work-like approach and have the students try their hand at being a professional manga assistant.
Regardless, it’s an incredible experience to hone one’s skills and learn how to overcome the obstacles of a manga artist.
Trip to Japan
Once you’ve completed the IntermediateLevel, you can apply to our study trip to spend three weeks in Japan with us!
The European Manga Academy is the only institution who offers a study program in Japan focused on manga technique. Our trip relies on experience, well-established relationships with the most prestigious Japanese academies, and the valuable collaboration of professionals in the fields of manga, publishing and animation.
CLOSER THAN YOU THINK
Direct daily flights from all over Europe and a private shuttle service connecting Pisa airport / train station to the school’s campus.
About Us
Established in 2007
The earliest experiences and courses took place in a lovely farmhouse in the Tuscan countryside back in 2007. Our first class was made up of 12 single-minded students and only lasted a week. After two years of continuous training, study and meticulous research, the European Manga Academy was officially founded in 2009 and became the official European partner of Yoyogi Animation Gakuin and Tokyo Designer Gakuin.
