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I am looking mainly for what would commonly be called "manga"-styled artists - however, I am not entirely opposed to certain non-manga styles. I prefer styles that are clean and sharp; I feel that capturing a mood or expression is more important than anatomical accuracy (though the latter is itself desirable). Though I am seeking manga styles, and I do not have an aversion to "cartoony" styles (my own drawing style is fairly cartoony), what I do not want is a lot of manga "shorthand" - that is, some of the manga-specific things like giant sweatdrops or four-line veinpops or chibi figures or overly simplified faces in awkward moments. Many artists get by without using those things - I prefer that the artists on this project also do not use them, even when the stories take comedic turns. (At least in the main portion of the book. There may be cases, such as omake or other extras, where sillier forms of expression may be used.) "Manga" style is really a misnomer, particularly since so many different styles fall under its banner. But, in general, I am looking for styles that would not be too out of place in the pages of Shonen Jump. Some styles, such as those intended for girls' manga, may not suit the action-adventure types of stories I want to tell. Nor would the feathery waif-man styles used in "shonen-ai" comics be suitable. Manga artists whose work I enjoy include (but are not limited to) Takeshi Obata, Kenichi Sonada, and Akihito Yoshitomi. Adam Warren's manga-influenced style is also a favorite of mine. Non-"manga" artists such as Bruce Timm and Michael Avon Oeming are examples of "cartoony" artists who have simple but very effective styles. Artists like Amanda Conner and Carla Speed McNeil have more realistic styles, but still manage to bring in effective stylization and expression to their work. |