Manga is the Japanese word for comics. Outside of Japan, it refers specifically to comics originally published in Japan, or works in that style. Manga developed from a mixture of foreign styles of drawing. Manga, literally translated, means "random (or whimsical) pictures". Professional Manga is the first book to marry manga technique with real-world digital practice. It describes manga storytelling techniques, from speed lines to chibi, from toning to big sound effects. The book then describes how best to accomplish these techniques using the leading manga art creation program, Manga Studio EX. Throughout the book are step-by-step manga illustrations and Manga Studio screenshots that show how these illustrations were created. In the book centerfold is a new manga short story: The Other Side of the Tracks, which is a coda to the book, as it shows at least one example from every technique described. The short story will be continued on the book's web site, after the book publishes.
