How to Draw Phoenix Wright Manga.

Phoenix Wright is one of my favorite games for DS so it was lot of fun to create this drawing tutorial ^_^.

Here is a simple 3D model I created in Zbrush to help you visualize how the head looks in perspective.

The blue lines are real 3D objects showing where the Center Line and Eye Line should be. Notice how the center line passes through the nose.

Step 1: Whenever you see me using blue pencil it means this line is just a construction line and will be erased later, if you are drawing on paper be sure to draw it lightly. Now, draw the center line of the head, start at the top and curve it slightly towards the bottom. Be sure to leave enough empty space for the jacket that will be put under the head later.

Step 2: Draw a dot at the back where the jaw and the back of the skull is golng to connect. Draw the jaw line connecting this dot with the chin. Draw a circle like shape from the dot to the top of the center line.

Step 3: Draw the left side of the face by adding the line from the top of the center line to the bottom and add the neck lines. The line at the bottom of the neck will be the border of the shirt collar.

Step 4: Divide the center line into 3 equal parts. The first line will represent the eyebrows and the second line marks the bottom of the nose. 

Step 5: Add the eye line and the mouth line. The eye line should be below the eyebrow line about 1/3 of the distance between the eyebrow line and the line marking the bottom of the nose. The mouth line should be about halfway between the nose and chin. This line will represent the bottom of the lips.

Step 6: Fit an ear between the eye and mouth line. It's quite a big ear (O_O). Be sure to double check all the proportions before you move on, this is a very important stage and if you find out later that, for example, your eyes are too high or something like that it can be a lot of work to repair it. 

Step 7: Add the sternocleidomastoideus muscle connecting the neck and the bottom of the head. it is bulged as the head is turned quite far to the left. If you are drawing on paper now is the time to lighten up the construction lines with your kneadable eraser. Keep them just dark enough to see. If you are uslng painting software then create a new layer and lighten the layer with the construction lines by, for example, increasing its transparency. Now draw the nose into the new layer starting at the eyebrow line.

Step 8: Draw eye and eyebrow. Notice that the corner of the eye sits on the eye line and it is verticaly in almost same position as the peak of the eyebrow. 

Step 9: Draw mouth connecting to nose, make the connection line more fluid than I did ^_^. Notice that the corner of the mouth should line up with the bottom corner of the eye. The bottom of the lips should touch the mouth construction line.

Step 10: Draw the left side of the face and define the chin, jaw and ear shape. Start to draw the hairline.

Step 11: Draw hair. Notice that there are 4 main spikes on the right side. The bottom root of the 2nd spike is aligned with the eyebrow line and the bottom root of the 4th with the nose line. Also notice that each spike is a little shorter going from top to bottom.

Step 12: Draw the eye and add the line for the lower lid to the right.

Step 13: Draw the eyebrows and add 2 concentric circles in the eye to form the iris and pupil.

Step 14: Continue with the nose. Notice that it is not completely straight, there is a slight curvature.

 Step 15: Add mouth. The lips should be quite sharp except for the connection to the nose.

 Step 16: Add detaiis to the ear. Notice the shadow under the top rim. 

Step 17: Add hairline, I also rounded all the circles in the eye.

Step 18: Finished clean outline.

Step 19: Add hair detail.

Step 20: I hope you have kept space for the jacket, If you are in Open Canvas or Photoshop you can just increase the canvas size if needed, could be harder on paper (^_^) Start with the 'V' line of the inside of the jacket lapels and then add the shirt collar and outer jacket lapels. Don’t forget the Attorney Badge!

Step 21: Add tie and finish the jacket. Notice that the knot of the tie is under the collar and the bottom is under the Jacket lapels.

Step 22: Finishing touches. Add more black to the meeting points of any 2 lines. This will add dimension and will help to sell the fact that these objects are overlapping. 

Step 23: Draw shade where 2 spikes of hair meet each other, same concept as In Step 22. Erase the highllght In the eye and voila, Phoenix is ready to shout ‘0bjection!" (^_^).

Final words: Be sure to try to draw the picture again from memory after you finish drawing it following this tutorial. To remember how to draw it you need to first understand it and once you understand and remember the process it will make you a much better artist. Draw it from memory and then compare and correct your drawing. Repeat the process the next day and you'|l be surprised how much you've learned. You can watch the whole drawing process on youtube at:

www.youtube.com/HowToDrawManga3D

I am working on a coloring tutorial at the moment and also accepting requests for the next tutorlal. It has to be manga, preferably from video games (-_^)

Draw with passion!
Hiroshi