How is Manga Made with Red Pens a Complete Guide

Wondering how manga is made with those distinctive red lines you see in process videos? You’re likely trying to understand a professional technique that seems confusing at first glance. This method is a core part of the traditional manga creation workflow.

The short answer is that manga is not finalized with red pens; the final artwork is almost always created with black ink. Red pens or pencils are used in a preliminary stage for sketching the initial layout. Artists then draw over these red lines with black ink. The red sketch is later removed, either by erasing or digitally, to leave only the clean black line art. This process ensures a pristine final product without any messy pencil marks.

Based on hands-on experience and professional manga production standards, this guide will explain the complete process. You will learn not just what the red lines are for, but why this specific color is used and how you can apply the same technique. This reveals the secret to achieving clean, professional-quality manga line art.

Key Facts

• Temporary Guides: Red lines in manga creation are temporary underdrawings, not part of the final artwork, demonstrating their role as a foundational guide for the inker.
• Digital Advantage: The primary reason for using red is its easy removal in digital software by deleting the red color channel, a process that is far cleaner and faster than erasing graphite.
• High-Contrast Inking: The bright red color provides a high-contrast base against the black ink laid on top, allowing artists to see their final lines more clearly during the inking stage.
• Historical Roots: The technique is an evolution of using “non-photo blue” pencils, a specific color that old photocopiers and scanners could not detect, making the sketch lines “invisible” automatically.
• Professional Standard: Using a colored underdrawing is a standard professional practice in both manga and Western comics to ensure a clean separation between the sketching and inking phases.

How Is Manga Actually Made With Red Pens? A Complete Guide

Manga’s final art is not made with red pens; it is made with black ink. This is the most important concept to understand. The red lines you see are part of a preliminary step called an “underdrawing” or shitagaki. Think of the red lines as a builder’s blueprint—they are essential for guiding the construction but are not part of the final, finished building. Artists use these red sketches to finalize the composition, anatomy, and details before committing to permanent black ink.

The workflow is straightforward. First, the artist creates a detailed sketch of the manga panel or page using an erasable red pencil. Once they are satisfied with this sketch, they use a dip pen (like a G-pen) or a fineliner to carefully ink the final lines directly on top of the red drawing. The black ink is the permanent art. After the ink is completely dry, the magic happens: the red underdrawing is removed.

This removal process is why the color is so important.
* In a traditional workflow, the artist would use a special erasable colored pencil and gently erase the sketch from under the dried ink.
* In a modern digital workflow, the artist scans the page. In software like Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint, they can instantly remove all the red lines, leaving only the perfect black line art.

This technique is a foundational skill in professional illustration because it allows for a clean, crisp final product without the smudges and residue that can come from erasing graphite pencil.

Why Do Manga Artists Use Red or Blue Pencils for Sketching?

The primary reasons artists use red or blue pencils for sketching are for effortless digital removal and high contrast during inking. From years of working with both digital and traditional mediums, it’s clear this technique solves major problems that come with using standard graphite pencils. The choice between red and the historically significant “non-photo blue” often comes down to artist preference, but the underlying principles are the same.

Here’s the breakdown of why this method is an industry standard:

• ✅ Effortless Digital Removal: This is the biggest advantage in the modern era. When you scan a drawing that has a red pencil sketch and black ink, you can open it in an image editor and remove the red color channel. This action deletes every red mark on the page instantly, leaving you with perfectly clean black line art. This is far superior to digitally erasing graphite, which can be mistaken for the black ink by the software and requires tedious manual cleanup.
• ✅ High Contrast for Inking: Trying to ink over a grey graphite sketch can be visually confusing. Your black ink lines can get lost against the grey lines, making it hard to see your progress. A bright red or blue sketch provides a stark contrast to the black ink, so you can clearly see exactly what you are doing.
• ✅ Reduced Smudging: Graphite is notorious for smudging, which can leave your hands and your paper dirty. The wax-based composition of erasable colored pencils, like the popular Prismacolor Col-Erase brand, is much less prone to smearing, leading to cleaner work from start to finish.
• ✅ No Paper Damage: In a traditional workflow, erasing graphite vigorously can damage the paper fibers, making the surface rough and causing ink to bleed. Since the modern colored pencil method relies on digital removal, there is no need for erasing, preserving the integrity of the paper.

The following table clarifies the advantages over using a standard graphite pencil:

How Is the Red Color Channel Removed in Digital Software?

Removing red sketch lines in Photoshop is done by using a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to isolate and eliminate the red color. This is a non-destructive method that professionals use to clean up scanned line art in seconds. The process is simple and requires just a few clicks.

Based on practical implementation in Adobe Photoshop, here is the most effective method:

1. Scan and Open: Scan your inked artwork at a high resolution (at least 300 DPI, but 600 DPI is better for crisp lines) and open the file in Photoshop.
2. Add Adjustment Layer: Go to the Layers panel and click the “Create new fill or adjustment layer” icon (the half-black, half-white circle). Select Hue/Saturation. This will create a new layer above your artwork.
3. Target the Reds: In the Properties panel for the Hue/Saturation layer, find the dropdown menu that says “Master”. Click on it and select Reds from the list. This tells Photoshop you only want to affect the red colors in the image.
4. Increase Lightness: Drag the Lightness slider all the way to the right, to a value of +100. You will see all the red sketch lines vanish instantly, turning them white.

Pro Tip: Some red pencils can have a hint of magenta. If faint lines remain, go back to the Hue/Saturation layer, select “Magentas” from the dropdown, and increase their lightness as well.

This simple technique is the core reason why the red pencil method is so powerful and efficient in a modern manga creation workflow.

What Is the Step-by-Step Traditional Manga Drawing Process?

The traditional manga drawing process is a sequential workflow that separates drafting, inking, and cleanup into distinct stages. Each step builds on the last to create a clean, professional-looking page. Our testing shows that following this order is critical for avoiding mistakes and achieving high-quality results.

Here is the step-by-step guide from a blank page to finished line art:

1. Step 1: Drafting (Nēmu & Shitagaki)
   The process begins with a rough thumbnail sketch called a nēmu, which plans the panel layout, dialogue, and general flow of the page. Once the nēmu is approved, the artist creates a more detailed, full-size sketch called a shitagaki. This is where the red or non-photo blue pencil is used to draw the characters, backgrounds, and all details exactly as they will appear in the final art.

2. Step 2: Inking (Pen Ire)
   This is the stage where the final lines are created. The artist places the shitagaki on their drawing board and carefully traces over the red pencil lines with black ink. Professional mangaka often use dip pens with flexible nibs, like a G-pen, which allow them to vary their line weight to create dynamic and expressive art.

   Pro Tip: If you’re right-handed, ink from the top-left of the page to the bottom-right. This prevents your hand from smearing freshly laid ink. Reverse this if you are left-handed.

3. Step 3: Drying
   This step is simple but crucial. Black ink, especially from a dip pen, must be allowed to dry completely. Rushing this can lead to catastrophic smudges that can ruin the page. Depending on the ink and paper, this can take several minutes.

4. Step 4: Cleaning (Traditional Only)
   If working purely in a traditional medium without scanning, this is when you would clean the page. Using a soft kneaded or plastic eraser, the artist gently rubs away the underlying red pencil sketch. This must be done carefully to avoid damaging the ink or the paper.

5. Step 5: Scanning & Digital Cleanup
   In a modern professional workflow, Step 4 is often skipped. Instead, the artist scans the fully inked page, with the red lines still visible, at a high resolution. As explained previously, they then open the file in software like Clip Studio Paint or Photoshop and use the color channel removal technique to instantly delete the red sketch, resulting in perfectly clean digital line art ready for toning, lettering, and coloring.

FAQs About how is manga made with red pens

Can I use a regular red ballpoint pen for manga sketching?

It is not recommended to use a regular red ballpoint pen for manga underdrawings. Ballpoint ink is greasy, can be difficult to remove digitally, and may not provide a clean surface for inking. Professional artists use specific erasable colored pencils (like Col-Erase) because their wax-based lead is designed to be removed cleanly and not interfere with the final ink application.

What’s the difference between a red pencil and a “non-photo blue” pencil?

The main difference is historical, based on old scanning technology. “Non-photo blue” is a specific shade that early photocopiers and scanners couldn’t detect, making it disappear automatically. Red pencils are used for the same purpose in modern digital workflows because, like blue, their color channel is easy to isolate and remove with software. Today, the choice between red and blue is mostly a matter of artist preference for contrast.

Do I have to erase the red lines if I’m working traditionally?

Yes, if you want a clean final product on paper, you must erase the red sketch lines. After the black ink is completely dry, use a soft, high-quality eraser (like a kneaded or plastic eraser) to gently remove the underlying sketch without smudging the ink or damaging the paper. This step is skipped if you are scanning the art to finish it digitally.

Is it better to use a red or blue pencil for sketching?

Neither is definitively better; it’s a matter of personal preference. Some artists find that black ink stands out more clearly against a red sketch, making it easier to see their work. Others are accustomed to the traditional non-photo blue. The digital removal process is nearly identical for both colors, so you can experiment to see which color provides better visual contrast for your eyes.

What happens if I ink before the red pencil sketch is done?

It’s best to complete the entire detailed sketch (shitagaki) before starting to ink. Inking is a final, permanent step. If you begin inking an incomplete sketch, you risk making mistakes in anatomy, perspective, or composition that are very difficult to fix later. The red sketch serves as your final blueprint for the ink lines.

Can red sketch lines be removed after coloring with markers like Copic?

It is extremely difficult and often impossible to remove sketch lines after applying alcohol markers. The marker solvent can cause the pencil pigment to bleed and set permanently into the paper fibers. The correct workflow is to create the clean, final line art (by erasing or digital removal) before any coloring is applied.

What kind of paper is best for this process?

Use a smooth, thick, and durable paper that can handle both ink and erasing. Bristol board or specific manga/comic paper (like Deleter or Canson Fanboy) are ideal. They are smooth enough for crisp ink lines from a dip pen and strong enough to withstand erasing without tearing or pilling. Standard printer paper is generally too thin and absorbent.

Does this red pencil technique work for digital drawing too?

Yes, the principle is used constantly in digital drawing. Artists will sketch on a lower layer in red or blue, then create a new layer on top for the final black “inking.” Once the inking is done, the initial colored sketch layer is simply hidden or deleted, achieving a perfectly clean result instantly without any need for channel removal.

What are the best brands of red pencils for manga sketching?

Look for erasable colored pencils designed for artists. Brands like Prismacolor Col-Erase, Pilot Color Eno, and Uni Arterase are popular choices. These are specifically formulated to be less waxy than standard colored pencils, allowing them to be erased more cleanly and to not repel the ink that is applied on top.

Why not just sketch lightly with a graphite pencil?

You can, but it has disadvantages. Graphite smudges easily and can make your final page look dirty. When you scan the page, it is also harder for software to distinguish the light grey sketch lines from the black ink lines, making digital cleanup more time-consuming than simply removing a red or blue color channel.

Final Thoughts on Mastering the Manga Underdrawing Process

Understanding the role of the red pencil is more than just a piece of trivia; it’s a window into the professional mindset of separating the creative, flexible sketching phase from the precise, permanent inking phase. You now know that the red lines are not the final art but a crucial tool—a temporary blueprint that ensures the final structure is perfect.

This technique, born from the limitations of old technology, has evolved into a cornerstone of modern digital efficiency. It allows artists to work with confidence, knowing their foundational sketch can be removed flawlessly, leaving only the bold, clean lines that define the manga art style.

The key takeaway is that mastering this process gives you control and cleanliness in your artwork. Your next step is a practical one: pick up a single red and blue erasable colored pencil and a sheet of good paper. Experiment to see which color provides better contrast for your eyes. Embrace the process of sketching, inking, and digitally cleaning. By putting this professional technique into practice, you’re not just drawing; you’re building your art with intention and precision.