Manga artists: share your anime art and get paid by your fans
Original characters, fan art, doujinshi, digital artbooks, process videos, brushes and commissions. As a manga artist on OtakuOshi, you post all of it for the people who follow your work. Fans get anime-style art made, and signed, by independent artists.
What a manga artist does, and where fan art and doujin fit in
A manga artist creates characters and scenes in the visual language of Japanese anime and manga. On OtakuOshi, this category covers three ways of working that often overlap on the same profile.
Anime and manga illustration (アニメ・マンガイラスト). Concept art, covers, posters, original characters (OCs) and custom pieces. The work can be fully original. What defines it is using Japanese visual conventions to tell something new, not copying characters that already exist.
Fan art (ファンアート). Illustrations that reimagine characters from anime, manga, video games and light novels. They range from on-model takes that follow the official designs to alternate universes (AUs), redesigns and style swaps. It’s a tribute with your own signature on it, and it gets a page of its own: fan art.
Doujin and doujinshi (同人・同人誌). Self-published work by independent artists or circles. That includes story manga, whether original or derivative (二次創作, niji sōsaku), illustration artbooks and sketch collections. It’s one of the most respected traditions in otaku culture. Comiket is its big gathering in Japan, while in the US a lot of artists meet their audience at convention artist alleys such as the one at Anime Expo. If you mainly want to publish stories, there’s a dedicated page for doujinshi artists.
Here you post for your own fans: finished illustrations, themed sets, artbooks, layered source files, tutorials, brushes, timelapses and commissions. They get access through a subscription or a one-time purchase, and the earnings go straight to you. The money side is explained on the payouts page.
What anime and manga illustrators can post
Artists mix standalone pieces with more polished collections. These are the most common formats in the category.
Illustration sets
Curated finished pieces (PNG/JPG) made for screens: anime characters, reimagined scenes, outfit changes, seasonal series or character galleries from a single title. They come in high resolution, with clear file names and tidy folders.
Digital artbooks (PDF)
Collections with an editorial thread: spreads, character studies, annotated sketches, palettes and process notes. The layout gives the illustrations pacing and context, so it reads like a book rather than a folder of images.
Doujinshi and story manga
Self-published manga with your own story and characters, or derivative work in the doujin tradition. It goes up as JPG, PDF or CBR, or page by page on the platform. Anything from one-shots to ongoing series with regular installments works (more on the doujin manga page).
Brushes and assets
Custom brushes for Clip Studio Paint, Procreate, Photoshop or SAI. Also palettes, textures, screentones, frames, overlays, mockups and layout templates, all as downloadable ZIPs. Other artists use them, and so do fans who draw.
Timelapses and process
The whole process, from first stroke to final piece: timelapse videos, captures of each stage (sketch, lineart, flats, shading, lighting) and notes on the technical choices. It’s the format that teaches the most to anyone learning, and there’s more of this kind of material under tutorials and templates.
Custom commissions
Made-to-order work: icons, banners, covers, character sheets, emotes, VTuber overlays or full illustrations with the characters and setting the fan picks. Price, details and turnaround are agreed through the messaging system.
For fans: how to buy illustrations, packs and artbooks
Every product page reads like a small artbook and covers what you should know before you pay: a preview of the pieces, the character and source series, the number of files, the resolution (in px and DPI), the format (PNG, JPG, PDF, PSD, CLIP), the color profile (sRGB, or CMYK if it’s meant for print), whether it includes layers or variants, and the usage license.
To pick well, look at how consistent the palette is, the character acting (how pose and expression carry personality), how clean the linework is and how the piece holds up at its final size. In a set or an artbook, also check that the style stays consistent from start to finish. And if you plan to print, look for 300 DPI files and large native sizes, which keep the detail.
There are two ways in. A monthly subscription unlocks the artist’s whole exclusive catalog, with WIPs, process posts, early previews and polls. A one-time purchase unlocks a specific set or artbook. Either way, the download is instant and the files stay in your library. When the artist updates a product with new pages, fixes or extras, you get the update too. You’ll find the details on the How it works and payouts pages.
How to sell your art as a manga artist
Do you draw manga pages, character designs, concept art, fan art or assets for other artists? OtakuOshi gives you a specialized storefront to post that work, reach people who value Japanese-inspired art and earn money from it.
You can upload illustration sets (PNG/JPG), laid-out PDF artbooks, doujinshi (PDF, CBR or page by page), layered source files (PSD, CLIP), brushes and assets (ZIP), timelapses (MP4), mockups and templates. Describe each post properly: the character and source title, how many pages or files it has, the resolution and DPI, whether it includes layers or extras, and which license you offer.
Income can come from several places. There are monthly tiered subscriptions, for example one tier with finished illustrations and a premium tier with PSDs, process videos, tutorials and commission priority. On top of that you have pay-to-unlock sales of packs and artbooks, commissions (icons, banners, covers, emotes, overlays, character sheets), tips and the affiliate program. It helps a lot to give each project its backstory: say whether it’s a set of seasonal studies, a themed series or your take on a well-known cast. What the platform offers every kind of creator is summed up on the creators page.
How an anime illustrator works, from sketch to post
Every artist has their own habits, but anime-style illustration usually goes through these stages.
Concept and references
You pick the character, the series and the concept. You gather references (official designs, key art, screenshots, concept art) and settle on the intent (on-model take, alternate universe, themed series, expression studies or outfit changes) and the final format, whether that’s a single piece, a set, an artbook or a doujinshi.
Sketch and composition
Quick thumbnails and rough sketches let you work out composition, pose, proportions and where the eye travels. For a doujinshi, this is the storyboard stage (ネーム, name), which lays out the storytelling page by page. For an artbook, this is where the spreads take shape.
Lineart and inking
The sketch becomes final linework, with clean strokes, consistent line weight and detail on the face, hair, clothes and accessories. On a long comic, every page has to be inked without the style drifting. Some artists go for bold, heavy lines, and others prefer a painterly finish where the line melts into the color.
Color, shading and lighting
Flats come first, sticking to the character’s palette or the one you chose. Then comes form, with cel shading for the anime look or opaque rendering for a more painterly style. Last, you set the light source and add highlights, rim light, reflections and the effects that bring the piece to life.
Layout and variants
Multi-page releases get laid out with their spreads, typography and visual rhythm. For sets, you prepare the variants if there are any: expressions, accessories, outfits, with or without background, alternate palettes. Then the files get clear names and a logical folder structure.
Export and publishing
You export the final files in high resolution (sRGB, 3,000–6,000 px) and zip up the set or generate the PDF. You fill in the product page with character, series, resolution, format, rating and license, and you publish. Your subscribers get the content right away.
Manga art styles you’ll find here
Classic anime, manga and game favorites share the category with this season’s new shows. These are the styles you’ll see most.
Classic anime and manga. The most recognizable one, with expressive eyes, stylized proportions, clean lines, hard-edged cel shading and bright palettes. Semi-realism. Stylized features with carefully rendered textures, light and anatomy. Chibi or SD. Adorable versions with big heads and tiny bodies, perfect for stickers, icons and merch. Yume kawaii. A sweet, dreamy look with pastels, sparkles, stars and fantasy touches.
Painterly or opaque painting. Rich form, texture and soft edges, influenced by traditional painting. Pixel art. Retro illustration built pixel by pixel with limited palettes. Neon and cyberpunk. Saturated colors, high contrast and a sci-fi feel. Manga screentones. Black and white with tones that mimic printed manga. You’ll also find plenty of collaborations between line artists, colorists and layout artists, with each one credited.
Formats and technical specs
These are the formats and standards used for illustration and manga published on OtakuOshi.
Illustration (PNG / JPG)
High resolution (3,000–6,000 px), sRGB for screens and CMYK when it’s marked as print-ready. PNG when there’s transparency, JPG with controlled compression. Previews show off the style without giving away full resolution.
Artbook and doujinshi (PDF / CBR)
Laid-out PDFs with spreads, studies and editorial text, or CBR for digital comic readers. The resolution works both for reading on screen and for a private print. Story manga can also be published page by page on the platform.
Source files (PSD / CLIP)
Separate layers for sketch, lines, flats, shading, lighting and effects. They appeal to artists who want to study how a piece was made and to collectors of the original file. They’re usually premium content in the higher tiers.
Video and timelapse (MP4)
Sped-up or real-time process videos in MP4 (H.264), at 1080p or 4K. They run from two- or three-minute timelapses to long, step-by-step tutorials.
Product page metadata
Beyond everything covered above, each product page lists the technique, the software and the content rating. Tags by series, character, style and technique help people find you.
License
By default, the license is for personal use: wallpaper, collecting and private printing. Without express permission, redistribution, commercial use (merch, streaming) and AI model training aren’t allowed. Broader use requires a specific license or a commission agreed with the artist.
Content ratings
Illustration and manga follow the same rating levels as the rest of the catalog, as set out in the Publishing Principles. All ages (全年齢) is for illustration suitable for everyone, with no sexualization. R-15 covers sensual aesthetics or light ecchi, with suggestive poses, revealing outfits or a subtly charged composition, always without nudity or sexual acts (more on the ecchi artists page). R-18 is for explicit adult content, with restricted access and mandatory age verification.
With fan art, each artist is responsible for meeting the conditions the Terms of Service set for derivative works. Sexualizing minors or childlike-looking characters, plagiarizing or tracing other artists, passing off AI-generated art as your own and posting content that goes against the Ethics Policy are all prohibited.
Manga artist FAQ
What fans and artists ask us most about buying and posting manga art on OtakuOshi.
An artbook (PDF) is a longer editorial release, laid out with spreads, studies and text that give the pieces context. A set is a selection of finished illustrations (PNG/JPG) that you get as individual files. In both cases, the product page lists resolution, DPI and formats.
Many artists take commissions for icons, banners, covers, character sheets, emotes, overlays or full illustrations with the characters and setting you choose. Message the artist through the platform’s messaging system and work out the details, price and turnaround together.
The default license covers personal use, like wallpapers, private prints or your own collection. For streaming (banners, overlays), commercial social media, merch or any other use that makes you money, you need an extended license or a specific commission with the artist.
Yes, as long as it’s labeled. R-15 content (light ecchi, suggestive) is published with the right rating. R-18 content (hentai, explicit material) requires the artist to verify their identity and the buyer to verify their age. The full criteria are in the Publishing Principles.
You can, as derivative work in the Japanese doujin tradition. Always say whether a piece is original or derivative, because you’re responsible for following the Terms of Service. And make it clear that it’s fan art, so nobody mistakes it for official material.
A doujinshi (同人誌) is a self-published work by independent artists or doujin circles. It can be story manga, an illustration artbook or a sketch collection, original or derivative. On OtakuOshi you upload it as a PDF, as a CBR or page by page, with its metadata and rating. The full guide for creators is on the doujinshi artists page.
Sign up for free at fans.otakuoshi.com, turn on your creator profile, set up your subscription tiers and upload your first post. Signup is instant. Before posting R-18 content, you’ll need to complete identity verification. The rest of the process is covered on the How it works page.
OtakuOshi is a platform for human creators, so you can’t present AI-generated art as your own work. If you use AI tools at any point in your process, you have to disclose it explicitly. The full rules are in the Ethics Policy.
Plagiarism, undisclosed AI, wrong ratings and other violations can be reported on the complaints page. General questions go through the contact page. Complaints about content that affects safety get top priority under the Active Response Policy.
Illustration and manga glossary
Fan art. Derivative work that reimagines existing characters and worlds as a tribute. · Doujinshi (同人誌). A self-published work by independent artists or circles: story manga, artbook or sketch collection. · OC (Original Character). A character the artist created. · Concept art. Art used to explore ideas, designs and environments. · Character sheet. A model sheet with turnarounds, expressions and character details. · PSD / CLIP. Layered, editable files from Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint. · Cel shading. Shading with hard edges between light and shadow, typical of anime. · Opaque painting. A painterly technique with volume, texture and soft edges. · Flats. The first layer of color, with no shading. · Timelapse. A sped-up video of the creative process. · Spread. Two facing pages laid out as a single composition. · Overlay. A graphic element layered over a livestream or another image. · DPI. Dots per inch, the resolution measure for print (300 DPI is the standard).
Find your favorite manga artist or open your own artist profile
Illustration sets, artbooks, doujinshi, fan art, character design, process videos, tutorials, brushes and commissions, posted by independent artists for their fans.