Wacom draws in manga fans with the launch of the special edition tablet
Wacom, the leading manufacturer of pen tablets and interactive pen displays, today launches the Bamboo Manga. Acting as the complete solution for creating digital manga illustrations and comics, the special edition Bamboo Manga is perfect for the growing number of manga, comic book and digital art enthusiasts.
Bamboo Manga helps users easily emulate well-known manga artists and explore new and original drawings. Combining the popular Bamboo Pen & Touch tablet by Wacom with high-quality software packages, including Manga Studio Debut 4 and Anime Studio Debut 8, the new Bamboo Manga is the ideal tool for both experienced and budding artists.
“The European manga market is growing rapidly. We identify it as an interesting field with a lot of creative potential and an enthusiastic target group, expressing their love for Japanese culture by creating their own artwork”, explains Rüdiger Spohrer, Vice President Marketing at Wacom Europe GmbH. “Creativity, passion and Wacom’s Japanese background are all characteristics, which we not only share with the community but which allow us to understand what manga fans really want.”
The launch of the Bamboo Manga is just the first step. The manga community can expect Wacom to be part of conventions, delivering exciting manga activities and offering a platform for Manga-kas to present artwork European wide.
Be a part of the manga world
Becoming more and more professional, the transfer from an analogue to a digital workflow has become necessary for manga creators. Wacom’s Bamboo tablets provide pinpoint accuracy helping users to draw more naturally. Eye-catching in design, the black and lime green tablet allows individuals to hand draw images and graphics on a PC, to make the best out of talent, getting closer to prolific Manga-kas.
Bamboo Manga enables users to rectify mistakes, add special effects to make fight scenes look more dramatic or edit a character’s appearance to be included into a whole storyboard by changing their clothes, weapons and face expressions. Once created, digital creations can be shared with friends and fellow manga fans via social networking sites or manga communities, which are a strong part of the manga culture.
The Bamboo Pen & Touch tablet offers pen and multi-touch input at the same time. The pen tip and eraser provides up to 1024 pressure-sensitive levels offering precision to add even small details to drawings. The Multi-Touch functionality allows users to zoom and rotate their work at the flick of a finger.
Synonymous with Wacom’s quality range of products, the Bamboo Manga features four ExpressKeys that can be configured as shortcuts. The feature enables users to decrease the dependency on the computer keyboard and increase productivity.
Bamboo Wireless-Kit
An optional Wireless-Kit is also available to make the tablet portable and easy to use remotely. The plug ‘n’ play accessory kit includes a wireless dongle to connect the tablet wirelessly to any PC, Mac or laptop and ensures that users can edit digital pieces of art on-site –including manga conventions.
Bundled Software Package: The perfect match
Manga Studio Debut 4 and Anime Studio Debut 8 are considered by many to be the most successful and user-friendly tools on the market for creating manga art digitally. When combined with Wacom’s tablet, the creative possibilities available to manga enthusiasts are endless. Through the use of step-by-step guides and tips and tricks, the Bamboo Manga’s bundled software package makes drawing as easy as possible.
Manga Studio Debut 4
This all-in-one application is perfect for producing stunning, ready-to publish manga and comics. It includes various screen tone special effects and image adjustment tools that, when combined with the Bamboo tablet, allow users to output high quality work for print or the web.
Whether still in the early stages or already more experienced: Manga Studio Debut 4 is ideal for everyone who falls in love with the colourful world of manga. Users will recognise traditional manga drawing tools such as patterns or pre-designed word balloons to add dialogue and speed lines to express emotion or moods. The Bamboo Manga allows for a genuine manga feeling, using the pressure sensitive pen, turning brushes into digital copy markers.
Anime Studio Debut 8
When drawing manga scripts is not enough, users can create individual Anime films with Anime Studio Debut 8 - a complete animation programme for creating 2D Movies, cartoons, anime and cut-out animations.
Like Manga Studio Debut 4, this software package allows amateurs to create exciting characters. By combining animations, audio, video and special effects, such as shadows and energy blasts, even beginners can breathe life into characters and create fully rigged creations that can walk and make facial expressions.
Availability and pricing
Available from 15th October 2012, Bamboo Manga is priced at £ 89.99 including VAT.
About Wacom
Wacom Europe GmbH is a subsidiary of Wacom Company, Ltd. (Tokyo Stock Exchange 6727). Founded in 1983, Wacom is a global company based in Japan with subsidiaries and affiliate offices around the world to support marketing and distribution in over 150 countries. Wacom′s vision to bring people and technology closer together through natural interface technologies has made it the world′s leading manufacturer of pen tablets, interactive pen displays, and digital interface solutions. The advanced technology of Wacom′s intuitive input devices has been used to create some of the most exciting digital art, films, special effects, fashion and designs around the world and provides business and home users with their leading interface technology to express their personality. Millions of customers are using its cordless, battery-free, pressure-sensitive pen technology.
The company also offers its products as OEM solutions to leading manufacturers serving incremental markets. Wacom′s interface technology, called Wacom Feel IT Technologies, is also offered as an integrated solution to strategic partners. Most Tablet PC manufacturers count on the advanced features and reliability of the brand to deliver a superior user interface experience.