Manga: - Manga University: I-C Background Collection Workbook Volume 2: High Rises and City Streets (Manga University: I-C Background Collection Workbook)

Manga University: I-C Background Collection Workbook Volume 2: High Rises and City Streets (Manga University: I-C Background Collection Workbook) Devoted to designing realistic backgrounds based on the futuristic Tokyo cityscape, this book features 16 professional-quality, copyright-free background illustrations that artists are encouraged to study, trace, photocopy or cut out and use in their own manga
Customer Review: Handy & Useful Reference!
The Manga University Background Collection Workbook is actually a collection of pre-drawn backgrounds that you can use for your own manga works. There are currently about 3 workbooks; this second part being a background collection of highrise buildings and city streets in Japan.

The pictures are divided into 2 parts; one in plain ink, and the other fully done in ink and tone. Depending on your preferences, you can use the one in plain ink and do your own "toning", or you can just used the finished background.

There's also an "advanced technique" section that teaches you advanced screen tones technique. Personally, I find this greatly useful and handy, although I would greatly appreciate if there were MORE examples in the book! It seems a little too "thin", but then again, maybe that's why it's called a "workbook". -_-0

Overall, the workbook makes for a really handy reference for both beginners and intermediate artists alike. Give this a try if you have trouble drawing backgrounds or would like to learn and practice drawing backgrounds.