Kawaii is Japanese for cute, and this book shows you how to draw all kinds of people, animals and objects in a cute style. Learn how to simplify your ideas and what makes something look this way and then get drawing with the simple, staged projects.

It really is a lot simpler than I imagined drawing in this style; far more so than getting to grips with drawing manga characters. You only need the basics of pens, pencils and paper and reading the introduction will show you how to depict cuteness. Don’t worry, it is just a couple of pages and then it is on with the projects which are divided into people, creatures and things. The people section starts with a look at topics such as proportions, expressions, garments and accessories so you already have a mix and match repertoire to enable you to tackle drawing a person. After that the rest of the book has a page per project and shows it in various poses and moods, simplifying the drawing part by showing the subject first drawn as a series of shapes. Projects show you the cartoon shorthand of showing things like various moods, motion, humor etc as you go along as well as how to ink in and add color. Subjects include all kinds of people from police and chefs to cowboys, ninja and witches through a wide range of animals and finally cute buildings, transport, food items and plants. I was surprised how easy it was to do and it is a great way of making original and personal greetings cards to give one example. One for the keeper shelf.

Kawaii in Japanese directly translates to lovable, cute or adorable and means the culture of cuteness in Japan!

In Kawaii: How to Draw Really Cute Stuff, Angela Nguyen shows you how to draw cute! She starts by suggesting tools and surfaces you might like to start off trying but fully encourages you to run wild as with her techniques really anything can be used to create cute.

The basic techniques for drawing cuties is introduced with some tips and tricks that can be translated into most pictures. Chapter 2 focuses on cute people. The reader is taken step by step through how to create the cutest of characters as the chapter covers expressions, poses, how to draw witches, astronauts, cowboys, ninjas and much more.

Cute creatures are covered in chapter three with tips and tricks and the clearest of guidelines taking you through the process to create creatures such as unicorns, the Loch Ness monster and owls to name a few.

By the end of the book you are confident that you can turn anything cute with the final part of the book covering off how to draw cute things. If you know someone with an enthusiasm for Japanese culture or just cuteness in general and let’s face it who doesn’t need some cuteness in their life, then this book is a must.

Though not necessarily cake-specific, kawaii is becoming more and more popular and has definitely found a place in the cake decorating market recently. In her book, Angela showcases a collection of cute people, animals and objects, offering her own techniques and advice throughout. You don’t need any special equipment to get started; you can practise with pen and paper first before moving onto different surfaces if you want, such as cakes! Angela’s step-by-step instructions and full colour illustrations are perfect for beginners looking to dabble in decorating. And not only do they look super cute, but each design is quick and easy to make. From big cakes to cookies and cupcakes, with kawaii, there's something for every occasion.

ENTER PLANET CUTE!!!

• Add cute-appeal to any drawing!
• Learn what ‘kawaii’ is all about!
• Grab a biro or Sharpie and get drawing!

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