Being in the anime community you’ll notice there aren’t many websites for anime artists. Or manga artists.
That’s true even if we’re talking about websites where anime artists can make money.
Anime art is in short supply (for dedicated sites) but has plenty of demand.
As usual, the average anime voice in the community won’t talk about it. So I will.
Here’s the most relevant sites worth checking out.
Websites for Anime Artists:
1. Fantia
So what is Fantia exactly? And why is it worth your time? (or an anime artists time).
First of all it’s based out of Japan, Tokyo. Founded in 1996.
It’s a website for:
- Doujins
- Artists
- Creators
And anyone who wants to make a living from their anime, manga art. And novels, illustrations, etc.
The website is in Japanese and English.
Just like with Patreon (which is unstable for anime artists), you can use Fantia to get paid. And have fans fund your art or projects.
The big difference here is this is based in the heart of Japan.
So that means you won’t have to worry about:
- Political correctness
- Western “rules” on what’s acceptable or not
- You can create NSFW or the opposite
And you can it in front of a big audience.
Fantia is in the millions.
Cosplayers can use Fantia as well to support any projects they’ve got going on.
But anime art (and anime artists of course) is a big part of Fantia’s community.
2. Pixiv
If you’re an anime fan you’ve come across Pixiv at some point online. And if not, well, the world is a big place and I guess you can’t know of everything.
It’s a haven for anime art, designs, and anything related to anime.
It’s MORE than just a website filled with anime art and cute pictures though.
You can:
- Fund your art (like Patreon)
- Learn how to draw
- Enter art contests
And you can even get drawing lectures and clip studio paint if you sign up for 550 yen a month (£4).
Just like Fantia it’s based in Japan,, Tokyo. But Pixiv is an enormous website in comparison.
They had over 228 million estimated visitors in the last month.
Pixiv has a lot of leverage and clout in the anime industry online. And being based in Japan – there’s plenty of potential to get your anime art seen.
And from a fan point of view – there’s an endless amount of content, and ways to support anime artists you like.
3. Saturday AM
Saturday AM is more about Manga than anime. But they do run competitions every year where anime artists can participate for prizes.
Their last competition was the March Art Madness campaign (Anime Motivation took part in it).
They have their own magazine and app filled with talented Manga artists work, and Mangaka’s from all over the world.
From countries:
- Africa
- UK
- USA
- Australia
- Parts of Europe
And more.
The app is free.
If you want something original and different from the usual art websites in the anime/manga space, Saturday AM is the one to check out.
Especially because of the diversity in their characters, art, designs and published work.
You can support it through their paid subscription as well.
And to top it all off – Manga artists can submit their work on the “submit” page, which has all the details of how to do it.
They’re open for submissions right now in 2020.
Related: Q & A Interview With Saturday AM Magazine (Diverse Manga Publisher)
4. Zerochan
Zerochan is a site used on Anime Motivation for a lot of featured images and certain content.
It’s one of the best websites for anime art, wallpapers, images and everything related to anime or manga.
It’s not the type of website you use if you’re an anime artist (unless you wanna share your art), but beyond that you can’t make money on Zerochan.
It’s more a place for art appreciation, joining a free community, and crediting artists when you share their work.
Relevant: 10 Types Of Anime Art Styles Commonly Seen In Popular Shows
5. Anime Art Academy
Anime Art Academy is a unique website on this list. Because instead of being:
- An art gallery for anime (like zerochan)
- Having a dedicated magazine (like Saturday AM)
- Or having a platform for artists to make money
Anime Art Academy is committed to helping new artists draw manga to a professional standard.
The first lesson is even free to help you get started as an artist.
How it works is mangaka’s and illustrators from Japan guide you through the process and help you sharpen your skills.
If learning, educating and developing your skills matters, Anime Art Academy is worth looking at.
That’s what they specialize in for Mangaka’s and artists.
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So there ya have it.
These are the BEST anime art websites dedicated to the anime industry.
You do have sites like:
- Patreon
- Devian Art
- SketchMob
And other “general” sites, but they’re NOT dedicated to anime. So I ignored them in this list.
Recommended Next:
Patreon’s Guidelines, And The REAL Reason They’re Banning Anime Artists
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