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The Evolution of CLAMP's Art Style and The Exploration of Materials

The depth of expression complemented by CLAMP's breathtaking drawing skills is a crucial aspect of their appeal. In this section, we introduce 23 of CLAMP's manga works spanning from their debut to the present day. These include illustrations for serialized cover art, magazine covers and supplements, book covers and cover pages and much more, presented in chronological order.

Having made their commercial magazine debut in 1989, CLAMP quickly gained fame with their sophisticated and glamorous art style featuring large, expressive eyes and sharp angular eye lines. Their early illustrations mainly use colored inks, favored by many manga artists. In RG VEDA, bold structural outlines and dramatic depictions using airbrushes support its epic narrative. On the other hand, TOKYO BABYLON, which was serialized around the same time, employed the use of stylish screentones with vivid colors. This contrast in technique clearly delineates the concepts of the respective works.

From the mid-1990s, CLAMP quickly adopted new drawing materials, such as Copic markers, a brand of alcohol-based markers, which gained instant popularity in the manga industry. This proactive approach expanded the range of artistic expression of the group. CLAMP's exploration of materials and techniques is truly diverse. Tailoring their art style to the unique world of each of their works, they used Luma transparent colored inks in Cardcaptor Sakura, sumi (traditional Japanese inks) and brushes in SHIRAHIME-SYO, acrylic gouache in Chobits and xxxHOLiC, Liquitex and pastels in Wish, and digital tools in the LEGAL DRUG series.

From the late 1990s, CLAMP expanded their presence into boys' and young men's comic magazines, further diversifying their artistic styles. While it's common for manga artists' artistic styles to evolve over time, CLAMP stands out as a unique group of creators who actively adjust their artistic style to the concept of each of their works.