Product Description
Professional cartoonist Steve Barr shows kids how to use simple pencil shapes to create delightful cartoon versions of sharks, fish, whales and more. The book begins by showing readers the basic shapes and lines used in the drawings. Carefully designed step-by-step instructions give young artists the confidence to experiment and the know-how to draw colorful, refrigerator-worthy creations. The easily followed lessons conclude with a reproducible "Cartoonist's Apprentice" certificate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

drawing book
i purchased this for my10 year old nephew who loves art - it is not too hard and yet it is interesting ... Read more

Product Description

The Big Book of Campaign Political Cartoons 2008

The Presidential Campaign in Cartoons!

This collection of cartoons, by America's top editorial cartoonists, is a history of ht 2008 presidential campaign. Hundreds of cartoons drawn from the most popular cartoon site on the web (www.cagle.com) tell the story of the primaries, the debates, the candidates and all the missteps along the way. With Barack Obama, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, and a parade of colorful characters including Rudi Giuliani, John Edwards, Mitt Romney, Dennis Kucinich, Fred Thompson, Obama's crazy preacher and the obsessive media, leading up to the conventions and the general election, in 2008, American politics has turned into cartoons!

Excerpts from The Big Book of Campaign 2008 Cartoons

Customer Reviews (3)

POLITICAL CARTOONS
THIS WAS BOUGHT AS A GIFT.THE RECIPIENT ADORED IT!WHAT MORE CAN I SAY!!!!!!A PERFECT CHOICE!

Political CampaignCartoons 2008
Cagle and Fairrington alsways supply a nice slice of variety in the range of cartoons that were printed over the election period.

The most side-splitting black-and-white presidential election cartoons chosen by two expert cartoonists
Consisting of the most side-splitting black-and-white presidential election cartoons chosen by two expert cartoonists, The Big Book of Campaign Cartoons 2008 reveals the mirthful side of the long and arduous process by which the Republican and Democrat parties chose their nominees, as well as the clash of ideas and personalities between prospective presidents McCain and Obama, right up to the moment when McCain stunned the nation by selecting "hockey mom" Palin as his running mate. These cartoons by a wide variety of artists range from sophisticated insights to hearty jabs to exposures of public figure hypocrisy. "'As my stockbroker, can you tell me ANYTHING encouraging?' 'Be glad you're not Mitt Romney investing in his own campaign.'" No right or left wing political figure is too sacred a cow to tip! The brief introductions to each chapter place the political cartoons in the context of what was happening at the time, in this highly accessible and laugh-out-loud collection. Highly recommended.
... Read more

Product Description
The big, charming, funny, serious book in which 400 great New Yorker cartoons, covers, spots, caricatures, and photos illustrate the anecdote-laden, behind-the-scenes story, from the Harold Ross days to the present, of the art of The New Yorker. ... Read more

Product Description
The first in a cutting-edge series for tomorrow's illustrators, Xtreme Art: Draw Manga! offers a fun-filled tutorial on the hottest art form out there: the Japanese style of manga-the runaway favorite in the kids' cartoon industry!Geared for eager young artists ages 8 and up, Xtreme Art: Draw Manga! is an easy-to-follow guide to drawing manga-style heroes, villains, faeries, and monsters. Dozens of eye-popping renderings are broken down into only four simple steps-in each step, new lines are highlighted in a bright second color, making it easy to progress through the steps and build the final drawing. Best-selling author Christopher Hart packs the pages with images and techniques kids can use to start drawing right away. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

What in the world...?
If it wasn't for the title, I would have thought this was a book on how to draw Danny Phantom and other western cartoons/comics. This is not manga. Hart probably hasn't seen anything Japanese besides perhaps Pokemon, and he obviously doesn't understand how to draw the manga style of hair or eyes--I can tell just by looking at the cover. Definitely not recommended.

~Lina-chan

this is SO not manga!
even though i am no purist, i am not calling the artwork manga. i found it at the library, thank god i did not borrow it! the bodies are disproportionent, the eyes are wrong (as if he spilled correction fluid on them) and whats with that hair? if you wan to learn how to draw manga like i do, DO NOT GET THIS BOOK!

To western!
This book is more of a how to draw western comics but deffently not manga. The charaters are deformed the hair is huge and the eyes are wrong too. If you are a beginer and looking for a how to draw manga book don't buy this book. I have been doing manga for a long time and I know what I am saying. If you buy any books by Chistopher Hart you will fall into the wrong path and never really learn what real manga is. I'm not an Okuto but I hate Chistopher's pretend manga jut as much as they do. If you want a good how to draw manga book try "how to draw anime and game charaters" very good art and good step by step instructions.
~*~Purin~*~

Pretty good
This book is definitly for littler kids. The manga(is it manga?) looks nowhere near professional, but that would make it to intimidating for younger artists. It would definetly broaden they're skills, but I would NOT recomend it for more skilled artists.("Manga Mania" is good!)

Xtremely simple
The innovative 4 step process is simple but brilliant.My children picked up the technique effortlessly.Mr. Hart developed an excellent technique to teach younger artists.I hope he continues this concept.This book is highly recommended for young artists. ... Read more

Product Description

The Best Political Cartoons of the Year, 2009 Edition

The Best of the Year in Editorial Cartoons

All of the top political cartoonists in the world contributed to this collection of the best cartoons of 2008, from Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index website, the most popular cartoon site on the web (www.cagle.com). More than eight hundred cartoons cover the major topics of the year, from the election to the Crash on Wall Street! We have McCain, Obama, Sarah Palin, Michael Phelps, Eliot Spitzer, Gas Prices, Lipstick on a Pig, Killer Tomatoes and much, much more! News junkies and cartoon fans won't want to miss this great cartoon history of the year 2008!

Customer Reviews (3)

Simply the best
Cagle is the best when it comes to political cartoons. Quick, concise and to the point. Few or no words necessary to understand the entire situation.
Great job!! A+++

Political Cartoons
I have been a fan of Daryl Cagle for some time now and it's always delightful to see his reviews of the past year in political cartoons.

The Best Political Cartoons of the Year 2009
It's been a particularly newsworthy year. As always, where there is news, there is a political cartoonist to comment on the situation. This year, they had plenty of fodder. The Beijing Olympic controversies could alone fill a book. Then, there was the characters of and events leading up to and into the historical American election. But perhaps most poignant was the commentary on the housing crisis, record high gas prices, and the Wall Street crash.

The Best Political Cartoons of the Year 2009 educates, clarifies, and pushes the envelope. Some of the representations were funny. Others were perhaps a little too close for comfort to be humorous but definitely made a point. I'm always amazed at how these people can represent a complex situation in only a few words, yet leave the reader with a very clear understanding of the purpose of the cartoon. ... Read more

Product Description
Kids love animals, and with this book they can learn to draw all kinds of creatures. No-fail, step-by-step instructions illustrate how to create dogs, cats, horses, fish, mice and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Starter Book for Kids
Excellent starter book for kids!I picked up this book to add to my collection of drawing books in my classroom.The students have an opportunity once a week to spend time working on their drawing skills through drawing books.This particular book has been a favorite of many of the students who are beginners.My students are 11 and 12 years of age, 6th graders.

great series!
These are such a great series. I love how simple they are at teaching how to draw things. I plan on buying the whole series. Its a great time to spend with my kids. We (me and my older ones) draw pictures and my toddlers color them. Its a lot of family fun! ... Read more

Product Description
Learn the insider secrets professional cartoonists use to turn regular cartoon animals into completely cute characters
           
Warm and fuzzy characters all have that “certain something” that makes them so memorable and darling. But what exactly is it? This sought-after, ultra-cute quality is based on specific techniques that, when applied to character design, result in irresistible cartoon animals. With Cartoon Cute Animals, these are techniques that you can learn, too!

Perfect for anyone interested in cartooning, from the aspiring animator looking for how-to instruction to the expert illustrator seeking inspiration, Cartoon Cute Animals covers the broadest possible spectrum of popular species as well as an array of more exotic animals such as the ferret, armadillo, meerkat, and porcupine.
           
Years of experience and expert knowledge have been distilled into one easy-to-follow guide that is full of simple instructions and visual examples to help you create the most adorable cuties ever put to paper!  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Irresistible
Great to flip thru, wonderful teaching, adorable animals, and great direction which enables one to create the most charming animals. Hart is a master in breaking down the technique to just a few simple lines and shapes.Hart demonstrates how a simple change of axis influences the body language and expression of the animal.The amateur, after hours home cartoonists will love to flip thru, pick the favorite animal(s) out of the dozens and follow Hart's direction.Yet the more aspiring pro will benefit from Hart's experience as he adds many tips & hints throughout the book; Hart goes into the unique characteristic of each particular animal to emphasize their emotions.Amazing job, great book

Great tips and lots of fun
This book was chock full of great tips and wonderful ideas on how to improve your cartooning.I loved the tips on drawing smiles, eyes, and of course drawing all the animals that Christopher Hart covers in this wonderful book.

Very Cool and useful

Christopher Hart is a true teacher.His books have set standards and instructed thousands of students around the world.This time, he sets his sights on cute animals and succeeds one more time.

Subtitled "How to draw the most irresistible creatures on the planet", Cute Animals is a highly usable primer on animals of every sort.Reading through the exercises, anyone should be able to join the Famous Artists School!He covers:

The Essentials
Dogs and Cats
Bears
Woodland Creatures
Animals of the Jungles and Plains
For the Birds
Sea Life and Reptiles

While not a book for the faint of pencil and effort, he is very clear to point out that art is work.Talent takes work.And when you think you have done your best, and have no more.Try again.

Thank you one more time Mr Hart.What topic haven't you touched yet????

Tim Lasiuta
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book - highly recommended!
I can recommend this book to anyone interested in drawing cartoons or just drawing in general. I found it very well written; it was very informative and yet very easy to read as well - I even found myself reading it just for fun on the train back home after a long day at the office.
The book is well set up and gives very clear explanations, mixed with nice little exercises which are easy to follow and fun to do. I liked the friendly, positive attitude of the book in general; it is all very down to earth with zero fussiness or snobbishness. There are lots of amusing little personal comments and anecdotes throughout the text and I also loved reading the interviews with various (UK based) professional cartoonists.
Although more experienced cartoonists might already know some of the basics outlined in this book (that's just a guess though), I think it is still a book anyone, regardless of their level of experience, would like to have in their collection.
So: definitely buy the book - it's worth it!
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Lurid Treat
As a writer and lover of campy horror, I find delight and inspiration in the pages of this super-colorful and imaginative book.

Flipping through the pages of this book is truly a wonderful experience.The color quality of the images is amazing, and each painting tells a wonderful and shocking story.

In fact, I based a short-story writing assignment on these images for my creative writing class.There are many images that evoke a story in the viewer's mind. I find myself browsing through the book all the time just to get another jolt of vivid imagination.It just makes me happy.Most of the images are completely over-dramatic and lurid, and these are the ingredients that make this such a fun book.

The book also includes an introduction that explains the original context of these art pieces as covers for pulp fiction magazines.It also puts the images in a cultural context, a mixture of popular fiction and folklore.

This book will inspire the imagination of any writer in the field of supernatural fiction, and any fan of the lurid and the bizarre.

Worth buying
I was initially disappointed when I received this, because I was expecting Mexican book covers with lurid titles on the images. It turns out these are painted COMIC BOOK covers, not book covers. The images were taken from the original paintings, so there are no graphics on the images. The more I look at the book, the more I like it. Bizarre imagery, similar in style to the old Dell and Gold Key painted covers, but much weirder. No sex, but lotsa strange. Any chance of someone putting out a book of just Mexican wrestling movie posters and lobby cards? Ay curamba, that would be cool!

love the pulp art
I love the pictures in this book, but the dimensions of the book are small.It would have been much better if the book had been larger.

Pulp Culture History
In the 1960's America saw the rise of the erotic pulp paperback.The simple object of the covers of these books was to lure in the potential buyer with the promise of sex.The more lurid the cover was, the better the chance that the book would be purchased.The marketing plan worked to perfection and millions of the books were sold. Close to the same time a similar strain of book was being released in Mexico and the covers were designed in the same manner, to entice purchase.The difference between the marketing in America and the marketing in Mexico was vast. In the States they peddled softcore porn and prurient interests on the cover of their pulps, while Mexico went for the straight up bizarre.Mexican Pulp Art is a celebration of the art that graced the covers of the paperbacks that were released south of the US border.

Maria Cristina Tavera pens the introduction to this collection.Tavera relates how the covers were used to lure the purchaser in and with 30 million pulps being produced monthly the competition was tough.The introduction is brief but revealing, telling of the different types of pulp titles that were produced in Mexico and how they were marketed to the public.She also relates how the books were assembled by the creative teams that put them together as well as how the themes covered in the pulps related to the Mexican way of life.After the introduction we get to the meat of the book and that is the vibrant, full-page reproductions of the cover art.

Mexican pulp covers celebrate sex as much as their American counterparts, but they also throw in violence, sci-fi weirdness, lucha libre, psychedelia, murder, and crime. The covers that are collected in this book are from the 60's and 70's and all covers contained in this book are from a defunct publisher, Editorial Continental. All the artwork reproduced in this book is from the personal collections of two individuals Bobbette Axelrod and Ted Frankel.

The artwork in this book is vivid, colorful and downright weird at some points. As Maria Cristina Tavera states in her introduction, "the fantasy elements reflect Mexican attitudes about life, death, mysticism, and the supernatural." Some of the highlights of the art:A gorilla breaking through a door to assault a man, giant ants attacking men, fighting invisible men, a fire starter, scenes of murder, suicide and mayhem, ghosts, corpses, the supernatural, gun toting children, sexpot women, aliens and much more.As the introduction states, the pulp covers blur the line between the mundane and the fantastic.

I have a soft spot for all things from Mexico.This is probably the result of an active imagination as a child.When I was growing up I told of how, in a past life, I had lived in Mexico.My story was that I was a toothless mute who pumped gas on a dirt airfield somewhere in Mexico.Ever since then I have immersed myself in Mexican culture, this book adds to my collection of Mexican art and also to the knowledge of a culture and history that is usually unfairly ignored in most of the United States. Mexican Pulp Art documents a forgotten art form and belongs on the coffee table or bookshelf of anyone that appreciates fantatstic art. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides simple instructions about cartooning including the materials, shapes, funny faces, and action figures. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the most prolific pin-up artists of the 20th Century finally gets his due.

No other pin-up cartoon artist over a 30-year period was as prolific or as omnipresent as Bill Wenzel. Virtually every humor and men's magazine, ranging from Judge in the mid-'40s to Sex to Sexy in the '60s and '70s, boasted two, if not a dozen, of Wenzel's pin-up cartoons. Quick with pen and ink, Wenzel was equally adept with the brush, and nowhere was this more evident than in his work for the Humorama line of girlie digests.

The digests, which sported titles like Gaze, Joker, Jest, Comedy and Stare, were crammed full of marginally risqué single panel pin-up cartoons and cheesecake photos featuring the likes of Bettie Page, Irish McCalla, and even Sophia Loren, and as a long-time contributor to the Humorama digests, Wenzel was part of an artistic fraternity that included the likes of Bill Ward, Playboy's Jack Cole, and Archie's Dan DeCarlo. Though wasp-waisted long-legged women were de rigueur in the digests, Wenzel set himself apart from the rest of the best with his decidedly more Rubenesque rendering of the female form. And whether they were aloof secretaries biding their time waiting for their bosses to ditch their wives or smoldering vixens preparing for a night on the town, Wenzel's women carried their weight well, the better to hold up their ample chests.

Without a doubt, Wenzel is the most overlooked of all the pin-up cartoon artists of his era, but with this volume, which features a selection of his sexiest and most sensual ink-wash images, Wenzel takes his rightful place among Humorama's top artists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Tidy, Green, Clean and Compact
I had already posted three blogs on the wonderful Bill Wenzel before I even knew about this book.Sweet, round and friendly, Wenzel's dames were good girls in slightly uncomfortable situations, but their stature and appealing looks got them through all manner of sleazy pick-ups, gusts of wind and more.A cartoonist for cartoonists, and one of the most under-rated illustrators of the last century.Bravo for this series, and hoping there are more.
Jim Linderman
Vintage Sleaze the Blog

At Last! Something about Bill Wenzel
Bill Wenzel was so prolific that even I managed to snag a few of his original Humorama cartoons. This collection provides a nice sampling of his instantly recognizable work. However, the real value of this book is the biographical information supplied by his daughters.
I would have liked to have seen more about his work for Playboy, more of the paperback covers, the men's magazines, etc. However, maybe that is for another day.
My only quibble with this book is the green highlights (or background) in many of the cartoons. It looks like a way to mimic the cheesy 2-color effect in those cheap Humorama magazines and detracts from the work. IF this is the way they were published, it would have served Bill W well to go black and white. ... Read more

Product Description
Two classic drawing textbooks from anAmerican comics pioneer, revised and enhancedfor a new generation.Based onWill Eisner'slegendary course at New York'sSchool of Visual Arts, these guides have inspired generations ofartists, students,teachers, and fans. In Comics and SequentialArt, Eisner reveals the basic building blocks andprinciples of comics, includingimagery, the frame, and the application oftime,space, and visual forms.Graphic StorytellingandVisual Narrative teaches how to controla story effectively using a broadarray of techniques. Withexamples from Eisner's own catalog and such masters as H. Foster, R. Crumb, Art Spiegelman, Milton Caniff, AlCapp, and George Herriman, these books distill the art ofgraphic storytelling into principles that every comic artist, writer, andfilmmaker should know.

Amazon.com Review
Based on the popular course Eisner taught for several years atNew York's School of Visual Arts, this lovingly written book on visualstorytelling contains an accumulation of his ideas, theories and adviceon the practice of graphic story-telling and the uses to which the comicbook art form can be applied. Whether you're a film student, literaturestudent, artist or simply a fan of good storytelling, you'll love thisbook filled with Eisner's cartoons. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Classic Eisner
Classic Eisner, most informative, highly reminisant of his military instruction manuals.Illistrated mostly with his Sprit strips.

Essential
If you are interested in comics, film, advertising, web design,... anything that uses pictures to tell a story, then read Eisner.

Lots of useful tips, techniques and insight
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2MBY1CKMJ58ZF The book focuses on the creation of comics and the various techniques one can use. Specifically, it talks about the why the techniques work and the concepts behind. The various lessons touch on timing, framing, composition, expressive anatomy, writing for comics and other application of comics.

Every page of comics included that serve as examples come with captions. They explain the effect to achieve on readers. One example would be to tilt a composition of a moving train to simulate the rocking on the tracks.

How Will Eisner uses his panels and framing is amazing. He can use doorways or windows on a plane as frames, and he can so easily blend his panels together using the environment. Paneling and pacing when done right really just enhances the story. You'll see and understand why it works. It's all explained.

This book will serve as a very good introduction to comic artists. Professionals might learn some new ways of doing things too.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

Master piece
the title talk itself, Will Eisner is a master, he never enter to the universe of the spandex heroes, if you don't like the espandex, or you try to understand the comics, or not only comics, visual narrative inself, this is your book.

Heavily Illustrated Essays about How Comics and Sequential Art Communicate
My guess is that a hundred people have heard of this work for every one who has actually read it. At the time the book was developed, you could only find this information by taking Will Eisner's class at the New York School of Visual Art.

Unless you haven't been paying attention to comics, you will probably find that you already understand most of the key messages: words and illustrations combine to form imagery; time elapses between panels and the pacing of the time involved affects how you react to the story; the frames around the panels and pages as a mechanism for tying the story together; using anatomy and expression to extract emotion from readers; how to combine words and illustrations for best effect; the potential to use sequential art in more than comic strips and books; and new technologies for making comics and sequential art.

As for me, the only section that I found rewarding was the extensive middle section on panels. Maybe I'm obtuse (I probably am), but I've often found it difficult to follow and understand the choice of panel structure on pages in Golden age comics. Mr. Eisner thoughtfully provides extended sections from The Spirit to demonstrate why he made the choices he did and what he hoped to accomplish. It was like a Rosetta Stone for translating what some of those odd pages are supposed to do. For that section, it was worth reading the book. The other sections I could have skipped and not missed anything.

I also recommend you read Scott McCloud book's about comics and sequential art: They are more rewarding in terms of setting out the issues and opportunities. ... Read more

Product Description

This book looks at the exciting world of cartoons and animation. This book will help students discover and understand the world of animation and inspire them to create their own art.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

If science didn't have Sidney Harris
... it would be necessary to invent him.

It's not just that his comics are really funny. They certainly are, but they also use real issues in science and public perception of it to make real points. Like that counter in a department store selling "Pheromones: Lanvin, Dior, Chanel, ..." Or that general telling that scientist "All we want is something new that will incapacitate the enemy without giving us bad press." Some strike just a bit close to home for me, like the labs labeled "Research" and "Development," with the lab labelled "Bottlenecks" standing between them.

The most remarkable thing is how current so many of these issues are: genetic engineering, environmental pollution, chemical hazards, and more. These comics were originally printed between 1971 and 1986, 20-35 years ago now, and the only thing dated about them is occasional bell-bottoms! They're still as pertinent (and sometimes impertinent) as ever.

Maybe what makes these comics last so well is that, even if the science changes, the scientists don't. They just as human and just a fallible now as two thousand years ago, and they're the real subjects of Harris's affectionate gibes.

-- wiredweird

By one of America's most acclaimed science cartoonists
Now in a newly revised and expanded edition, Einstein Simplified: Cartoons On Science by Sidney Harris (easily one of America's most acclaimed science cartoonists) brings originality, insight, and appreciation for the oddities, quirks, eccentricities, and occasional culture shocks that the contemporary sciences so often inject into our ordinary (and often extraordinary) daily life. Demonstrably doing for science what Scott Adams' "Dilbert" cartoons have done for business, Einstein Simplified will delight scientists, academicians, and non-specialist general readers alike!

HILARIOUS Book of Science and Technology Cartoons
I'm not a scientist and don't pretend or intend to be. Nevertheless, I thought this book was hilarious. Harris does for science and technology what Scott Adams (who created the *Dilbert* cartoon) does for the business world. He illustrates the funny sides of the scientific and technological environments in such a simple and funny way that just about everyone can enjoy it.

If you have even the remotest interest in science and/or technology . . . or even if you just think that some of what goes on in those environments can be a little wacky or bizarre at times, then this book will definitely make you laugh out loud.

good book
this book is for the science enthusiast. i bought the book 3 years ago and i still enjoy leafing through and reading the cartoons. i highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys intelligent humor because you will get a good laugh.

good laughs
This one's hard to write a review on -- you kinda have to see the cartoons yourself, and you'll either laugh or you won't.My bet is if you're even considering buying the book, you'll laugh at 'em.And you'll find at least a few worth passing around or pasting on your office door.They cover thegamut of science and engineering topics. ... Read more

Product Description
A celebration of the world's most famous animated films features color artwork, interviews with illustrators and animators, a complete history of Disney animation, and an analysis of the making of Beauty and the Beast. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Love This Book!
Following in the path of Disney, I love this book, and the others in the series.

Great book for Disney fans. :)
In Disney's Art of Animation, Thomas explains the birth of the Walt Disney co., from a handful of people meeting in a home, to the huge Disney phenomenon we know today. The first half of the book explains the formative years of Disney, from before Mickey's time.This book looks into facts about the films themselves from an outside veiw.It keeps its eye on the whole company as it struggled along through the 30's, 40's, and even 50's.It talks about pre-Snow White cartoons and all of the full length feture films from Snow White to 1990's Rescures Down Under. The last half Explains the process of creating a modern animated film from the standpoint of many of the people who had an infleuance creating the only Disney Picture to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy AwardsÐBeauty and the Beast.Thomas explains how each aspect of the film is created and consolidated into one final, breathtaking work. An excellent book for anyone intrested in animation and, not to mention, a Disney fan's wish come true.

Disney fans, rejoice!
What if the seven dwarfs had been Deafy, Wheezy, Baldy, Nifty, Swift, Lazy, and Burpy? Believe it or not, these are actual names animators considered for the dwarfs in Snow White. This fun fact and a wealth of other information can be found in Bob Thomas's comprehensive journey into the world of Disney animation. The first half of the book is a history of Disney animation starting with Oswald the Rabbit, Mickey's predecessor, and going all the way through 1990's The Rescuers Down Under. The second half of the book is a detailed look into the making of the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast. This book is filled with beautiful pictures and sketches from all of the Disney animated films through Beauty and the Beast. Any Disney lover will be intrigued and entertained ... Read more

Product Description
For the last decade, Joe Quesada has guided Marvel and its characters back to prominence as editor in chief - along the way changing the manner in which the industry works from the inside out. With those achievements part of his resume, it's perhaps easy to overlook that at the root of all his success is his skill as an artist. The Marvel Art of Joe Quesada doesn't overlook a second of Joe's artistry, featuring his best interior and cover artwork, as well as a wealth of unpublished images and sketches - plus commentary from Joe himself! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Artist Joe Quesada
Some might find this review subjective, but at this point in my career I believe it to be necessary. Along with my partner Shirley Miranda-Rodriguez, the two of us operate our own creative services studio Somos Arte ([...]). We believe strongly in celebrating the work of artists, not because of their cultural background, but because of their talent, hence our studio's name in Spanish, Somos Arte which translates to "We are Art." In 2006 we were working on the re-branding of one of our clients The Caribbean Cultural Center. At the time I was reading a copy of Wizard magazine when I came across an article for an upcoming group of characters that were to be introduced by Joe Quesada in his book "Daredevil: Father." These characters were to be known as The Santerians, an all Latino group of superheroes with powers and characteristics based on the West African Yoruba traditions, more commonly referred to as Santeria in Cuba. Joe's parents are both from Cuba and he was raised with an understanding of these spiritual traditions. Since I've known Joe, he's wanted to create a team of Latino heroes, but he did not want to do so as a publicity stunt. He wanted these characters to be introduced into Marvel's universe organically. When I learned of his latest project at the time, I reached out to him and organized a meeting between myself and my client Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, Phd (The Altar of My Soul: The Living Traditions of Santeria) of the Caribbean Cultural Center. From that meeting came my idea to curate what would be Joe's first solo art show "Santerians: The Art of Joe Quesada" ([...]). Both Shirley and I found it so necessary for our studio to produce this art exhibition because we wanted to celebrate one of America's biggest talented artists. In his day to day of running Marvel Entertainment, Inc. as Editor in Chief and now as Chief Creative Officer, Joe doesn't always have the time to sit back and be celebrated for being an amazing visual artist. We truly enjoyed producing his first solo art show and because of its success, Joe helped us out to produce our second comic book art show Marvelous Color ([...]). He gave us his blessing and first piece of original art that lead to a show of over 25 artists that was covered by The New York Times ([...]), MTV, NBC and various other media outlets.

Joe Quesada is one of a few talented individuals that truly represent the mosaic that is the United States, not because he is Latino, but because he is an artist. I'm so happy to promote "The Marvel Art of Joe Quesada" because it is so very necessary that Joe be recognized as an artist that has contributed so much of his fantastic visions to Marvel's catalog. These amazing renderings and inside look into his process and thinking are so important for artists of all backgrounds to learn from. You can truly see how Joe has evolved as an artist in his intricate compositions, perspectives and renderings. I will share this book with my son and with other young artists for generations to come so that they to can learn from this master of illustration.

Recently I attended the 2010 New York Comic Convention with my son, his first convention, so that he could experience a cultural phenomenon that has taking over popular culture. We sat down to watch Marvel's screening of their animated series geared to children, and my son was very excited. As we sat down to watch I hear a familiar voice from behind say "Hey bro, how're you doing?" I look over my shoulder to see Joe and his family, who then sat next to us to watch the cartoons. There we both were, parents and fans sharing a moment with our children and culture.

Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez
Art Director, Curator & Partner
Somos Arte, LLC

A mediocre book that could have been better
Its not a bad book, but Marvel made some bad choices about it that prevent it from being a great book.

First of all, that stupid horizontal design, which makes that the drawing in each space, being vertical, is reproduced at a relatively small size leaving lots of blank space at one side in each page. Stupid, stupid, stupid. When I buy an Art of Book, I want to see the art BIG, and not lots of blank space.

Secondly, the content choice. It spends many pages reproducing just pages and pages of quesada's more known comics work instead of covers and more rare pieces. Do we ready need to see so many Daredevil Guardian Angel's pages, or Daredevil Father pages? If you buy this book, you surely like Quesada's work and probably already own these comics. Instead of that, I would have liked more alternate B covers by Quesada, more Wizard Covers, DVD covers, more promotional pieces, more Marvel Knights covers... more rare work. There are some, but there are many wonderful pieces missing (the Iron Man DVD cover reproduced big, the Iron man #1 B cover, the Spider-man 573 Colbert Variant Edition, etc).

Marvel, if you want to see an Art Of book well done, just take a look at DC's The Cover Art of Adam Hughes, or DC's Mythology by Alex Ross. As it is, this book is just mediocre. A pity, because Joe Quesada is a wonderful artist and deserves better.

Great art and commentary
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R7V5P805TVO1U This book has great art, but you already know that. Joe Quesada is the current editor in chief for Marvel after all.

The gallery features covers, panels and penciled roughs. Most of the usual Marvel heroes are in. Some pieces of art are incredibly, almost insanely, detailed. I wonder if drawing Spider-man's webbing - strand by strand - took more time than drawing Spider-man himself. That's dedication. There are also some colour pencil works which I thought are pretty cool.

What I really like is the insightful commentary by Joe Quesada and his peers. They talk about the art, stories, concept and characters. You get an idea of how editorial works with him explaining certain editorial decisions he made when he's an editor. It ends with an interview with some great pictures of his studio - like him working on one table and his cat (sleeping) on the other.

Great book for fans and artists.

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(There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

Just blown away by this book!
This is an outstanding collection, full of amazing art from cover to cover. If you're familiar with Marvels excellent 'Art of Marko Djurdjevic' then you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

This volume features a host of Marvel heroes, with Dare Devil featuring most prominently. You also get loads of Wolverine & Spider-Man amongst others. The art work is just out of this world, done in a variety of styles & consisting of cover art, interiors & preliminary sketches, showcasing Joe Quesada's awesome talent. Honestly, comic book art doesn't get any better than this! There's also plenty of commentary from the artist & his associates, giving you all the inside info your little heart could desire.

The only fly in the ointment...well Marvel really need to print these beautiful art books on better quality paper. If you own books published by Underwood, Image, DC etc. you'll know what I mean.

I'd definately recommend this book to all fans of comic book & illustration art. Buy it now & be amazed!

Really, really good!!!
I just got my copy in the mail & it's a really beautiful book. If your a Marvel or comic art fan you'll most likely dig a lot of Quesada's work within these pages with imagery that crackles with intensity. And he's without a doubt one of the unparalleled masters of the comic book cover. 'nuff said! ... Read more

Product Description
Manga Martial Arts is the key to drawing action-packed manga characters and fight scenes. Packed with hundreds of dynamic illustrations and 50+ step-by-step lessons in pencil, colored pencil and markers, this book introduces readers to the genre of manga fighting like never before. From drawing basics like anatomy, shading and perspective to terms, traditions, fighting styles, and character types, this book has it all.

• Covers ten international fighting styles including Aikido, Karate, Kung Fu, Ninjitsu, Tae Kwon Do and others
• 50 simple projects offer fast results in pencil, colored pencil and markers

Product Description
This guide illustrates how to draw a lively variety of cartoon people. Using simple shapes and lines, young artists will create a range of characters from head to toe. Includes instruction for drawing several different facial expressions, hair styles, clothes and body types. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A bit too simple
I wanted to experiment with cartooning so I picked up one of Steve Barr's books. It was very simple. In fact, too simple. I can't draw anything really but this book was only slightly helpful. I started with his fun objects books. Well, making a hot dog and adding a face is pretty basic stuff. Or a triangle is a piece of cake. Pretty basic, a 5 year old could make this stuff.Not only simple, but the end product is boring.

So, I decided to try his drawing people book. Again, more suited to kids ages 5-9.

There isn't much in the middle ground. The books out there are too simple or way too complicated so this is probably an OK compromise. But you can easily find this book for $2 used---and not used much.

My grandson loves this!
I bought my 6 year old grandson three of these books for Christmas. He uses them almost daily. The step by step instructions make drawing so easy. He loves seeing how quickly he can come up with a professional looking drawing!

The perfect book for beginners
If you are just starting out, or are looking for an easy-to-follow instruction book that gets you to *actually put a pencil and paper in your hand* and start drawing in the next five minutes, you MUST have this book! The art of simplicity is not that of being basic in your explanations. It is the highly evolved skill to present to your recipient (in this case the reader) everything you need them to know WITHOUT them getting overwhelmed, becoming frustrated, or feeling that what you are teaching is beyond their abilities. This book is a masterpiece of highly entertaining education. You will watch your skills develop even as you scoff that this can't possibly be this easy to do.

This is a fun book, and while its surface qualities may give the impression that it was written for the "under 8" crowd, nothing could be further from the truth. This is a book that anyone can learn (quickly) from. You begin drawing the most elementary of shapes, which you connect (step-by-step) to more simple shapes which, when you step back from your labors and look is suddenly a recognizable picture. The author does not limit your style at all, but instead starts you off with the basics of style that you will use in many formats of illustration. This is all done with such non-condescending verbiage and format that you will think to yourself "this is too easy," and before you know it, you can draw very complex cartoons.

Cartoon illustration is a staple in our society. From greeting cards to "how to books" and multi-billion dollar corporate logos, cartoon illustrations have become embedded in all aspects of marketing. You see them everywhere, and they seem easy enough to do, but for most people the moment you pick up a pen, something horrible goes wrong in your hand-eye coordination.

I have read a LOT of books on cartoon illustrations and even after absorbing their collective wisdom, I generally limit myself to stick figures to this day. This is one of those rare books that come along quietly and breaks the teaching mold; allowing ANYONE to be able to create fun cartoon illustrations with minutes, and over time to create increasingly more sophisticated illustrations. A must have, and fine addition to any library for anyone who has, or will, ever pick up a pen and try to illustrate a point to someone else.

A methodically crafted instructional guide for young people
1-2-3 Draw Cartoon People: A Step-by-Step Guide was created by syndicated comic strip artist Steve Barr as a useful and "user friendly", methodically crafted instructional guide for young people wanting to create their own cartoon figures. Beginning with some expert preparatory advice and a few invaluable cartooning tips, Barr stars with simple, basic shapes and lines which can be quickly copied and expanded upon. The very nicely illustrated instructions continue on for drawing heads, hair, expressions, emotions, hands, arms, boys, girls, grandparents, and characters in motion. Also very highly recommended for budding artists are Steve Barr's two companion instructional books: 1-2-3 draw Cartoon Faces: A Step-by-Step Guideand 1-2-3 Draw Cartoon Animals: A Step-by-Step Guide. ... Read more

Product Description
This beautifully reproduced selection of quirkily elegant, sensual pin-up art from Jack Cole's 1950s career as the premier Playboy cartoonist shows that there was far more to Cole than his brilliant Plastic Man.

In the rarefied realm of classic cartoon pin-up art, nobody did itbetter than Jack Cole. With his quirky line drawings and sensualwatercolors, Cole, under Hugh Hefner's guiding hand, catapulted tostardom in the 1950s as Playboy's marquee cartoonist, aposition he held until his untimely death at the age of 43.

Jack Cole has been justly celebrated as the creator of Plastic Manand an innovative comic book artist of the 1940s (especially in ArtSpiegelman and Chip Kidd’s Jack Cole and Plastic Man: FormsStretched to Their Limits). After finishing his 14-year run on PlasticMan, he found himself looking for something new. According toCole, his savior was the Humorama line of down-market digest magazines.This girls and gags magazine circuit proved to be the perfect trainingground to regain his footing and develop his craft at single panel “gag”cartoons. His ability to render the female form was already withoutpeer. Though he signed his cartoons “Jake,” Cole’s exquisite linedrawings and masterful use of ink-wash — a skill he carried over to Playboy— betrayed his pseudonym. In comparison to his contemporaries, however,Cole was probably Humorama’s least prolific artist. Though his imageswere frequently used for covers, Cole’s cartoons were few and farbetween, with scarcely a single drawing appearing every five issues.

Along with a foreword by editor Alex Chun, this volume (originallyreleased in a now out-of-print hardcover edition that now fetches highprices on the secondhand market) collects the best of these hidden gems,including several shot from Cole’s stunning original art. Most of thesedrawings have not seen print elsewhere since their originalpublication.

Customer Reviews (2)

Cole Fan
I personally loved this book. I am a huge Jack Cole fan and enjoyed all of the gags in the book.

If you are a fan if gag cartoons, don't pass this up.

Cole's Art is Simply Remarkable
Fans of Jack Cole's Plastic Man should do themselves a favor and seek this book out. These one-panel gags foreshadow the work Cole would do for Playboy in the 1950's. The line art, is of course, extraordinary but his experiments with ink wash really leap off the page. Cole's gals are breathtaking. As Art Speigelman noted, "Cole's goddesses were estrogen souffles who mesmerized the ineffectual saps who lusted after them." I admit that I too was mesmerized flipping through the pages of this book. The gags are sometimes weak but Cole himself admitted that after having drawn comic books for so long he had to re-learn the art of the one-panel gag. Fortunately, this period drawing gags for the Humorama line helped him develop the talent needed to become Playboy's pre-eminent cartoonist in the early days. Alex Chun did a good job in condensing Cole's life down to a few pages. Which means more room for Cole's art!

A few things to note. The book says Quality Comics later became DC Comics, however, when Quality folded they were actually purchased by DC and absorbed into their line-up. The editorial review above states that Playboy was Cole's last professional gig before his untimely death but in actuality he created the syndicated newspaper strip Betsy and Me in the final year of his life. It was being published in nearly 50 papers at the time of his death. ... Read more

Product Description
There's a science to coming up with a fresh stream of ideas for cartoons, and this book's complete course shows just how to create comic panels and strips that get laughs, from set-ups right through to the punch lines. 275 illustrations, 75 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Great ideas
This has some great tips and points you in the right direction. Lots of examples and great advice.

The Book is Fun and Educational!
Before I finished my third book I decided it needed cartoons to visually explain some ideas (a picture is worth 1000 words) and provide humor to a tough subject.I started checking with hiring a professional artist (or student artist) to do the work.It quickly became clear the task would be time consuming, expensive and I may not get what I wanted in the end.

First, it would be difficult to find someone who would be able to take what was in my mind and transfer it to a cartoon

Second, it became painfully clear it would be expensive (even with a student artist).I wanted around twenty five cartoons drawn.

Third, some individuals wanted to discuss contracts and usage.

My best option was to learn how to draw cartoons myself.I figured it would be less expensive (only the cost of books and art supplies), and frustrating and I would get exactly what was in my brain.It would take some time to become proficient, but it sounded like a fun project. I was fortunately right.

Drawing on the Funny side of the Brain by Christopher Hart and a couple other books helped me learn how to draw cartoons good enough to put in my latest book.

Christopher Hart has done several books on drawing comics.He provides excellent common sense content, and teaches the skill very well though his words and cartoons.

There were many excellent sections in the book that helped me draw faces, bodies hands and feet. There were also some drawingsthat gave me ideas for my own cartoons.

Some the sections that I found especially helpful were: Humorous Head Construction, Funny Expressions, How to Draw the Cartoon Hand, and the Characters Sheet.

After finishing my sketches, I used Adobe Elements software to polish up the work. I was very pleased with the final cartoons that went into mybook...and there have been many positive comments about the cartoons from people who have the book!

Overall, this is a great resource for learning to draw cartoons!


The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Cartooning but Were Afraid to Draw (Christopher Hart Titles)

The Cartoonist's Workbook Drawing, Writing Gags, Selling

Excellent book!
Very helpful book on the basics of creating comics. I needed a book that would take me from square one and show me the ropes. This did all that and more. I would definitely recommend this book!

Bleh
I wanted this book to be good. I really did. It had what I was looking for, info on the most important aspect of cartooning: the writing.But, unless you intend to create cliche, unoriginal cartoons, this book is not for you. Because that's all it does. It explains in detail the most common cartoon character stereotypes and how you should use them. it tells you what is normally done and tells you to do the same. cartooning is not about following paths that have already been followed. i enjoyed The Naked Cartoonist by Robert Mankoff, cartoon editor for the New Yorker. It explains the creative process in general.
Here's my advice: don't listen to advice from cartoonists who aren't even successful themselves. they clearly don't know what they're talking about.

Great book but not what I was looking for.
Well this book has it all. How to draw and come up with characters, how to layout out for comic panals. What and What not to do writing strips and doing the comic layout, etc. I'de say you have it all here. I was just hoping it would give more on writing scripts, but I guess there realy is no help guid it's just skill. ... Read more