How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way
by
Stan Lee
recommended for:
children, begining artists
read in August, 2011
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When I was young, every little boy I knew wanted to draw comics (these days many little girls do too, and that’s awesome) but I had a serious advantage over all of them.
I was the only kid on my block with a copy of How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way
I...more
When I was young, every little boy I knew wanted to draw comics (these days many little girls do too, and that’s awesome) but I had a serious advantage over all of them.
I was the only kid on my block with a copy of How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way
It is nearly impossible to write a book that touches upon all the essential aspects of a given art field in any relevant way. Yet, somehow Stan Lee brings us just that. It doesn’t stop with proper tools, formulas, and methods. It even approaches professionalism and best practices. All of this without going over your head, or talking down to the audience.
The coolest thing about HTDCTMW is It’s really a book about visual story telling that happens to use the comic book idiom. Pacing, mood, dynamism, framing, composition, it’s all there along with a glossary of industry terms, list of materials and constructive anatomy methods, that are still as relevant today as they were in 1977.
If you have children or young relatives who show the spark of talent for the entertainment art fields of story boarding, concept art/design, or sequential art of any kind, this is the book for them. If you want to pick up a book of sound advice and technique basics, over and over again and just be reminded of how fun illustration really is, this book is for you.
Notes: With regard to anatomy; this book only deals with idealized figure construction, but that’s fine because it was intended for a young audience that might find life drawing techniques both confining and tedious. It is just a primer, after all. HTDCTMW is not perfect, but it is perfect at what it does.(less)
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One of the finest biographies I've ever read. Considering the subject matter (an ancient culture that kept few records, which the Chinese tried their best to wipe out), it's mind-boggling the level of research needed to produce such a book. Further,...more
One of the finest biographies I've ever read. Considering the subject matter (an ancient culture that kept few records, which the Chinese tried their best to wipe out), it's mind-boggling the level of research needed to produce such a book. Further, if only half the information contained within was accurate, it would still be one of the greatest attempts to shed light on the practically forgotten works of history's mightiest conqueror: Genghis Khan.
Like most biographers, Weatherford clearly became enamored of his subject and thus, excuses or justifies any truly malicious or simply horrible things the Khan did. I don't find this objectionable, since, in the case of Genghis, vilification is already abundant. Wetherford just gives you the opposite side of the coin and tries to show reasonable and sympathetic motivations for his nearly mythological protagonist.
Speaking of mythological; the Great Khan is surely that. Regardless of his shortcomings, the idea that one man could own and control so much of the Earth is staggering. This is no unruly savage. No amount of luck could bring him the power he would ultimately achieve. Further, his brutality is far outmatched by his wisdom. Just consider a handful of his "gifts" to the world:
Pants (I know, right?) International freedom of religion Social Meritocracy PANTS!
Students, if history isn't your thing (and it should be) this is a great place to start. For everyone else; grab this book. It is a historical page turner.(less)
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Constructive Anatomy
by
George B. Bridgman
recommended for:
Teen and up
read in August, 2011
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Not a tutorial by any means. Bridgman gives us a series of breakdowns from perfect anatomical accuracy through more manageable shapes representative of the original structures, all the way to "masses" that take in the totality of a large anatomical g...more
Not a tutorial by any means. Bridgman gives us a series of breakdowns from perfect anatomical accuracy through more manageable shapes representative of the original structures, all the way to "masses" that take in the totality of a large anatomical grouping. If you didn’t understand what I just said, don’t worry. I’ll translate.
Bridgman’s method of human figure construction breaks the body down into large, but still distinct masses that are more easily rendered, both in motion and at rest as well as in perspective. Rather than learning how to draw all the tendons, bones and muscle groups of (for example) the shoulder, you are shown how the mass of the shoulder should look, and why. In this way, the body is broken down into dozens of easier to draw shapes that are still very accurate in terms of raw medical anatomy.
If you are not familiar with his work, it will take me longer to explain than just looking at one chapter online. So I have done you one better. Follow this link to get the whole book for free (legally)my link text.
Don’t say I never gave you anything.
Notes: It’s dry. The concepts are exciting, but Bridgman writes like the Pope talks.(less)
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In this entertaining and incredibly informative book, David takes his empty headed friend Mugg on a trip through the (comically questionable) history and application of perspective. Even though his book carries the power of a high level college cours...more
In this entertaining and incredibly informative book, David takes his empty headed friend Mugg on a trip through the (comically questionable) history and application of perspective. Even though his book carries the power of a high level college course, Mr. Chelsea tames the beast of perspective by actually making the entire book a paneled story, just like a graphic novel.
As the story progresses he moves us from the remedial to the practical and finally leaves us standing on the pinnacle of technical mastery, staring back, wide-eyed at all we learned while we thought we were just having fun.
Along with the all the formulaic applications are a few awesome "tricks" of perspective illustration like using old photographs to create perfect 3 point perspective without vanishing points.
Notes: Don’t let the name fool you. Perspective For Comic Book Artists, is not limited in scope to comic books. In fact, I believe (as do luminaries like the late Will Eisner) that it is one of the best perspective books of our generation, for any illustrative application.(less)
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Raw Fury
by
Phil Elmore (Goodreads Author)
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I just finished "Raw Fury" by Phil Elmore, and I really liked it.
To understand how amazing that is, you've got to know that if a month ago someone accused me of reading an Executioner novel I would have slapped them for insulting me. Stories about a...more
I just finished "Raw Fury" by Phil Elmore, and I really liked it.
To understand how amazing that is, you've got to know that if a month ago someone accused me of reading an Executioner novel I would have slapped them for insulting me. Stories about a comically macho, hyperactive, uber-patriot character so two dimensional you could slice an atom with it, never struck me as a great reading choice.
I'm sorry Mack. I just didn't understand. You were never supposed to be taken seriously. You were supposed to be FUN. Yes, big fun. All caps fun. And you are. At least when Phil Elmore takes the reigns.
Phil serves up big action fun, on the scale of Die Hard. This book opens on an action, continues to the action sequence before ending on a climactic action. And it never, ever gets boring. Seriously, I haven't seen an action movie this fun in years.
I didn't even know you could write a book that was continuous action and make it hold someones attention. But clearly it is possible. I have to say however, that I tried a few other Mack Bolan stories by other authors and didn't get the same intensity I got from Elmore's piece. He is apparently unique within the genre for his "adrenaline shot to the heart" level of excitement.
It's not Tom Clancy, but neither is it meant to be. It is Disney World for violence and righteous fury. Don't try and politicize it, or psychoanalyze it. Just read it and have a blast.
I did.(less)
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"Friday is going to happen."
—
Johnny Atomic
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Andrea Cort is possibly the the most hateful, self loathing and hostile woman in the galaxy, but she is just what is needed to uncover the truth behind a grisly murder on the loneliest and most isolated space station ever built.
Adam-Troy Castro is un...more
Andrea Cort is possibly the the most hateful, self loathing and hostile woman in the galaxy, but she is just what is needed to uncover the truth behind a grisly murder on the loneliest and most isolated space station ever built.
Adam-Troy Castro is unquestionably the only male author I know of to write a female protagonist so authentically. There is no stink of the "man with breasts" ham handedness that sometimes plagues even great writers.
He raises the bar further with the introduction of a very well thought out alien species, a disturbing couple who share one mind and a dangerously autonomous race of sentient software.
The first of a trilogy, this is a smoking hot, well paced sci-fi thriller that I can only hope becomes lauded as the classic storytelling that it is.(less)
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