Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Cartooning but Were Afraid to Draw

by Christopher Hart

Written by a master cartoonist with a combination of wit (which every cartoonist needs) and invaluable advice, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Cartooning But Were Afraid to Draw is the ultimate cartooning book. It serves as a complete course for beginners as well as a great tool for the most advanced cartoonist. Author Christopher Hart covers everything a cartoonist needs to know to tell a joke visually, from the effective use of layout, light, and shading to the techniques of conveying emotion. There are lessons in drawing characters in reaction shots and “takes,” indicating specific settings such as underwater and nighttime scenes, and depicting various weather conditions. There is even an entire chapter devoted to creating special effects—from speed to explosions. Of special importance, Hart shows cartoonists how to find their own drawing style and how to develop a cast of characters.

Written with boundless enthusiasm, this friendly yet authoritative book is filled with appealing, original comic strips and gags that Hart created especially to illustrate his lessons. Every artist who wants to draw cartoons will appreciate the insider's knowledge and tricks of the trade that Hart shares in this comprehensive sourcebook.

Genres: Art, Reference, Drawing, Comics, Nonfiction, Animation

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1994

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

I started drawing character designs and storyboards for a small animation studio in while in High School. Cartooning and animation was a magical experience to me. I try to bring that experience, as well as art tips, to my readers. Their enthusiasm also motivates me.

Early in my career, my cartoon work got noticed by Watson-Guptill, a premier publisher of art books. They asked me to do a book for them on drawing cartoons. It sold 200,000 copies, which is a healthy number. So we kept going. I discovered that I enjoyed the art of creating books, which has its own special requirements. I also worked as an author for Random House, Quarto and Soho Publishing. In total, I have had 8 million books sold, and have been translated into 20 languages.

My book, "The Master Guide to Drawing Anime: How to Draw Original Characters from Simple Templates" has sold over half a million copies to date and is still very actively in print. An earlier book of mine, "Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics:" reached the number one art book in the country, according to Bookscan.

I've also been a cover story on the industry trade magazine, "Publisher's Weekly." And if you've read this far into my Bio, then I'm more impressed with you than you are with me!

Thank you so very much for letting me offer some inspiration to you in your art adventures.

Christopher Hart

Reviews

[Jane]

Another fantastic book for budding cartoonists. I found I didn't draw along with the book as much as Hart's others, but this is a fantastic reference book.