How to Draw Stupid and Other Essentials of Cartooning

by Kyle Baker

Draw stupid, succeed big! Okay, dumdum. This one is pretty much idiot-proof. Even you should be able to figure out How to Draw, Stupid, and Other€“what? No commas? Whoops, sorry. But How to Draw Stupid and Other Essentials of Cartooning is simple enough for even the simplest readers. Author Kyle Baker, who only acts stupid, is in fact €œthe greatest cartoonist of all time,€ or so he tells us. Here he presents a hard-working instruction book that provides artists with the essential skills needed for success. From the principles of drawing to turning those principles on their ear (or their rear), from conveying movement to creating a step-by-step sequence, from idea sketch to finished drawing, How to Draw Stupid and Other Essentials of Cartooning is the smartest purchase any aspiring artist can make, regardless of mental acuity.

Genres: Art, How To, Comics

112 pages, Paperback

First published July 8, 2008

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Kyle John Baker is an American cartoonist, comic book writer-artist, and animator known for his graphic novels and for a 2000s revival of the series Plastic Man.
Baker has won numerous Eisner Awards and Harvey Awards for his work in the comics field.

Reviews

[Sarah Starkiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Peter Derk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is more about the philosophy of cartooning than it is a How to Draw book, so it didn't exactly fit into my project. But I DID have fun with it.

My favorite piece of advice in this whole thing regards stupid characters: Before a stupid character does something stupid, show them thinking about it REALLY hard.

If the stupid character just does something stupid, it might be a little funny, but it's MUCH funnier if the character thinks about it REALLY HARD. If the character is acting as smart as he possibly can, if this is the character firing on all cylinders, it's much funnier when he makes a terrible choice.

I guess this is where I announce: I am trying to learn how to draw this year because I want to make my own comics. Nobody is going to let me write THEIR comics. Which I can't blame them for, I wouldn't let me write a Hulk story either. There's absolutely no way the Hulk doesn't blast someone away with a thundering fart, so...yeah, keep me away.

So I think the only entry into comics for me is going to be writing my own comics, and the only way I'll get away with that is if I can also draw my own comics.

Lower your expectations. I know they were low to begin with. Keep lowering them.

If everything goes according to plan, by the end of 2024, I'll have some comics that are pretty enjoyable, mostly people saying, "The art kind of holds it back, but the writing is good. The fart jokes are top notch!"

Maybe I need to come up with a pen name for the "artist" I work with. That way, people will be like, "Let's get this Peter Derk away from this Drawster Pencilton III guy."

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyle Baker is an asshole? Except it makes for a fun read, and it's often insightful, and when you disagree with him, his cockiness brings your counter-argument into focus with all the urgency of having a debate with an asshole.

I'd read this before, and was looking to quote it for an essay I'm writing, but upon review, the quote turned out to be better at inspiring me to try and explain the aesthetics of posture, rather than explaining the aesthetics of posture for itself. This may ring true of the rest of the book: Baker's got it aaaaall figured out, and he won't explain it to you, but maybe he'll inspire you to try and do it yourself.

[Brian Clopper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am working my way through a bunch of books and graphic novels I've had for several years and never gotten around to reading for various reasons.

This is a quick read. It's amusing, but doesn't shed light on anything new. I really like any of Baker's projects and find his style so wholly his. I snatch up anything he does, but this book feels a little indulgent and not as critical to being part of his works.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, for my kids, this was actually a great instruction booklet. For me, it's just hilarious. If you haven't read anything that Baker has done, go get them. Now. His style looks cartoonish and childish (it is) but it hides a fantastic storyteller who just happens to be a bit insane. In other words, my kind of author. Enjoy!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, you won't get much how-to. This is Baker's philosophy on cartooning and storytelling, and as such, it's more valuable in many respects than most how-to's. On the other hand, Baker's approach may not work for everyone - although if you want to work professionally, you should pay attention to him. It's a bit skimpy, but what's on the page is very useful.

[Trey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that this isn't the average 'how to draw' kind of book, very unique, skims over the basics and gets into Baker's philosophy of cartooning. And I'm a big fan of his cartooning, so that works out.

[Catherine Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am totally inspired after reading this!

[Kevin de Ataíde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candid appraisal of the comic-book/cartoon-animation industry and recommendations for entering independent comics as cartoonist. Short and amusing.