Book Description

A superb reference book and an ideal instructional textbook for classroom use, this beautifully illustrated guide is organized into units that reflect required courses at leading design colleges. Twenty step-by-step exercises cover methods of finding inspiration, developing observation techniques, and creating fashion drawings in both color and black-and-white media. Separate sections are devoted to getting started and understanding figure proportions, planning and designing garments, and creating and assessing flat specification drawings. The book also features cross-references to its various art instruction techniques, a designer’s glossary, and a helpful index. This book guides students through their first steps in fashion illustration, covering everything that is presented in the best college-level courses. It makes a fine starting point for all students of fashion, introducing them to fashion drawing as a first step toward a career as a creative costumier. More than 250 illustrations in color and black and white. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

a real course in fashion design
Unlike other fashion design books, the authors do not teach figure drawing and clothing. They start out with a visit to a museum where you need to gather information, then find a theme and make four sketches. The individual lessons build upon each other so that the beginner can easily follow. The authors require you to be active, go out and find your sources of information and inspiration. You learn to do what fashion designers do: look at architecture and find ideas for a new fashion line, look at flowers and find a color scheme, etc.
The book has 24 lessons that lead the student of fashion design from the first sketch to the fashion show. It's a good book if you are looking for a guided course that helps you to improve and evaluate your designs.

Important principles of fashion illustration
The book mentions the main and the important principles of fashion illustration, how to use colors and more. ... Read more

Book Description

If you are anime/manga collector or fan, you have had a burning desire to learn how to draw the popular characters by yourself.However, you may be worried that you cannot draw as well as people in art clubs or in cartoon clubs because drawing is difficult - don't worry, many people feel the same way.This series was written to help those who are interested in drawing, but are worried about the challenges involved with it.If you change the way you look at an object - even just a little, you can succeed. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Just as the title says.
Yeah, as the title says this is a book with just the basics.

It's not a step by step "how to draw" book as you would first think, it's rather a book on "test and learn", for example it shows a variety of characters and tells things like "separated eyes express lonelines, the small mouth expresses a delicate nature", so this book will only teach you how to design plain characters and it's wonderful for beginners like me; In no way must be considered a complete "How to Draw Anime" lesson, but its perfect for start cooking, even if you don't even know how to hold your pencil (that was my case some months ago when I bought it).

If you're a complete beginner buy this book, I gave it 5 stars because it helped me a lot, but keep this mind: drawing characters is one thing, to give life to them is something else... for that buy the Volume 2, or do some research.

Not exactly the basics...
This is an excellent book and all, it has improved my drawing a ton! There are plenty of examples to draw by (showing different kinds of characters including the cool looking comedian, the quiet hero, and the flirty school girl)
I'd say that the one problem would be the fact that it details how to put a pencil against a piece of paper and gives a bunch of warm-ups, but then immediatly goes to the examples. This book is mostly for those who draw flawed drawings and want to find tips (located in the back) or people who want to learn a little more on how anime works.
THIS IS NOT FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS! I REPEAT NOT FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS!

While good, this is not for complete beginners.
To begin, this is a good book. On first glance, it has a lot of detail and reference. It has excellent models, and wonderful in-depth descriptions.
It has a few big shortcomings, tho. Seeing as the title is "Basics for Beginners and Beyond" I thought that this would be the perfect book for me, seeing as I couldn't draw at all. After I got the book and started reading it, I realized that this is not the first book I should have bought. While this book does give great reference, it does not give step by step instructions. For those of you who are like me and cannot draw at all, you're going to want something a little more simplistic and instructive. This should be the *second* book you buy. (Three stars because this is NOT for complete beginners, as the title belies.

Fot total and complete beginners, I'd recommend that you buy How to Draw Manga by Katy Coope, ISBN 0439317452. It's extremely cheap, short and to the point. While it has it's own flaws, it was just what I needed and recommend for those of you who are just starting out. NEXT I'd recommend this book. Once you've gotten the simple skills from Katy Coope, then Tadashi Ozawa will show you a where to go with it.

Great book for beginners
This is the first in a the "How to Draw Anime & Game Characters" series of books, so obviously this one starts with the basics beginning with shapes and lines. With that done, it progressively moves on to how you adapt those techniques into making your characters body, parts of the body, and face. They show how to draw many different body sizes, eye shapes, hairstyles, hands, feet, and so on from different angles. They also have some areas that put a beginner, intermediate, and professional artists work side by side and examine the problem areas. A nice feature to help you prevent common (and not so common) mistakes. Overall, it's a great buy to those who want to draw anime.

this is a great book
I have just bought this book about a week ago and it improved my
drawing alot.I gave it a 4 star because it took me a while to under stand the book.I've been looking for a good how to draw book and this book is great.It is good for beginners and has alot of details.I will recomend this book to anyone that wants to draw anime. ... Read more

Book Description

Here in a single volume is a practical, comprehensive training course for budding illustrators working to master comic book art, graphic novels, fantasy posters, sci-fi book covers and illustrations, and computer games. The author, a highly successful fantasy artist, teaches the basics of human anatomical drawing and musculature, as well as perspective and composition. He then instructs on ways to distort, develop, and transform the human figure, giving it features that range from monstrous or magical to super-agile or larger than life. Detailed artist’s references and step-by-step instructions show how to build bodies that truly stretch the imagination—mighty alien warriors, kick-boxing cyber-punks, and mega-muscled superheroes, to name just a few. Art students also learn how to show their characters in many different dynamic action poses, such as flying, spinning, punching, and jumping, as well as how to express each character’s emotions through facial expressions. More than 300 color illustrations. ... Read more

Book Description

The foundation to drawing a character is the penciled under-drawing. An under-drawing that has somehow gone astray, once penned, ultimately results in artwork that just will not pull together or lacks balance. This volume explains in thorough detail how to handle the pencil, before the pen ever touches the drawing. Using actual examples of how a well or poorly penciled under-drawing can affect the final work, this book passes along many helpful pointers. Use this book to learn the absolute basics of penciled artwork, manga-style! ... Read more

Book Description

This set includes the book How to Draw Manga: Getting Started - with sections on Basics, Characters, Tone, Storytelling, and Backgrounds. Also in the set is 5 sheets of double sided 8 1/2 x 11 3/4paper, black ink illustrations pen, 8" ruler, 2 pencils, eraser, and plastic curve template. The set is packaged in a hard plastic case, good for storage or travel.(****Additional Text****) A Previews Exclusive! Imported from Japan! You've read the books. You've got your ideas ready to run down your arm to the waiting paper... but how do you get started? Graphic Sha and Previews have the answer with the official How to Draw Manga "Getting Started" Illustration Kit! This indispensable kit is perfect for any budding manga-ka to launch their first project, and includes: a copy of the 128-page English-language book, How To Draw Manga: Getting Started featuring informative chapters on "the basics," Characters, Tone, Storytelling, and even backgrounds! PLUS: 10 sheets of 8 ½" x 11 ¾" (A4-size) authentic Deleter brand Manga Illustration Paper, One Deleter Black Ink Illustration Pen, One Deleter brand "Neo-Piko" Color Marker (one pen, TWO tips, thick and thin!), One Plastic Curve Template, an 8" Plastic Ruler, Two Pencils, and an Eraser... all packaged in a durable, hard plastic case, perfect for storage or travel! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Manga Secrets
Good book, but in response to "A Reader" above, about MangaSecrets. The site DOES in fact deliver. If you did not get your product for some reason it simply a case of writing to the support email address? If you know anything about email, you'd know that a large bulk of it is begin deleted by your ISPs before it gets anywhere near you and the product is delivered via email... So *perhaps* that is what happened?.. Anyway just my two cents.

Pretty Good
This is an overall good book for learning perspective except unless you happen to be a professional some of the tools they suggest to create various effects and your supplies consist of a paper and a pencil it doesn't do you a lot of good. One example is when they tell you how to clouds which requires scratching away at your tones. It was greatly helpful in one way in that there was more than I expected on the various point persepectives. For example, when drawing characters of different height, it shows you how to make people not "float" or "sink" on the perspective plane when drawing them. It was also very specific on the relative height of someone to the door or rail, etc. giving exact heights in cm. It's one of those that's very specific for several things so more than likely there'll be a section that's just what you needed: forked roads, bushes..
Most of it wasn't overall wasn't real useful but would have some specific section what was greatly so. I particularly liked the section on where they talk about dividing all people according to a specific head length and "then" dividing it by six or seven head lengths you wanted which is something I would have never thought of.Well, you'd have to see it probably to understand what I'm talking about. The book tells you how to draw peerspectives outside, of stairs, classroom desks inside furniture, streets, below and above buildings etc.
(...)

Awesome!
Anyone who is interested in the world of Manga will LOVE this series of How to Draw books. They have one for everything!

Great for creating outstanding scenery
Having trouble with that woodland scenery? Is your metropolis going crooked with the horizon? Then this book shows the easy tricks of the Manga world to get you going on the right track and in no time you'll be amazed at how easy it is to create those effects that manga fans drool over on the screen! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Excellant!
This book taught me how to draw the sometimes complex techniques to drawing the muscles and torso. At last, I can draw men! As far as drawing faces on them, My male characters all end up wearing hockey masks for some reason, lol.

As it has been said before, this book is not really for a beginner.

VALUEBLE
great book!
assuming that you have basic knowledge, this book is great! it shows you how to draw you young people, old people, faces, hair styles , cloth styles good book

An excellent suplement!
This book, like most in Hayashi's "How to Draw Manga" series, is a fabulous suplement to his introductory books. It's not meant to show every detail of drawing, as that's what the basic books are for. However, it does help clearly define the differences between the male and female figures, and goes into detail about male body structures, common design styles and builds.

Excellent reference material, a must have for the anime/manga artist! I know I've inproved since getting it!

Finally, I can draw men!
I've Always had trouble drawing male characters. In fact, Before I got this book, the faces and heads were good, but the bodies looked like cilenders with arms attatched. This book covers every aspect of drawing the male form from the basics of figure drawing, to little details like adding age to a characters features. There is so much to learn about art, but this book simplifies things to the extent where an artist with enough familiarity with the style can refine her or his art many times over.

its not great
I do not own this book... I barrowed it from a freind of mine. It had almost the same thing on every page! i learned 1 skill... how to draw the torso. ... Read more

Book Description

Each bird species is shown in a large primary photo, with additionalphotos showing a variety of angles and poses; close-ups of feathers, feet and otherdetails; and the bird in its natural habitat.

Key information on habitat, feeding, physical characteristics and other helpful facts areincluded to help artists create accurate works of art. Four step-by-step demonstrationsshow how to use reference photos to paint beautiful birds.

Bart Rulon is a successful wildlife artist, as well as an experienced photographer whoseprimary interest is experiencing his subjects in the wild.His work has been shown inmany of the finest exhibitions, museums and galleries displaying wildlife and landscapeart in the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Japan and England. Rulon lives and works on WhidbeyIsland in Washington State's Puget Sound. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Artist Photo Reference: Birds
I recommend this book to any bird artist or anyone who just likes birds in general.The variety of birds covered is good and the number of photos is excellent!The text is very informative, especially the information on number of tail, and wing feathers. ... Read more

Book Description

From the author of the classic Human Anatomy for Artists comes this user-friendly reference guide featuring over five hundred original drawings and over seventy photographs. Designed for painters, sculptors, and illustrators who use animal imagery in their work, Animal Anatomy for Artists offers thorough, in-depth information about the most commonly depicted animals, presented in a logical and easily understood format for artists--whether beginner or accomplished professional. The book focuses on the forms created by muscles and bones, giving artists a crucial three-dimensional understanding of the final, complex outer surface of the animal. Goldfinger not only covers the anatomy of the more common animals, such as the horse, dog, cat, cow, pig, squirrel, and rabbit, but also the anatomy of numerous wild species, including the lion, giraffe, deer, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, elephant, gorilla, sea lion, and bear. Included are drawings of skeletons and how they move at the joints, individual muscles showing their attachments on the skeleton, muscles of the entire animal, cross sections, photographs of live animals, and silhouettes of related animals comparing their shapes and proportions. He offers a new and innovative section on the basic body plan of four-legged animals, giving the reader a crucial conceptual understanding of overall animal structure to which the details of individual animals can then be applied. The chapter on birds covers the skeleton, muscles and feather patterns. The appendix presents photographs of skulls with magnificent horns and antlers and a section on major surface veins. Incredibly thorough, packed with essential information, Animal Anatomy for Artists is a definitive reference work, an essential book for everyone who depicts animals in their art. ... Read more

Book Description

There's no doubt about it: Japanese animation is hot. Television shows, films, and videos featuring the anime style of animation are wildly popular.Japanese animation is like a comic book come to life, retaining all its power but in moving form. It has a very different style from traditional western animation, incorporating heavy shading, dramatic camera angles, and beautifully rendered special effects-especially the fantastic anime depictions of ocean waves, storms, smoke, and explosions. Easier to draw than its western counterpart, anime is more limited and simpler in its execution. In Japanese anime the characters move, but their movements are generally staccato, sharp, and dramatic-not free-flowing with lots of overlapping action, anticipation, and follow-through. In Anime Mania, famous cartoonist, teacher, and best-selling author Christopher Hart demonstrates how any comic book artist can become expert in this wonderful style of animation. Step by step, he details how to draw the coolest anime characters from the widest selection of popular styles: high-tech cyberpunks who live in the world of the future; teen characters-with troubled relationships at school, home, and on the street; and mighty monsters, fantasy warriors, and giant robots. Aspiring animators will also find chapters on anime's spectacular special effects, the role of storyboarding in anime, sketching and the art of character design, and a mini-crash course in perspective. The book concludes with interviews with Scott Frazier, an American anime director working in Japan, and Mahiro Meada, a renowned Japanese animation director. Brimming with hundreds of spectacular examples, illustrations, and step-by-step exercises, Anime Mania details how anyone can become a real anime artist without having to reinvent the art of drawing. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Americanized anime
This book does a nice job attempting to teach the anime style, but falls short of teaching beyond what is already basic and typical of anime. It also fails to achieve a very objective approach.

As a fan of the art style, I collect art books on anime both in Japanese and in English, and it's very obvious just from taking a quick glance through the book that it's a highly westernized interpretation of the art style (just look at the costumes, for instance). Additionally, it doesn't go into the storytelling methods and cliches of anime-style art, which, being an art book, might seem okay, but I think it's important information to understand in order to learn how to draw anime convincingly (proper camera angles, settings, keyframes, etc).

The majority of the book goes over figure drawing in very typical anime proportions and drawing by example.

If I had the chance to look through the book before purchasing it, I would not have bought it, but unfortunately I ordered it online and could not do so.

Kids Will Like This Book. Serious Anime Fans Will Not.
I would rename this book, THE ART OF WESTERNIZED ANIME. The colorful illustrations are great, but there isn't much instruction on "How To" achieve the drawings. It's a much better idea-generator book. There has also been some criticism about the "Americanized" anime used in this book. I agree that hard-core Anime fans will notice right away that there is something "wrong" with the drawings, the characteristic anime nose, for example.

Despite the above mentioned, the Pokemon crowd will really enjoy this book. The most obvious reason is that it is in COLOR and is filled with ILLUSTRATIONS. It also has pages of those draw "cute" anime critters. So, while it may not be traditional Anime, the younger crowd is not likely to notice, and may actually prefer the "westernized" look. And the lack of instructions probably works to their advantange as well (don't most kids like to skip to the end of instructions, anyway?)

For serious Anime fans, who are truly interested in learning how to draw Japanese Anime, I recommend taking a look at HOW TO DRAW ANIME & GAME CHARACTERS, VOL.1, by TADASHI OZAWA. This book/series is popular in Japan, and has now been translated into English (by an American publishing Co, so have no fear of "all-your-base-belong-to-us" English!) It has step-by-step instructions and the characters really look authentic. Why? Well, because, it's written/illustrated by an animation director at STUDIO GHIBLI (Oscar-winning SPIRITED AWAY) The book, however, is completely in black & white, and while it is completely suitable for kids, will probably not be as attention-keeping as CHRIS HART'S ANIME MANIA.

Overall, I give this book 4 STARS. The breakdown:
5-STAR rating for kids and people who's range of Anime consists of Afternoon cartoons. Highly Recommended.
3-STAR rating for serious Anime fans. Neutral Recommendation. (It still makes a good "Art of" book, though)

It gives Anime a bad name!
Well I havn't bought the book, but from first glance, it looks pathetic. The art style is horrible for Anime. I have been drawing Anime for about 2 years or so, and observed tons of anime, and this is nothing like it. I know it is Americanized, but some children have WAY better skills then the artists in this book. (I havn't bought it, but the cover says a mouthfull) Some people say it is good for kids, well they don't know the beginning of how much I see wrong with it. Not recommended for anybody acept maybe someone who knows squat about anime.

Not a very good Book to learn to draw in Anime format
First off, I have taken a look at the book in a store. My first impression is that it was bad. One, the artwork looks very amateur like, more like a bad attempt. Many of the book he has produced are ones on how to draw american cartoons. Not to insult the guy, but it doesn't look anime like. I would not dare recommend this book to any one who want to learn how to draw in the manga style. I would sugguest buying the How to Draw Manga: Compiling Characters or the other How to Draw Manga. I suggest those because those are PROFESSION MANGA ARTIST. Please don't waste your time and money on Hart's books.

okayyyyyyy
I got this book when I was just finding out about the anime/manga world. I now realize that this book is more for begginers. not a very good beginer either. it has a lot of useful info, though.( weight bearing leg, basic body construction, character design, and other suff) however, this book is sort of confusing becouse there are lots of different art styles in here.(Mr. Hart hires other artists) different artists draw differently.

there ARE colored illos all over the book. Mr. Hart breezes through lots of different types of characters without getting into them that much. he just shows you how to draw them at one angle and moves on. he could write a detailed series based on this book( how to draw creatures, how to draw high-tech punks,dramatic seens, how to draw special effects, etc.).

but if your a begginer and want an overview of anime this is the book for U. ... Read more

Book Description

While one would think undergarments are standard fixtures on manga characters, they can be unexpectedly tricky for artists to draw. This book includes more than 4,000 illustrations showing details of these garments worn on a figure in addition to a detailed history of intimate apparel. Moreover, it enables the reader to make practical use of the illustrations provided to create easily their own fantasy costume designs. This volume is chock full of ideas ready for use! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

As close to a class as you can get!
This book gives the artist a special perspective from which to view and draw nature. Stanley Maltzman focuses on the basics of different seasons, weather, water, rocks, etc., but also takes the reader into specific shapes and characteristics of individual elements. For example, he shows you the differences between drawing an oak and a maple tree. This is the strength of the book over other landscape drawing books.

There are demonstrations and samples on almost every page in a variety of mediums. He even shows the student how to mock up a natural setting in the studio for practice. Having taken a class from this author, I can easily say it is like having him explain the material in person! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Tibetan Art Coloring Book
The line drawings in this colouring book are so lovely that I was almost too intimidated to start colouring them in! Truly beautiful illustrations and I have enjoyed my time with them, and look forward to many more hours of colouring.....

An Incredible Gift
This book makes an incredible gift. I, personally, can't wait to color in these beautiful Tibetan Drawings. I have always loved the art of Tibet and admired the meditation involved in producing it. I think it is a brilliant idea to make a book that allows all of us a chance to participate in this sacred tradition.

"The Tibetan Art Coloring Book" is one of my favorites!
I am a teenager interested in Tibetan culture and the Tibetan Buddhist religion. I love to look at, color, and create my own thangkas (Tibetan paintings), which made this book a pleasure to work on! "The Tibetan Art Coloring Book" is one of two Tibetan art coloring books I have. Unlike the other one, this book comes with a coil on the top, so you can easily fold the book, and go from one picture to another! The paper is of perfect texture to use with colored pencils, being very smooth. I, infact, scanned some of the pictures I colored, and put them on my personal homepage! ... Read more

Book Description

It's time to learn the basics of inking and two indispensable stroke types: strokes with tapered and even ends. Combining tapered lines with blunt, even lines allows for the production of balanced artwork. Applying discretion in using tapered and even lines when drawing figures will help you establish whether a character is good or bad. ... Read more

Book Description

This latest addition to the Discover Drawing series will teach readers how to produce beautiful renderings of their favorite animals--horses. Hammond's realistic approach, clear step-by-step instruction and encouraging voice ensures that artists of any experience level will be able to succeed right from the start. Even the finished examples look achievable to the first timer--Hammond is just that good a teacher.

The appealing subject matter combined with clear, detailed directions make Draw Horses a winner and the one book that you can bet on to cross the finish line well ahead of the competition!

* Perfect for beginning artists
* Over 138,000 copies have been sold in the Discover Drawing series
* Clear step-by-step instruction from a master ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent book!
I hesitated to buy this book because it had a low price, but it is excellent. Lee Hammond can really draw, and she shows you how. At the beginning of the book, she goes over the basic shapes, such as circles, spheres, and shows you what each one needs in order to look realistic. Then she shows you how she draws each feature of a horse. It's just a great book and I have read many. I bought one of her colored pencil books after I saw this one and I can't wait.

Draw horses by Lee Hammond
This book is great if you know some of the basics of how to draw a horse. It has everything you need to know about shadowing which is very important for your drawing to look realistic and lively. It also shows you how to draw ears, eyes, muzzle, legs, hooves, and hair(the mane and the tail). After following a step by step procedure I was able to draw a Great horsey eye which looked realistic. The book also has step by step precedures on how to draw horses from different views front,back, laying down, etc.) It also contains several drawings that have no step by step precedure but rather allow you to practice on your own. I advise you to buy this book, it's really good! ... Read more

Book Description

Representing more than 60 species found throughout North America, this portfolio includes field sketches, drawings of footprints, and photographs of animals taken in their natural habitats. Rather than a drawing manual, this is a reference geared toward artists of any media interested in drawing animals. The book's large-scale format facilitates detailed sketches that capture the true nature of the species. Flat artists can use this guide as a starting point for larger compositions, while sculptors and woodcarvers can use it to define natural-looking poses for their subjects. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent book
This book has an extremely wide selection of animals showing actual pictures, footprints, evironments, and drawings of the animals themselves in a variety of poses. Also included, are numerous field notes with regard to habitat, animal behavior, and likely scenarios for drawing these animals in natural settings. ... Read more

Book Description

This fourth volume in the More How to Draw Manga series presents the basic drawing techniques depending on twelve (12) types of bishoujo characters, as well as their costumes, movements, etc. ... Read more

Book Description

Offering tips for drawing more than 20 mammals indigenous to North America, this revised reference exhibits each species in several photographs as well as in field sketches. Animals featured range from the gray wolf of the Yukon Territory to the tiny Key deer of Florida and include black bears, grizzly bears, polar bears, coyotes, mountain lions, pronghorns, and bison. Included is information on habitat and range, as well as advice on starting a wildlife sketchbook. ... Read more

Book Description

This third volume in the More How to Draw Manga series takes a focused look at means of enhancing a character's sense of presence as well as explains in detail techniques for imbuing a character with presence by suggesting movement. ... Read more