Book Description

Dramatized sequential illustrations with dialogue—an art form once confined to production of comic strips and comic books—has recently graduated into the popular, fast-growing, and often financially rewarding genre of the graphic novel. Writing and Illustrating the Graphic Novel is an authoritative instruction manual suitable for formal art class or for self teaching on the part of ambitious self-starters. Beginners who have artistic and storytelling aptitudes learn the basics of graphic novel creation, from first conception of a story idea to publication of a professionally produced book.An introductory chapter describes the widely differing graphic novel sub-genres and the appropriate styles for each. They include superhero, gothic tale, adventure/action story, sci-fi, crime story, and literary fiction. A succeeding chapter discusses and shows examples of picture panels, speech bubbles, layout, and characterization of works in progress. Subsequent chapters offer advice on finding inspiration for stories and explanation of the technique of writing for graphic novels. A variety of illustration and layout styles are shown with reference to ways in which each fits a different sub-genre. A final chapter presents practical tips on getting a graphic novel published. More than 400 illustrations take students step-by-step through the process of creating a graphic novel. ... Read more

Book Description

This delightful book presents hundreds of entertaining caricatures of celebrities from popular American periodicals in the first half of the twentieth century. Employing a vivid new type of portraiture based on modern design and a preoccupation with personality-based fame, master caricaturists filled the pages of newspapers and magazines with renderings of Mae West, George Gershwin, the Marx Brothers, Babe Ruth, Mussolini, and other personalities of their times. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A STUNNING OVERVIEW OF 20TH CENTURY CARICATURES
This is the best single overview of 20th Century American caricature I have ever seen. The quality of the reproductions is outstanding and a good many of the items herein are not available in other books. The book's cutoff point appears to be the Fifties; it would have been nice to have had some more recent examples by artists such as Edward Sorel, but perhaps the newer people are adequately covered in other books. Anyone interested in caricature cannot do without this book. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Great for artists.
This is a great book. One of my favorites. This book shows many different fighting styles, and how a fighter would react to certain moves. I'm makin my own comic series, Gladiator. And I'm having trouble holding out a good fight scene; especially since I'm goin to make a 3-part issue that is just one huge fight. So I needed help. And I came to this book. And it covers a section of women fighters and how they would react. That helped me greatly since I'm a male artist, and I can't draw women too good; making a stretch putting them in fight scenes. And there are two women in my superhero team. When I draw a women in a fight scene they look like men. But this book helped me a lot. Though if you are a beginer to drawing, I wouldn't recommend this book. It's too complex. And that's where I demoted one star. This book is great for: American artists who are approaching anime art styles, anime artists, and artists who just want to approach a new art style. This also makes a great gift for the holiday rush.

Wonderful For Drawing Fight Scenes!
This book is one of a large series of books, and is not for beginners. It doesn't provide a step-by-step guide for drawing, and if you are a beginner I suggest searching for the first three books in the series. The guidelines and pictures provided in the book are very helpful, however. It covers many different forms of fighting, how to show a character dodging or being hit, jumping, tired or defeated characters, and an entire section devoted to fighting girls in sailor suits. Be warned, there is a bit of nudity to provide outlines for the characters, but it is fairly mild. The translation can be a bit choppy in placed, which is why I gave it four stars, but the illustrations are very helpful. Check it out if you want to draw manga!

One of The Best Manga Books
I am a person who,has the talent to draw well, likes to draw, but has some trouble drawing Manga-style. These books, from the batch I ordered, are pretty helpful, you just have to add your talent and practise and you will equal a good artist.

I ordered this book from this website and I was not disapointed. This is a great and unigue book.I don't think there might be anything like it or close to it again(except probably for HTDM martial arts and cmbat sorts) but I haven't read that book yet.

This book show you almast everything you need... from different types of punches to different and kicks and their effect depending on which part of the body it hits (This is very important and I never got this right before I got this book)to grabbing, throwing and detaining someone. There is even a part showing how to draw different slaps. To the end it shows how to draw sailor scout uniform battle (in other words girls battling in their school uniform).

There is alot of information packed into this book. Most of the characters are not drawn perfect like in some other HTDM books so you can easily apply the techniques from here to your own original characters but don't expect to learn how to draw a character from this book because this book is just for fighting reference!

This book is a must have for anyone who want to learn how to draw fight scenes with manga characters or anything else along that line.
I will also recommend this for the general manga artist who is still unsure what to draw next.

Very Useful
This book is for more advanced artists wishing to expand their skills to fight scenes. It shows both battle technique of various styles and the resulting injuries given. It is particularly useful in that it doesn't hold one's hand, but just give guidelines and examples.

I'm an animation nut
I think this book would prove useful for flash animators. If you want to animate some cool fight sequences this book will provide a good reference. The art being fresh and inspiring to artists and animators a like enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

From one of America's most brilliant satirical artists: his best, his funniest, his most deliciously wicked and memorable caricatures of the past thirty years.



Here are history's great and near great--166 heroes, rogues, fools, and geniuses: from Moses leading his kvetching people ("Some miracle! If I don't get pneumonia, that'll be a miracle") through the parted Red Sea waters, to George Gershwin teaching Fred Astaire a dance step, to Madonna seen as a horseperson of the apocalypse ; from Brahms dozing off as Liszt plays, to Rodin auditioning models, and Reagan as Robin Hood, taking from the poor and giving to the rich.



Here are such fabulous targets for the satirist's pen as LBJ, Nixon and the Watergate Gang, a holstered Jimmy Carter at high noon in the hostage crisis, and a poignant Dan Quayle as the central figure in a comic strip about a man who wants a little respect.



And it's pure pleasure to watch Sorel portray Tom Wolfe in his famous white suit or Woody Allen and Mia Farrow caught in The Storm, or draw a bead on such superstars as Picasso and John Updike, Barbra Streisand, Colette, Truman Capote, and the entire cast of Casablanca. Each of the book's three sections--"History," "Entertainment and the Arts,""Politics" --has a wry autobiographical introduction, and every drawing has its own pithy, informative caption.



Here's wit aplenty, visual and verbal--a splendid satirical view of the wise, the beautiful, the clever, and the flawed, over the centuries, who loom large in our lives and in our imaginations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

All Illustrator should read this!
This is a great book and a must have. Not only are the illustrations great but the text is also wonderful

I'd give it ten stars!
Mr. Sorel is the most elegant cartoonist there is! His sophisticated draftsmanship is superb, the subtle way he uses colors has no match and, well, I guess even the guys he most mercilessly trashes ought to be proud to appear in such fantastic cartoons!

Besides, the man obviously knows what he's talking about: art, books, movies, music, politics... Simply put, Edward Sorel's work is THE example of what an intelligent cartoonist should look like.

A must-read for cartoonists and illustrators.
"Unauthorized Portraits" is a sumptuous must-read for the working cartoonist or illustrator (like myself). Edward Sorel's clever drawings and candid text will amuse, inspire, humble, and even comfort any commercial artist or pop culture enthusiast. Sorel is an artist and a gentleman (I know; I've met him) - but he is also a visual raconteur. I hope his agile pens never run dry. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

It's a review. Enough said.
I've bought about seven of How to Draw Manga books, and this is the one I've found most helpful. Out of the seven, it also improved my skills a great deal in drawing characters. Everything I was expecting from this book was in it. It shows how to draw couples reacting to each other and how to place them. Also, they show what to do with same sex couples, if you really wanted to know. It's my favourite out of the ones I currently own.

At last!
First, I learned how to draw females, then males. Then I wanted to draw the males and females together. This shows how to draw couples holding hands, hugging, kissing, and "other interaction", which is what I was after. Excellant book that I refer back to OFTEN! Highly recommended!

Another Success
This is another great book from the how to draw manga series, it hows you how to draw female/male couple's, male/male couple's, and female/female couples. As is traditional with this series it mostly shows how to draw the characters using blocks.

This book however starts on the assumtion that you can already draw faces/bodies etc...and therefore I'd advise that you purchase an earlier book first (i.e compiling characters or getting started).

This book does briefly show how to draw characters 'making love', but it's not graphic, this book also contains nudity.

Overall this book is excellent for people who enjoy drawing manga ^_^

Its worth the money
Well, I got this book a little while ago, and I can't tell you how much it helps me. I'm an artist by trade, mainly comic books, and I've always had trouble drawing couple well, how should I say this... "interacting" This book shows you relationships from a friendly date, to marriage, which is very helpful.

Another thing I think is great is the fact that they show how to draw same sex couples, which you don't see very often. Once again, the How To Draw Manga series has out done themselves yet again!!!

Very good reference book to have around
I'm always on the look out for art and anatomy book with poses in it, since it's expensive to hire a model. This is the first book that I've seen demonstrating human interaction. Even if you don't tend to draw in an anime/manga style, I'd suggest this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Curvaceous women, a top subject sought by comic book publishers, are the focus of this eye-popping instructional that shows aspiring cartoonists exactly how to master drawing a bevy of fabulous females.

From basic anatomy, musculature, body positions, and action poses to facial expressions, hairstyles, and costumes, this truly invaluable and unique resource covers in great detail every aspect of depicting great-looking women for comic books.

The book also shows how to handle perspective and compose art specifically for comic book panels. In addition to chapters offering effective drawing lessons are sections on tricks of the trade, lists of comic book publishers and their submissions addresses, and interviews with industry professionals Bobby Chase of Marvel Comics and Renae Geerlings of Top Cow, who provide insiders' views of the business and give tips on how newcomers can land their first jobs in the field. Contributing illustrators have penciled and inked such famous characters as the X-Men, Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Catwoman, Supergirl, Green Lantern, Captain America, and many others. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Oh my! The anatomy is HORRIBLE!
This book "takes art to a whole new level?" What?! The artist's understanding of human anatomy and correct proportion is ghastly. Torsos are weirdly lengthened or turned out-of-porportion to the rest of the body, chests are almost humorous, arms spout from upper bodies like mismatched attachments, and buttocks hang like onions in underpants. Faces are so generic they're interchangeable, except with variations on hairstyle. Apparently "great looking comic book women" are stereotypes that vary only in their decorative objectification: change the costume and the hair, and everything else is assembly-line rendered. Even the bare basics of human life drawing are absent in the book. The step-by-step processes aren't innovative, and are shown with MUCH better results in "real" art books. This is for guys who want to scratch out semi-bizarre "babes" and not realize how goofy the creations actually look. Sorry to be harsh, but MAN, this anatomy is poor.

Takes drawing to a whole new level...
I love the Hart books because they seem to be an extention of the book "How to draw Comics the Marvel Way"..I think this guy must have read Marvel Comics and is showing us how he draws those Super Hero Women..It's covers everything from how to pose to how to place the figue on the page and making scenes look dramatic. As a cartoonist I have to say I will borrow heavily on his illustrations for reference and guidance.

All frosting, no cake.
Let's see. The title is 'How to Draw Great-Looking Comic Book Women'. The first chapter is titled 'The Basics', and about two pages are devoted to "the basics". The rest of the book seems to be Mr. Hart showing off his artwork. The title is very misleading; I have since found one or two other books that are much more helpful and accurate.

Now don't get me wrong. Christopher Hart is a good artist and probably very successful in his field; but not much can be learned from a book that stays too much on the surface and never venturing down to the "why?" and "how?".

I suggest this; find the book in your local bookstore. Flip through it. Flip through it again. Now put it back on the shelf. Congratulations, you have learned about all you probably will from this book.

Great Book!
When I saw this book at a bookstore, I casually flipped through it, but 5 minutes later I was at the register buying it. This book not only tells you how to draw women like in famous comic books such as X-Men or Superwoman, but it tells you how to layout a page, the cover, and how to draw great action poses and details.It is NOT a step-by-step book, so if that's wat your looking for, go to the kiddie section.it does, however, show you the three basic steps: guidlines, fleshing it out, and then fine-tuneing it.

WOW DUDE its like cake to draw now.
Im a comic artist who is trying to break it in to the comic world. when i picked up this book i didnt know that drawing women in the comics was so simple and fun..ive been drawing for 14 years now and drawing women was the hardist thing for me to draw but now thanks to Christopher hart and amazon.com i can draw women like the pros.this is a must for anybody who whant to draw there best and try to get to a dream in comics this book is for you its worth the money thanks Chris.and Amazon.com ... Read more

Book Description

Love that Sponge Bob?Always lurking in Dexter’s lab?Wishing for Fairly Odd Parents?Millions of fans watch these shows avidly, often solely for their zingy, stylized look and hip visual jokes.Now there’s a drawing book just right for everyone who admires that quirky style: Cartoon Cool.Top-selling author Christopher Hart shows beginning cartoonists, retro fans, and all other hipsters how to get that almost-1950s look in their drawings.His trademark step-by-step drawings and crystal-clear text are sure to make Saturday mornings more creative! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Brian from Rockland County, NY
I've been following Chris Hart's career and I own most of his books...and his latest, "Cartoon Cool" shows his incredible versatility. To go from "Manga Mania" to "Mecha Mania" to "Cutting Edge Anatomy"...and now to an entirely different genre with Retro-Style Characters...Chris has shown he is a master cartoonist and teacher. There is no one better to learn these skills from than Christopher Hart. I highly recommend his latest book!

Mediocre But Decent
There are some nice tips and examples of "retro" characters in this book, however half of the drawings don't belong here.

"Retro" is basically being used to describe the flat outlined characters made famous by Hanna-Barbera cartoons.

My problem with the book is that half of the drawings look more like Manga (I hate Manga/Japanese cartoons). Also, for some bizarre reason, the page with various hand samples all have 5 fingers.

most fun since childhood
This book brings back pleasurable childhood memories.I had so much fun flipping thru pages packed with real cool cartoon figures I've always wanted to draw - the Perky family members of the frisky characters of my favorite TV shows.
Hart, in his simple approach, guides the reader thru the technical steps while encouraging self-creativity.Easy steps to create simple yet sophisticated characters.This is the book I've been waiting for.Thank you Christopher Hart
... Read more

Book Description

The elegant artwork of Curt Swan (1920-1996) defined the look of Superman for over 30 years. His amazing skills of storytelling, draftsmanship, and design brought a realism and sense of wonder to The Man of Steel's adventures, making them the best-selling comic books of their day. Filled with iconic and previously unseen artwork, this fascinating biography traces the artist's career from the beginning on features like "Gangbusters" to his widespread regard as the Dean of American comics and, later, his frustrations with an industry that viewed his dignified work as unfashionable. Fascinating one-on-one interviews with Curt Swan's family members as well as comics legends Joe Kubert, Carmine Infantino, Murphy Anderson, and dozens more paint a portrait of the artist as elegant as the artist's work itself. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent tribute to a great artist
I've been a fan of Curt Swans art for over 30 years and I never knew much about the man until I read this book. It features many interviews with people involved in the comics industry who knew and/or worked with Curt over the years. Some of the people who share their recollections are Alan Moore, the late Julius Schwartz, Roger Stern, and members of Curts family. There are also many illustrations throughout the book, including an excellent colour section with two page spreads that highlight his work on the Superboy, Superman, Legion Of Super-Heroes and Worlds Finest titles.

Many artists have worked on Superman in his various comics incarnations over the years, but Curt Swan will always be my favourite Superman artist. I'm extremely grateful to everyone involved with the production and publication of this excellent book. I can't recommend it highly enough.

A Loving Tribute
Curt Swan was the man who, for many, drew the definitive Superman. This book is a loving tribute to the man. It details the evolution of hus style, it provides a great deal of skethcbook material, and contains many interviews with fellow comics pros and family members. One of the main features of the book is a lovely color montage of some of the most famous drawings that Swan ever did which looks stunning in full color. Highly recommended for fans of the Swan Superman and Silver Age comics in general.

As a side note, this book reprints many images from the "Kryptonite Nevermore" storyline of the 70s. Hopefully, DC will reprint that sometime in the future in its entriety as it was the best Superman story from that period. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fits the title!
While this book has " All the Basics" in it's title, it still could be VERY useful to more mature artists. This book covers any kind of drawing tool you'd ever want: templates, rulers, inks,pencils,erasers, cutting tools, screen tone, mechanical pencils, tape, correction fluid, manuscript cards, light box tracer, manikins, tone tools, photo collections, manuscript paper, pen nibs, pen holders and much more. It tells you how to use them, and lots of tips. It has a section on Perspective, something VERY nifty. No "wrong" stuff, and has a section on drawing people,( of course ) which is pretty good. And 2 Interviews with manga artists Takao Yaguchi and Toru Fujisawa. The only reason I gave it a 4 is 'cause it could have had more variety. Dogs, cats, older people.

Overall, though, very good. ... Read more

Book Description

Martha Sigall worked with all the classic cartoon characters---Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tom & Jerry, Droopy, Beany & Cecil, Tweety, Porky Pig, et al.---and the madcap artists who created them, Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Frank Tashlin, Friz Freleng, William Hanna & Joseph Barbera, Bill Melendez, and Ben (Bugs) Hardaway.

As a teenager Sigall became an apprentice painter working in the golden age of Hollywood at the Leon Schlesinger studio, making $12.75 per week coloring animation cels that would introduce Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd to the world. She recounts her wild and wonderful experiences with the Warner Bros. cartoon crew, working and laughing all day with the animators, partying all night with the Looney Tunes gang on the bowling and baseball teams, and participating in weekend scavenger hunts. She was made president of the in-house "Looney Tunes Club," co-wrote the company gossip column, and performed in the company's theatrical troupe.

After World War II, Martha joined MGM Animation (Tom & Jerry, Tex Avery) in Culver City as an assistant in the camera room and later freelanced her ink and paint services, creating art for many classic features, shorts, commercials, and TV series---including Garfield, Peanuts, and The Pink Panther.

Written with warmth, humor, and a touch of nostalgia, this is a rarely told story, from one of the day-to-day workers, of what it was like to be a part of a team of artists who were creating masterpieces of animation. Martha recalls her lifelong personal relationships with writer Michael Maltese, animators Ben Washam, Ken Harris, Herman Cohen, Paul Smith, Bob Matz, and many others. She writes of her experiences of being a woman in a male-dominated industry, particularly during the war years when she was one of the first women camera operators in the industry. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Delightful History
I love reading stories from animations golden age and this book is especially charming.
Most people don't know it, but the ink and paint departments in all the major and minor studios were the real unsung heroes of the cartoon business-many ladies being accomplished artists in their own right and having the ability to take well drawn line drawings and just adding the right touch to each cel that the scenes would really shine. Water effects being one of the areas of animation that without great inkers and painters could tend to look "hokey".
I give this book 5 stars, but I wish it had more pictures!!

Want to know the way it really was?It's right here.
Martha Sigall was there when Bugs Bunny was created.She was there when the reigning geniuses of Looney Tunes Cartoons -- Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Frank Tashlin and Bob Clampett -- and such legendary artists and story men as Bob McKimson, Virgil Ross, Michael Maltese and Ben Haradway, were redefining the seven minute cartoon.And that's only the beginning of her story."Living Life Inside the Lines" is an absolute must for anyone interested in the animated cartoon, from fan to student to historian. Martha Sigall's book is perhaps the ultimate source for what the Golden Age of Cartoons was really like, and is a mandatory read for anyone interested in animation.

An inside look at the animation business from 1936-1989
I am the author's son and encouraged her to write this book. Martha Sigall worked in the animation business from 1936 until 1989 and was there when Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Roadrunner, Daffy Duck, and many other characters were created.

When I visited, she always had great stories about these cartoon characters, the animators, and the practical jokes they played on each other. I, and many others, finally convinced her that the public would love to hear them.

"Living Life Inside the Lines" contains many fascinating stories such as:
- How Bugs Bunny got his name.
- How Tweety was originally flesh colored and censors made them "put feathers on him because he looked naked."
- How Mel Blanc was able to break into the business.

Many historians have written books on animation without ever having worked in the business.  Martha Sigall was there to witness first-hand the creation of cartoon characters such as Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Tweety, and many others. 

She was also there to witness the creative talents of Tex Avery, Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones, Bob Clampett, Mike Maltese, Bill Melendez, Bill Hanna, Joe Barbara, and many others. Her book will interest anyone who grew up with these cartoons.

The title, "Living Life Inside the Lines," refers to the fact that animators draw the character's outline in black and the inkers and painters paint the colors inside. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

O.K.
I didn't find this book extremely helpful. I would only recomend this if your interested in drawing female underware. Seriously, half the book is about it.

Not bad if....
...you're looking to depict your characters primarily in one set of pants, a skirt, one loose shirt and a leather jacket...and only if they're female. I bought this book thinking it had more information on how to draw clothing in general (folds, drapes, wrinkles) but the book only very lightly touches on that subject for about two pages in the beginning of the book. It's predominantly a "pose file" and there are other much better pose file books you can find.
A lot of the "How to Draw Manga" books seem to assume you're already an artist of some skill and training, so this book is definitely not for beginners. If you're the type that can learn by sight alone, by all means, give it a try. Otehrwise I'd suggest going with a more basic instructional.

Very detailed in particular aspects...
Uh, a very detailed under garment section, with the rest of the book lacking slightly. There are pages of different versions of bras and underwear, but no help on drawing actual skirts, no step by step guides, just a picture that you observe and copy from. It was alright, definately helpful, just not extremely helpful. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Preston Blair, cartoonist-- the world's proudest title
I ran across Preston Blair's Advanced Animation in the Walter Foster "how-to" series many years ago. I'm not an animator, but the book was a great influence on my 30-year newspaper career. Every print cartoonist can learn from Blair-- especially the principles of "stretch & squash" and "follow-thru".

I recommended the book to hundreds of beginning cartoonists and used "Advanced Animation" as a textbook in cartoon workshops at the Univ. of Washington, Western Wash. Univ. and Ohio State Univ. I also recommend Preston Blair highly on my present cartoon website.

What a treat!
This book (along with Jack Hamm's figure drawing book) is the only book I constantly re-read and practice. Preston's one heck of an animator and with a little patience and practice you can pull of some great stuff with what you'll find in "Cartoon Animation".

Topics include: Developing Characters, Line of action (Invaluable!), dialouge, timing, and of course the core of this book, animating! There are a few dozen topics covered, these are mere highlights.

This book is very inspiring, and Preston is also very encouraging. Take his advice written in this book to consideration, Preston won't let you down.

Teaches you the basics...
Vey basic book on the principles of animation. Teaches you basic modeling of characters and some techniques on walks and movement. Coupled with The Animators Survival Kit, a great way to start learning animation.

Professional Animators Use This Book
This is the book to own if you want to become an animator! It is extremely helpful in teaching basic cartoon character construction techniques and features lots of information on creating animation.
This book is in most professional libraries and is extremely handy as a reference tool. I recommend it to all aspiring animators and cartoonists and I require it for my classes at The Center For Character Animation in New York. It's Highly Endorsed by this Emmy Award Winning Cartoon Animator!

THE book for young cartoonists--
I've been in or near the cartoon business for 50 years and Preston Blair's "Cartoon Animation" played a big role in my education. In fact, most of the professional cartoonists I've known or worked with had a copy of this book in their desks-- I just bought another copy (that makes about 30 in my lifetime-- I used it as a text book in cartoon workshops at the Univ, of Wash. and Ohio State Univ.)

When studied as a text, this book teaches us how to bring characters to life, whether you are in the animation field or drawing for print media. The pages on "follow-through" and "stretch'n'squash" are the most important lessons a young cartoonist can learn-- ... Read more

Reviews (10)

More of an overview than a history
Subtitled "A History of [Female] Comics from Teens to Zines", this colorful and attractive book attempts to chronologically plot the development of "girl" comics from 1941 into the '90s. Stuffed with page and cover reproductions, this is a history in which girl's consumed more comics than boys until the 1960s, ranging from preteen fare like Archie to more advanced romance and morality tale comics. In the '60s superheroes began to dominate the market, and the mainstream female comic largely faded into the background. Thus, the late '60s gave rise to "underground" women's comics scene that blossomed in conjunction with the feminist movement. Which eventually begat the full on "grrrlz" comics of the '90s.

This makes for fairly quick and simple reading under Robbins' pen, although one that could use a great deal more perspective and analysis. She is more interested in documenting the names or artists, and the plotlines of various comics than she is in a broader discussion of what it all means. She does touch on it from time to time, but these are more interjections (often a little whiny in tone) than a coherent theme. As with most Chronicle books, the production (design, layout, color, quality of reproductions) is outstanding. It's a breezy overview of the subject, but hardly a comprehensive history. I also found myself wishing for information on women's comics from other countries, for comparison.

Fun, Informative and even a bit kitschy
This book is a great introduction the the world of "girls comics". I think some of the most fun in this book are the really backwards "girls comics" of the 50's that dealt morality on a black/white basis. It is fascinating to see the metamorphosis of the comics as they coincide with the women's movement, and the restrictions of femininity are broken. Trina Robbins is also one of the best people to write this book as she has been an illustrator for many years.

One of the best selling points of this book is that it is in full color, on glossy paper. You are definitely getting your money's worth with this book. Enjoy.

A Tough One to Peg
In Trina Robbins' Afterword, she concedes, "This is not a book about women cartoonists -- I've already written that book..." Then what the heck IS this? Robbins' book "From Girls to Grrrlz" does -- in a fantastically broad sense -- chronicle the changes in women's moods from the 1940s to the present day by examining the comics produced during each era, with a feminism that is, at times, downright suffocating. But good luck if you expect to find a real focus in this book; maybe Robbins thought she didn't need a real subject, since she'd "already written that book." Nonetheless, this book is well-researched, sometimes delightfully slanted, deliciously illustrated, and in the end, hopeful for the future of alternative fiction. While Robbins never seems to step in the poo of a real live topic, this book is nonetheless a glorious, helpful sampling of the comics of yesterday. Just don't wait around for the Point of it All to be handed to you on a platter.

A cotton candy book: cute, pink and you'll get a stomachache
This book is poor. It suffers from an overdose of "hip", cloying design and a severe lack of info and worthwhile opinions. The author does not look critically at any comics but seems the attitude of "I used to like Archie, uh...girl comics forever!". Info about individual comics is limited to plot descriptions. It reminded me of the local newspaper's "Kids Reviews"..."I liked this comic because she came out! Awesome! And there's girls in it!". The examples from comics could have been selected to better match the content, instead she seemed to be flaunting her collection ("this comic had a print run of forty! And I own one!"). It was a "design" issue, but many pages were half white space, which could have been filled with interesting clips from comics. Also, certain passages were in enormous letters of a different color and typeface, and looked as though they were not part of the text, which made for a confusing, choppy read. The author talks about herself far too much. She was a comic artist in the '70's and there is a very amusing couple of paragraphs where a higher-up criticizes a comic of hers about a young girl coming out. Her reaction: "Geez!" Many important girl comics were excluded. (Some may disagree but I thought it was awful that "The Sandman", with so many powerful, clear-thinking women was left out.) In short, this book is for people who need to buy things to affirm their hipness. For a good book on comics, read _Comics, Comix, and Graphic Novels_ by Roger Sabin, which includes any useful info from this book plus coverage of many wonderful comics.

Shows that comics aren't just for boys
I was one of those people who thought that comics were all superheroes with overdeveloped muscles. I saw this in a bookstore and flipped through it, amazed at what a rich girl-comic world I had been missing. Makes me sorry I wasn't into comics when I was younger.

I agree with the Amazon review that states the author suffers from a bit of tunnel vision, but someone who was more periphery probably wouldn't have had the love to put this together.

As the title states, it is a "history of" comics for women so don't expect to see any comics fully reproduced. You will get a timelined commentary that will probably educate even the most knowledgeable comic reader.

Check out what you've been missing in comics for us gals. ... Read more

Book Description

Big things really do come in small packages! It is no exaggeration to say that today one cannot discuss Japanese manga techniques without touching on figure stylization methods. This book thoroughly explores this topic, starting with the thought process and techniques used to draw the characters known in Japanese as "chibi." Most English-speaking fans call them "superdeformed," or "SD" for short-those oh-so-cute, smaller-than-life characters who are always stealing scenes in such anime favorites as Chobits, Dragonball, and SD Gundam. ... Read more

Book Description

This beautiful book surveys the evolution of botanical illustration from the crude scratchings of paleolithic man down to the highly scientific work of 20th-century illustrators. With 186 magnificent examples, over 30 in full color. "A classic ... the first book to give us a complete picture of the history of flower illustrations as a whole"—The Sunday Times (London). "The text is as interesting and lively as the illustrations."—The Spectator.
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Book Description

The thing that can make or break a manga is the expression of machines.automata.Those anime-like whirring and thwacking mecha sounds create real excitement.In this book, the basics from the first two books in the series are used in expressive techniques to create outrageous imaginary automata, cars, motorbikes, explosions, fires, imaginary animals, ocean waves, clouds and other effects. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

the beeeeest book
this book is the BEST
because when I reed this book,
there were hundreds of infomation that I didn't
Know before...

The best animal drawing book
This is one of the best HtDmanga books.The book cover and name isnt all.The book is full off nature drawing like trees, sea, fire, cat.It also have about drawing houses and cars.

VERY helpful book!
I loved this book the moment I cracked it open. Lots of great tips on how to draw houses (inside and outside), trees, clouds, water, rocks, and all sorts of nature things that I couldn't draw before. I highly recommend this book to any artist. Some drawing skills are needed for this book to be very effective, though. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Holds a special place on my shelf...
I have long studied, followed, and enjoyed Disney animation, and the film "Mulan" certainly did not disappoint me. So, when I set out to buy this book upon its initial publishing, I was fairly certain I would like it. I was wrong, I loved it!

Jeff Kurtti does an excellent job scribing the background for the making of this feature, and he has quickly established himself as the preeminent writer for Disney books of this nature. I was fortunate to meet and speak with Mr. Kurtti during my wonderful participation at the Mulan Animation Experience held at the Disney Insitute in the summer of 1998, and he comes off as an "ultimate Disney fan". His writing conveys this as well, but in a more polished, informative nature. He really had a good time researching this book, and it shows!

But, with all due respect to Mr. Kurtti, this book isn't called the "Art of Mulan" for nothing. The typical Disney quality is abundant in every frame of artwork within the book, and the sheer volume of development and concept sketches is a real treat. Having also met the film's directors, many of the animators, storyboard artists, etc. at the '98 event (put together, by the way, by Mr. Larry Lauria, a quality individual in the animation industry) I have had the luxury of being exposed to many of the background elements during the development of this film. This book, however, served as a wonderful companion piece to that experience, and also communicates much of the same information and emotion felt at that event. It is that thorough and the result of another top-notch Hyperion production.

Certainly, if you like the movie and/or appreciate Disney animation (or the growing library of "Art of..." books), then this one should be in your collection. Mr. Kurtti, Disney, and Hyperion have "done honour to us all".

This book is awesome!
"The Art of Mulan" is a wonderful book. It is jammed full of information about the making of this wonderful Disney animated feature film. It has scores of production stills from the movie (and even of discarded scenes), as well as many inspirational drawings of the Chinese contryside. I learned a lot about the legend of Mulan, the production of the movie, and the crew's visit to China. This is a great book. ORDER "THE ART OF MULAN" TODAY!!!!!!

Art good - text bad
Serious students of Disney animation will not be disappointed by "The Art of Mulan". This book has many fine pictures of original art of various types used to make the film - from concept pictures to storyboards to close to the final product. I enjoy all of the "Art of ..." books, despite the high price, so I can try my hand at drawing and painting some material similar to the Disney animators. However, the text goes into more detail about their journey in China, rather than the real "making of" type text I expect. That was the only thing that kept me from giving this book five stars. Art students would love this for a gift...

I'm proud to own it!
This is a book we're proud to own. Jeff Kurtti is to be congratulated on bringing together the art and history of the making of a Disney,s masterpiece, MULAN. Beautifully printed on quality paper. To turn the page is to uncover a treasure! I am sure Disney,s films were never been so wonderfully showed in a book.Unfortunately, the price makes the book an expensive tool for many young people beginning a career.A book like this deserves to be read and enjoyed by everyone. But even with that one criticism, this book is a MUST HAVE.

Holds a special place on my library shelf...
I have long studied, followed, and enjoyed Disney animation, and the film "Mulan" certainly did not disappoint me. So, when I set out to buy this book upon its initial publishing, I was fairly certain I would like it. I was wrong, I loved it!

Jeff Kurtti does an excellent job scribing the background for the making of this feature, and he has quickly established himself as the preeminent writer for Disney books of this nature. I was fortunate to meet and speak with Mr. Kurtti during my wonderful participation at the Mulan Animation Experience held at the Disney Insitute in the summer of 1998, and he comes off as an "ultimate Disney fan". His writing conveys this as well, but in a more polished, informative nature. He really had a good time researching this book, and it shows!

But, with all due respect to Mr. Kurtti, this book isn't called the "Art of Mulan" for nothing. The typical Disney quality is abundant in every frame of artwork within the book, and the sheer volume of development and concept sketches is a real treat. Having also met the film's directors, many of the animators, storyboard artists, etc. at the '98 event (put together, by the way, by Mr. Larry Lauria, a quality individual in the animation industry) I have had the luxury of being exposed to many of the background elements during the development of this film. This book, however, served as a wonderful companion piece to that experience, and also communicates much of the same information and emotion felt at that event. It is that thorough and the result of another top-notch Hyperion production.

Certainly, if you like the movie and/or appreciate Disney animation (or the growing library of "Art of..." books), then this one should be in your collection. Mr. Kurtti, Disney, and Hyperion have "done honour to us all". ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The "Toolbox" of the How to Draw Manga series!
This volume is literally packed with several dozens of "mini-lessons" in creating Manga, including drawing, story layout, character design basics, lettering, and plotting the story. Each lesson is about a page or two in length, so there's quite a bit of useful information in the book.

Other books in the "HTDM" series cover many of these topics in much greater detail; however, "Super Basics" is handy for quickly reviewing a particular technique or concept. If you aspire to draw manga, the book will give you a taste of what goes into producing a Japanese comic. And if you hit a creative block, I bet you'll find a lesson or a tip in "Super Basics" to get you going again.

As other reviewers have mentioned, "Super Basics" assumes you already have some proficiency in drawing; it is more concerned with the down-and-dirty details of producing the comic itself. Even if you have some manga-drawing experience under your belt, I suspect you will learn some new tricks from this book.

A Great Way To Start
Of all the books in the How to Draw series, Super Basics is a great introduction to the art form. No other book offers as much basic information on manga: from inking technique to generating story ideas, the book is quite comprehensive. However, to fit so much information in this 190 page book it does keep the "lessons" brief, in some cases one or two pages per topic. But then again, that's why it's called "Super Basics".

This book won't show you how to draw manga a specific way, but it doesn't intend to. It offers tips and ideas so that you can create your own original story and style. If you're just starting out or are simply looking for a source of inspiration, you may want to give this book a try.

Its not what I thought
When I bought this book I some how got the idea it would tell you the "super baics" of drawing manga, maybe from the cover? Well its really nothing but bubble gum type chracters and a few manga pictures, it may show you some good pointers but it didnt really help me very much. However it does show you how to draw the kind of chracters from maybe an HBO Kids show.

It is useful & NOT peverted like HDTM Bishojo
this was a useful book. i think the illustrations were VERY
amateur, & it had more of a american type feel to it but it was helpful it goes in detail about the differnt kinds of nibs and ink, screen tones, supplies, back rounds, shading etc. My favorite part of the book was the Backround/scenery part. That was VERY helpful. they couldve gone into more detail about the panels...but it was a good book. I was dissapointed when there was no reviews when I got it, but im satisfied. I hope this review was helpful.

what i think
how to draw manga super basics is relly and i mean relly basic even if you cant draw that good this book would be help but for some how has draw manga this book is not for them. but u can lean us fool tips for basic manga ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Awsome Book, Certainly a must have.
This book is very very helpful indeed. I have improved a whole lot with it! It teaches you how to draw faces,eyes, hair, bodies, movement, chaging clothes, Japanese dressing, dressing for bed, girls with glasses, hats, school uniforms, maids, bunny girls, nurses, robotic girls, animal girls, girls with wings and tails, mermaids, fairies, hoods and cloaks, power suits, chibi and many others(all explaining how to make a girl look BISHOUJO(Pretty)). It is an exelent book and you get a lot of pointers to do things. I think that everytime I look and read over this book I get better and better at drawing pretty girls, but of course looking over the book only is not going to make one an artist over night, so make sure you get some practice too. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT,books help, but what really counts is if you practice or not. This is definetly a must have book; it is awsome, helpful, and defitnetly helps you make girls look pretty.Yes, there IS nudity, but nothing too serious. It is just artistic nudity. If the book didn't have any how could you really learn. This book is a great choice! keep it in mind!

unapologetic, if nothing else
If you're looking for a book on who to draw Manga-style characters, I'm sure this book is as good as any. It's loaded with examples of "pretty girls," and gives the aspiring illustrator more than enough full body poses to learn from.

But to just step back for a moment, the examples in this book have to be seen to be believed. Nothing pornographic is included, but the images are dripping with fetishisms. School girls, maids, nurses, women taking showers, how to take off your panties, how naked breasts react when leaning against different objects, catwomen, mermaids, naked women wrapped in bed sheets...I think about the only fetish missing is the leather mask.

Page after page, this book unapologetically presents one repressed image after the other...it's hilarious.

Strangely, the book lacks things like a page of generic facial expressions or tips for drawing hands. And the broken english text for detailing the nuances of directing the "cute pose" is near unintelligable. But what does any of that matter, I guess, when all you're really interested in is drawing a panty shot as your slutty librarian with the huge, untamed breasts reaches up to grab that Mech manual.

Comics rock!

The Firefly Review
This is an excellent book, I love it! The only setback is the nudity (you will see nipples), which is important for the section on how to draw the body, but otherwise not necessary. Anyway, the adorable and very diverse characters will captivate you and turn you into an instant manga fan if you aren't already. There are six chapters:

1. Bishoujo character drawing theory: This chapter will teach you to draw the face; eyes, hair and expressions concerning the eyes (shut eyes, crying eyes etc.)

One of the best chapters, the part on the eyes is superb! The part on the jaw line, however, isn't very helpful and requires a lot of practice.

2. Bishoujo Bodies: This chapter is only useful if you already know how to draw bodies. It has useful hints and tips, such as how to make the perfect slim waist, drawing breasts, the back, girls with broad or narrow shoulders, etc. However, it does not start with basics, like how to break the body down into cylinders, which is a problem.

3. Situations and Techniques of Expression: I don't particularly like the style of drawing in this part as it is less cute and more realistic. It covers putting on/taking off clothes, taking bathes or showers, characters wrapped in sheets and sleeping poses (the best, cutest part), underwear, negligee and kimono's (yukata). Note that shower and bath scenes can be used for girls in a swimming pool or in the rain. This section is neat as it shows you how kimonos are worn!

4. Every Day Life Bishoujo: This chapter covers all sorts of popular Japanese characters; maids, nurses, schoolgirls, and accessories like hats, glasses and ribbons. It has one page on curly hair, but only shows different styles of curled hair, not how to draw curly hair.

5. Out of This World Bishoujo: The best part of the book! This part will show you how to draw nekos (cat girls), mermaids, fairies, winged girls (a detailed, 4-page section) bionic and cyborg girls. The cutest characters are in this part! Also, you learn how to draw chibi girls, and how to turn characters into chibi characters. Note: starting from the third chapter, every page has a small chibi girl in the corner.

6. Learn From the Masters: The other best part! This part has six complete works, all of which are very cute yet very different. The author shows you the original sketch, and what you can learn from these pictures. My favorites are Elf Moment and Ice Fairy.

This a must-have for any manga collection. BUY IT NOW!!!

Muuu
A lot of reviewers said that basic drawing skills were recommened. Well, more than basic. You need to know how to draw the body. Period.

I bought this book in hopes of learning female anatomy a little better, but they don't nesscessarily have that.

However, they have tips, tricks, and how the body should be shaped. They help with angel wings, anthro people, how to take off clothes (this is where you need to beable to know how to make an intermediate or advance body). It helps you with eyes, and the poportions of the face. Not that much on hair though.

So, this book pretty much is just a refrence book if you need help with mecha, anthro, angel, and mermaid people. Or overall bishoujo. x.X;

AWESOME!!
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!! This is the greatest book of all time. It shows girls from head to toe, plus it shows faries and warriors. Sll craxy drawing fans shoud get this book. It's definently worth the money. ... Read more