Dual was asking for cartooning advice and Sleepywolf was showing off his work and I was thinking about what helped me become a better artist and I though that maybe I would post my library of art books here. All these books are highly recommended.
An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists
Basic anatomy book like any other but this one comes with a title chock full of alliteration!
Anatomy for Artists: A New Approach to Discovering, Learning and Remembering the Body
This one's neat. Rather than just showing pictures of the body it walks through how the bones and mussels are connected and move. It has you locate specific parts on your own body and even has physical exorcises that demonstrate how the body is put together.
Character Design for Graphic Novels
This book focuses are creating effective, believable characters by showcasing a huge amount of professionals currently producing graphic novels and comic books. I like books like these that use real professional examples rather than bland or generic designs the author came up with (see Christopher Hart).
How to Draw and Paint Crazy Cartoon Characters
This book by contrast was written by a professional working in the animation industry and focuses more on creating effective cartoons and charactures. While Character Design for Graphic Novels focuses on a wide range of characters from realistic to cartoonish this book is all about cartoons.
Hi-Fi Color for Comics
Basically, how to color digitally in Photoshop. Good tutorials. I bet you could find all this information online but in much more of a mess and a lot more confusing. Includes "homework assignments" to really teach the skills.
DC Comics Guide to Coloring and Lettering Comics
The best of the DC Comics Guide series. The lettering section is mostly useless unless you're interested in learning how to letter professionally. Like... Marvel or DC level professional. The coloring section however, explains color theory in a clear and easy to understand way.
Mark Kistler's Draw Squad
The book that taught me to draw. It may seem childish but it really is a great teaching tool for all ages. Teaches how to cartoon in "3D" by giving 180 assignments that teach foreshortening, shading, contour, size and other drawing techniques. But most of the entire book is written in an enthusiastic attitude that proclaims a love of drawing. The best lesson this book teaches is the most important thing is just to draw draw draw every day. A message I've echoed many times here.
Action! Cartooning and Fantasy! Cartooning
Highly stylized cartooning. Lots of great advice tucked into the margins.
Visual Storytelling: The Art and Technique
How to tell stories using pictures. Good for creating page layouts and expressing ideas visually. Great for filmmakers too.
Panel Discussions: Design in Sequential Art Storytelling
Interviews with various big names in comics about how they craft their art. Advice from the horse's mouth as it were.
Comics and Sequential Art
The last word on what comics are and how they work. Essential reading.
Understanding Comics
The other last word on what comics are and how they work. Essential reading. Also, a comic book about comics. How clever!
Making Comics
McCloud brings his insight and ability to explain complex concepts clearly to the craft of making comics. Full of advice other authors completely miss. Like how to create complex facial expressions, creating a believable world for your action to take place in, and the importance of text in comics.
And then some generic color theory books.
Well, I hope this a help to somebody. I'm always on the lookout for good books and if anyone has any other suggestions please list them here.
An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists
Basic anatomy book like any other but this one comes with a title chock full of alliteration!
Anatomy for Artists: A New Approach to Discovering, Learning and Remembering the Body
This one's neat. Rather than just showing pictures of the body it walks through how the bones and mussels are connected and move. It has you locate specific parts on your own body and even has physical exorcises that demonstrate how the body is put together.
Character Design for Graphic Novels
This book focuses are creating effective, believable characters by showcasing a huge amount of professionals currently producing graphic novels and comic books. I like books like these that use real professional examples rather than bland or generic designs the author came up with (see Christopher Hart).
How to Draw and Paint Crazy Cartoon Characters
This book by contrast was written by a professional working in the animation industry and focuses more on creating effective cartoons and charactures. While Character Design for Graphic Novels focuses on a wide range of characters from realistic to cartoonish this book is all about cartoons.
Hi-Fi Color for Comics
Basically, how to color digitally in Photoshop. Good tutorials. I bet you could find all this information online but in much more of a mess and a lot more confusing. Includes "homework assignments" to really teach the skills.
DC Comics Guide to Coloring and Lettering Comics
The best of the DC Comics Guide series. The lettering section is mostly useless unless you're interested in learning how to letter professionally. Like... Marvel or DC level professional. The coloring section however, explains color theory in a clear and easy to understand way.
Mark Kistler's Draw Squad
The book that taught me to draw. It may seem childish but it really is a great teaching tool for all ages. Teaches how to cartoon in "3D" by giving 180 assignments that teach foreshortening, shading, contour, size and other drawing techniques. But most of the entire book is written in an enthusiastic attitude that proclaims a love of drawing. The best lesson this book teaches is the most important thing is just to draw draw draw every day. A message I've echoed many times here.
Action! Cartooning and Fantasy! Cartooning
Highly stylized cartooning. Lots of great advice tucked into the margins.
Visual Storytelling: The Art and Technique
How to tell stories using pictures. Good for creating page layouts and expressing ideas visually. Great for filmmakers too.
Panel Discussions: Design in Sequential Art Storytelling
Interviews with various big names in comics about how they craft their art. Advice from the horse's mouth as it were.
Comics and Sequential Art
The last word on what comics are and how they work. Essential reading.
Understanding Comics
The other last word on what comics are and how they work. Essential reading. Also, a comic book about comics. How clever!
Making Comics
McCloud brings his insight and ability to explain complex concepts clearly to the craft of making comics. Full of advice other authors completely miss. Like how to create complex facial expressions, creating a believable world for your action to take place in, and the importance of text in comics.
And then some generic color theory books.
Well, I hope this a help to somebody. I'm always on the lookout for good books and if anyone has any other suggestions please list them here.
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