The Cartoonist's Bible (Artist's Bible)

July 2006

The latest in the popular and exhaustive (in the best possible way) Bible series, this book steps away from fine art and looks instead at the world of cartoons. From simple pencil drawings to CGI, newspaper-style cartoons to manga, there is perhaps a cartoonist of some sort inside us all.

This is an interesting subject, and I can remember drawing cartoons for fun as a child. Maybe if I had had a book like this I might not have given it up, for as long as you have some drawing talent (and you are reading a review of an art book) there is a style to suit most tastes. Use any out of a large variety of traditional and modern art materials, or use a computer and a graphics package. Learn about how to show the sort of exaggerated poses and expressions that give cartoons their shorthand style, cartoon conventions and stereotypes (nothing too politically incorrect here), anthropomorphism and all the tricks of the trade . There are various different types of cartoon and these are all briefly but succinctly explored in another chapter: comic strips, wordless witticisms (think of Hoffnung for example), political, manga and caricatures name some of them. As cartoons and selling your work are invariable partners (unlike being an amateur artist) there is also a highly useful chapter on going professional, asking most of the right questions and giving some sensible and realistic answers. Top this off with a file of expressions (western style, not manga) and a useful glossary and this is a useful primer for the budding cartoonist. There are areas that could use more coverage (manga again), but each style of cartoon is a separate subject in its own right and it would be unfair to expect one book to do it all. As it is, I found myself sketching some cartoons myself and so I think will most people when faced with this useful book.

July 2006

I think this is going to be a really popular book. Already I have had family members pick up this book and I have literally had to tear it off them. Ones I might add that are not normally interested in art. This book is really fascinating because it makes the whole world of creating cartoons attainable. Anything and everything to do with cartooning you will find in this book, it is FANTASTIC!! The 'starting to draw' section of the book covers sketching from life, the face, drawing figures, tricks of the trade, stereotyping, animals, background, colour, composition, perspective and so much more. The types of cartoons this book covers is also endless - single panel cartoon, the captionless cartoon, the political cartoon, cartooning for animation, manga, comic strips, the graphic novel, greeting cards and caricatures. There is a whole expression file featured in this book which covers anger, sorrow, boredom etc. And lastly, a whole section on how to go professional and how to sell your work. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and my son has already requested that he wants a big cartoon picture for his room, so this book is going to prove essential for me. Who knows once I get good at this I might even be able to sell some of my work. In my opinion this is the best book I have ever read on cartooning.

August 2006

The first thing you notice when you look at a book on cartooning is that they're never (ever) written by anyone you've heard of. Initially, there's a pang of disappointment; after all, what you'd really like is to hear how [insert name of favourite cartoonist] goes about things. But hang on a minute, all those people have readily identifiable styles. They draw like they draw and you can spot their style a mile off. You wouldn't want to draw like that yourself, what you want is to develop an individual style that makes you stand out in just the same way.

So, you're going to have to put up with another commercial artist whose work you've probably seen hundreds of times without knowing it because they work to order and in almost any required style. Suddenly it doesn't sound to bad, it starts to make sense. Unfortunately this book didn't come with an information sheet, so I can't tell you who Franklin Bishop is, but don't let that worry you. He's OK, sound, knows his stuff.

The Artist's Bible series has previously been working its way through a variety of painting media and making a damn good fist of it. From a small, but not constricted, page size and a lay-flat binding, the various titles offer basic advice on a wide range of techniques and application methods, most of which are handled across a single spread so that you can get potted information easily and concisely. What you sacrifice in depth of information, you get back in ease of use and clear presentation that, most of the time, will tell you as much as you need to know as a starting point or for general information.

This particular book runs through tools and materials, basic drawing and types of cartoon as well as covering the process of going professional and a look at the various markets before concluding with a rather handy gallery of expressions.

You know what's nagging me? Every page of this book I look at, I think, I've seen this bloke's work somewhere . He's got to be working under other names. You may not have heard of him, but I'd swear you've seen his work.

The Artist's Bible series is originated by the packager Quarto, who have been in the forefront of illustrated book design for many years and deserve a mention.