5 comments about Creating Characters with Personality: For Film, TV, Animation, Video Games, and Graphic Novels.

1. As an aspiring cartoonist with my own cast of characters on my Captain Cockle website I found this book an excellent and yet simple guide to creating characters that leap out of the page. The inclusion of guest cartoonists, many of them very famous in their own fields, is a great idea and adds depth to the book. If you have a limited budget and are confused by the huge variety of "how to" books on cartooning, I would strongly recommend this one as an essential starting point.



2. This book by Tom Bancroft was a very entertaining and helpful read. I am not a professional in the field of animation or illustration, but I am trying to learn how to improve my skills in the area of character design in hopes of moving into this field in the future. This book does an excellent job of covering all the different facets involved in designing and bringing to life a drawing with real personality. It teaches the basic principles needed to convey character types, emotion, and personality with many helpful examples.
   The two best "stand-out" features of the book to me are the guest artists who each come from a different field of "cartooning"; whether it be humorous cartooning, tv animation, comic books, or feature film animation, to name a few. It was very interesting and informative to read these professional's take on designing the same character, and to see how each artist approached it. The other "stand-out" feature was the progression of assignments given throughout the book. These really helped me get a feel for what a real assignment could actually be like for a character designer. They were very helpful in allowing me to think through the process of designing each character for the "script" provided in the assignments.
   All in all, my hat's off to Tom and company for a wonderful resource for aspiring professionals and hobby artists alike. Definitely a wonderful investment!



3. I've read several how to draw books. So far the the most instruction I've ever gotten was "do this, then do that." The books never explained why. This book explains why. The reason why you start out with simple shapes was probably the biggest "Oh yeah! OK!" moment for me and there were several other momnets.
   
   The book is very well narrated. I actually read through this like a story book, the first time. It is easy to follow and at the end of each chapter there are homework assignments to help you get going. The assignments are a little tough, so you are expected to know how to do a few things, but I haven't met a how to draw book that started with "This is how you draw a line."
   
   I personally love Anime and Manga and that is the style of art I try to emulate. With this book it doesn't matter what style of art you are trying to master, you will get help from this book.



4. This is a very light book on the subject of using cartoon techniques to inject personality into animated characters. The author's background in the Disney film animation studio made the book something less than I was looking for. I still found the Disney approach to character creation usefully laid out. That I was looking for the Pixar or Hayao Miyazaki's approach is irrelevant. This book is plenty of material for somebody doing light animation stories.



5. It's valuable to know how a professional approaches character development. I believe that initial hurdle of creation is an obstacle for many artists and this book helps get over that. Working without a model is very intimidating. If you are in this situation, this book will help a lot. There is a reason those animated characters are so appealing and funny. This author tries to tackle that difficult subject. This book is definitely worthy to own. The way you tell a good book is by the knowledge you walk away with and your desire to extend that knowledge in your own way.

5 comments about Masterful Color: Vibrant Colored Pencil Paintings Layer by Layer.

1. I found this to be an excellent book on colored pencil. The lessons have a lot of detail and many step-by-step photos which make it a lot easier to complete the projects than in some books. I am using the book as if I were taking a course in color pencils, completing the paintings in the order in which they appear in the book. Most of my drawings are actually turning out to look like the ones in the book. When they don't I do them again paying closer attention to the instructions. I am learning a lot about layering color to get rich tones. I don't think all colored pencil artists build up that many layers to achieve the colors in their paintings but I think that it is worth it to learn this way. Now, when I do a leaf I won't immediately reach for the greens or when i do a red flower, immediately reach for the reds. I have been trying color pencil and knew I needed more instruction but wasn't sure where to start. I was so excited when I got this book because the book gave me the answer.
   I did find that my paintings came out more true to hers when i traced the finished painting in the book to make my pattern instead of using the line drawings in the back of the book but all-in-all it is a wonderful book.



2. "masterful COLOR" is well written in a clear concise format. Explanations from concept of idea to composition using the latest digital equipment as well as basic equipment needed is well taught. This is more of a "how I do it" book, rather than a broad spectrum book detailing supplies, equipment, techniques and other basics. With this in mind, Arlene Steinberg eliminates the need for lengthly explanations so you can focus on how to expediently execute a well conceived painting. A detailed summary of color theory and underpainting styles used by the Old Masters was exceptionally insightful and unique to this fine art medium. I consider this purchase a part of my foundation in learning the art of the colored pencil.



3. Having a pretty large collection of drawing and colored pencil books I figured there wasn't much I would get out of this one. I was wrong. This book really took my colored pencil paintings to a new level. Like a lot of other colored pencil books, you really need to have drawing skills as this book won't teach you how to draw. What you will learn is how to make your colored pencil paintings look like paintings and not bland one dimensional drawings. This book will teach you how to bring life to your drawings with vibrant, bold color. Get this book and try one of the drawings (I did the marbles) and if you follow the directions and take your time you will be amazed at what you can create. I find myself going to this book to help guide me each time I start a new project and it hasn't let me down yet.



4. The author provides a clear explanation of the colored pencil techniques and materials she uses to create her vibrant paintings. Very helpful to artists experienced with other media who want to master colored pencil.



5. I have bought a lot of books on colored pencil art over the years, and this one is perhaps the best of them all...it is absolutely packed with color illustrations- the artwork in it blows me away- and the color information and how to build up colors in colored pencil work is first rate.
   
   The information is vast- from supplies, to transfering, to using photos and grids, building a good composition, color and value, underpainting, reflections....and on and on. My big weakness (still) is to go in with a thick layer of the color I want to use- but the author shows us step by step how using many thin layers of different colors builds a much richer overall color and makes a much more beautiful painting in the end. There are MANY color tips- including a great chart of using greyed complements for darker values.
   
   The illustrations in the book are fantastic- beautiful glasswork in particular. The style is all photo-realistic- I do wish a few more 'imaginary' works were included, where the end result does not look like a photo, but that is just me. I would have to say if I had to rid myself of all my CP books but one, this would be the one I would keep.

5 comments about Fashion Artist (Fashion Design Series).

1. I'm wanting to become a fashion designer and i bought this book and i was amazed. it really teaches you how to draw fashion models (and people in general) in all different poses. it shows you so many different poses both with an actual person modeling the pose and then a block figure showing you how to draw it. after the structure is learned, it teaches you in a really easy way how to flesh it out, and then how to draw the clothes and how the clothes are supposed to look at folds and creases. if you like this book, i recommend Draw Fashion Models! by Lee Hammond, a great book that goes in depth into more poses and how you should draw the clothes and how they look when the arms are raised, when you're leaning on one hip, etc.
   
   i really recommend buying this amazing book, it's straightforward and very helpful!



2. I haven't really had a chance to play a lot with this book since I got it a month ago, but so far, I like it. There are very colorful designs, croquis', and many illustrations. It seems like it gives a lot of information in a short amount of time.



3. This book is a great start for beginners who want to work in the fashion industry or for those who consider fashion designing a hobby and want to improve on their illustration skills, like myself. Burke starts with the basics, like learning how to draw the female figure in different poses and drawing some examples of clothes, but she also touches upon fabric rendering and ideas on how to make a presentation. There's even a section on designing for men, childeren, and costumes. Overall a very informative, clear and consise book to get started and to encourage and inspire amateurs to want to learn more.



4. I wore holes in piles of paper trying to work up to the basic points so magnificently outlined in this book! It's like having an art teacher with you (without the snide remarks) to bring your abilities to the top.
   
   If you are planning on studying fashion, or just doing it for fun, you need this book.
   
   Highly recommended!



5. i bought this book based on the reviews for my daughter. they were right on. her work is already improving. she loves this book and is constantly referring to it now. she is excited that it shows body movement, proportions, how to put together a portfolio, the right tools to buy, etc. the price is so reasonable too, especially compared to some of the $50 to $100 books!

5 comments about Design Like You Give a Damn: Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises.

1. Great book. Very cool practical applications to problems using environmentally sound solutions. Beautiful pictures and I especially liked the $8 tent clip. Brilliant.



2. We purchased this book for our son. He is deeply committed to 'green' projects. This will give him testimonials of others in his field to aid him in his own work for clients who have the desire to lessen their carbon footprint.
   
   Sincerely,
   F. Albuquerque



3. Okay, so I havent actually read the book but Cameron Sinclair came to my school a month ago to give a lecture based on the book. It was one of the most motivating and perspective changing experiences that Ive ever had. It gave me a totally new perspective on architecture. People in studio were pinning up signs on their boards that said "Design Like You Give a Damn." Cameron Sinclair is an amazing guy. He started off the lecture talking about how he got out of architecture school and was completely dissatisfied with being a "CAD monkey," so he quit, raised money for the poor and distressed, and designed and built places for them with the money. anyways...just buy this and im going to buy it too



4. I found this book intriguing for several reasons, none the least of which was the architecture. But furthermore the discourse regarding the real and perceived boundaries surrounding the issue of humanitarian shelters is one wildly fascinating to me - as we seem to be grappling with it within our own American borders as opposed to just impoverished third world countries. Also the epic political and logistical sagas of humanitarian efforts to provide shelter are enough material for another volume of their own. Well organized and well written in easy to follow case study format. A truly thought provoking piece proving that the resolution of one of the most basic human needs continues to require our attention and effort.



5. I purchased this book as a gift for my father, who is an architect that studied under a protege of Saarinen. He loves it!!! He stayed up all night reading it and it has inspired him to go in new directions with his designs. An excellent gift/coffee table book.

5 comments about Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist (Galaxy Books).

1. This book surprised me. I already have several dozen books on art anatomy, but Peck's book has more. He goes into expressions, cultural and age distinctions, and locomotion. Is this the only book you'll need in studying anatomy, probably not. But each book you get on the subject, and study (NOT JUST COLLECT) will hone your visual memory until drawing the figure becomes second nature. Note: Study means putting time and effort on that drawing pad!!! Also, nothing beats drawing from life or imagination! These books are to supplement these areas.



2. My professor/adviser of art advised me to get this.
   
   It was great advice :D



3. I am an art student who wanted a guide to the human body. I could not be happier with "Atlas of Human Anatomy" because of the detailed illustrations combined with easy to grasp sketches. The written sections are not extremely long, and while they do delve into technical language that can be difficult, it is overall all well balanced with the illustrated elements. I find both sides important, and as a comprehensive resource on the human body for the artist, I highly recommend "Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist".
   I can only say that it has helped me tremendously.



4. As a teenager, I bought this book to help me draw people better. Learning body and head proportions is key to drawing more realistic-looking people, and this book can help you along. Peck's illustrations show you different ways to look at the human body, sometimes using blocks, spheres, and other objects to represent how a certain muscle group works or looks to help you better understand how it should be drawn. He covers everything from musculoskeletal structure to facial expressions, emotions, and photos of faces from around the world. And for those who like to warm up their skills by sketching people but have no model to use, there are several human model pictures towards the back of the book to help you out. Before I took college courses and had real models to work with, I used these photos to do my many quick pencil or charcoal sketches as a warm-up for drawing. Having this book before those courses definitely helped me draw better and faster than some of the others who were learning to draw people for the first time. I have referenced it several times since then when drawing or painting people to make sure I'm getting the right idea of the muscle structure. I have used other books for learning to draw people that was more step-by-step, but this book has a lot of different detail other books don't have.
   And I was surprised to find out it was from the 50's when I looked it up here on Amazon, since it doesn't really appear that way at all.



5. its a very useful book for life drawing, detailed images on the bones and muscule.

5 comments about Preacher Vol. 2: Until the End of the World.

1. This comic book, truly is like no other. It goes everywhere no one dares to go. God, religion, spirituality, hypocrisy. It is a very intense book, and anyone who can stomach brutal violence, sex, and blasphemy should pick it up. Despite its over the top violence, it truly is thought provoking. But as I said, this book is very intense, there were many times reading this, I felt uncomfortable, yet at the same time I couldn't put it down.



2. If you are of the squeamish weak stomached sort, do not ever, ever, ever open anything to do with Preacher. The brutality rating is high. The shagging rating is moderate. There is a complete and utter absence of family values from Jesse's extended family, and they destroy his mother and father. He is going to take his revenge.



3. In this next volume of the successful Preacher series we go back into the past of Jesse Custer and learn of his terrible upbringing under the cruel thump of his fundamentalist grandmother assisted by two inbred ingrates. His father is shot and killed in front of him for not following the rules, while his mother suffers a similar fate later in his young age. Whenever Jesse commits a sin, he spends time in the coffin - sealed airtight and dropped in the river with a narrow breathing tube, in complete darkness. Tulip, his girlfriend, learns all this when they've been captured by said evil family and are to be killed. But the Preacher is now older and stronger while his family is older and feeble and with Tulip's help, the terrible bloodline is ended once and for all.
   
   In the second part of the book, they rejoin with their vampire friend Cassidy who tracks down the murderer of his girlfriend, leading them to a sex-addicted fiend who goes by the name of Jesus De Sade. There is also a sub plot going on here about a secret group who has been protecting the secret of the holy grail for thousands of years and it is in the year 2000 that the end will arrive and they intend to use Jesse Custer as their preacher.
   
   The second volume reaches new levels with the storyline, revealing some important history and back story, keeping the reader rapt and wanting more. Thankfully there are many more volumes in the series to come.
   
   For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com



4. Vol 2 might just be better than volume one. I mean, there is great art, and we dive into Jesse's past--and that is a great story line. And then there is the Grail. This is great stuff.



5. If you're a fan of Garth Ennis and Preacher, you can't go wrong with volume 2 Until the End of the World. More sex and violence than vol.1, with all the great social commentary as before. Just watch out because my copy through Amazon was missing the last 24 pages and left the entire story hanging for me.

5 comments about Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, Second Edition.

1. I bought this book for Xmas for my son's girlfriend. Both my son and his girlfriend are Animation students at San Jose State University. They have to draw constantly. I mean CONSTANTLY. She said that this is a terrific book. This is coming from an Animation student and you cannot get better feedback than that. Highly recommend this book.



2. I've added this book to my required book list for Figure Drawing for Animation. Great book, and very helpful to my students. I see a marked improvement in ability within reading just the first chapter.



3. I just finished reading this book the first time through, and it's great. All of the other reviews are spot on. It does help to have some knowledge of anatomy, but if you don't, you can still learn from this book, and it will make learning anatomy more fun. It has lots of great full page drawings too. I've noticed improvements in my skills, and look forward to going through it again in the future.



4. Although I have not read through the whole book, it has some great info and has renewed my interest in drawing the human form.



5. MANY great reviews had me taking a chance and ordering this book. If you are at a beginner level with line drawing and the quality of line--then it is a good buy.Many teachers do not stress these force lines. I guess I was lucky as mine did (years ago in the 70's)In this book, he stresses force lines of figure drawing and the quality of the line (light touch, dark, heavy) as a way to show the force in a figure--therefore, adding a new dimension to your flat looking drawings IF you always use the same pressure on the pencil as your method. Or IF you draw tight and are afraid to loosen up and let the pencil flow on the paper along force lines until you have the figure. It really didn't help me at ALL, as I learned figure drawing this way. There are many of his and student drawings, and that's fine, but in all fairness and honesty--it didn't help me. I was disappointed in all the glowing reviews?!

5 comments about Classical Drawing Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice.

1. First off I'd like to say that this book will prove to be very helpful for any artist, ranging from a beginner to a professional and will show you new ways to approach drawing. However if you have studied classical drawing this will prove to be a bit of a let down. I have studied under one of Juliette's instructors and most of her lessons in the back of the book were actually derived from his his. There is one thing however I don't agree with in this book but that wouldn't discourage me from recommending it to others. The problem is that I don't like the way she shows how to draw the casts, its more of an outline that you then go through and work with value rather than working with a line drawing then introducing value. I'm not very found of this technique, but the drawings are very good and there are tons of useful information and great introductory lessons in the back of the book (though there could be more). I would also recommend studying George Bridgman, Gottfried Bammes, Joseph Sheppard, and Robert B. Hale for anatomy and designing the human figure.



2. This comprehensive manual displays a appreciation of the human form and explainns the most important aspects of figure drawings executed in a classic timeless style.



3. After working with Juliette in her Atelier and practicing these exercises I've discovered things I never expected to learn. Her methods are priceless tools. Whatever you might glean from this wonderful book will most certainly serve you. She is an excellent painter, writer and teacher.



4. I had to buy this for my Life drawing class, but I'm not going to sell it back to my school. This book is great. Though it is a bit repetitive, it helps break down drawing skills. After reading this book, I drew a portrait that sold for over $100. It also has some beautiful pictures in it, so now my mother has stolen it, to have on her coffee table....



5. The book is nicely designed and some of the drawings are well duplicated. I expected the book to have more practical information about drawing in the atelier. However, the instructions were very general, fit only for a top professional artist who only needs some refreshing of techniques. There are exercises but the explanations are too sketchy and general. In one of the exercises there were photos of the various drawing stages. But each photo is of a different drawing! It's difficult to follow the drawing process this way. The book is good only as a general guide to get an idea of the atelier method, but you won't get much practical information from it. All in all it's disappointing because I was expecting practical information. Good drawings to copy I can find over the Internet.

5 comments about Facial Expressions: A Visual Reference for Artists.

1. This book was just what it stated, however, I was looking for a book of instruction for the photos included. The book was returned.



2. I purchased this book to use as a reference for sculpting faces on dolls. The book shows different angles of the expressions and that was what I needed. Unfortunately what I did not need was an entire book filled with goofy expressions that you'd never even see on a human face!! There was no romantic expressions or serene, contented, laughing mildly at something mildly funny expressions. Just over the top, completely over exaggerated mutated faces! If you need some serious or normal faces, Don't buy this book.



3. It's a great idea, but as a comic artist I could have used a lot more younger models. The models transition to old age groups too rapidly. I would love to see a 'volume II' that included more children and teens, and perhaps some additional models in the age groups that were included, but in different racial choices.
   
   Even so, it is well done, very useful, and six months after I bought it, already getting a little dirty from all the use it has gotten (too much eraser dust in the air!) Thumbs up.



4. This book contains black and white headshots of people showing different emotions. It starts with younger adults and moves through the ages. Each person is shown from different points of view of the same emotion. The personality types are varied too. Not just glamour girls and boys, average Americans of different ethnicities. As an illustrator this is a big help.



5. If you are a sculptor looking for some good references to work with, try the better [albeit more expensive] Virtual Poser series. This book is not for 3D work!!
   
   This book doesn't have a lot of competition. There aren't many authors or artists which compile images like this just to use as references. I was looking for something just like this and I was happy to find it however there are some improvements which could be made to make this book even better. I would have liked color photographs instead of the B/W, maybe releasing 2 editions of this series would be a good idea [but I am probably dreaming]. I would definitely pay the extra $ for a color edition if it were a hardcover. It would have also been nice to feature better Illustrations with higher caliber real-life examples in the samples after each model's set of images. Overall, this book is what it says and works for what it says it works for. Simple expressions on varying faces with different ethnicities and ages. The further you get in the book, the better the models used get. I'd recommend this for any 2D artist who needs to get a hold of small library of facial expressions for animation, illustration or just general drawing work. This is not a good choice for 3D artists as most images only provide a frontal view of the subject.

5 comments about Batman: Haunted Knight.

1. This book consists of three stories. The first one, about Batman facing off against the Scarecrow, is by far the strongest of the three. The second one, about the Mad Hatter, is still pretty good. It's more about Bruce Wayne, and I was appreciative of the fact that they showed that Batman is human. The third one is the weakest of the trio. However, the strength of the former two storeies more than make up for the flaws of the latter. The artwork in all three stories was superb by the way.



2. It's composed of three stories, the stories are nothing special. They seem like just another day in the dark knight's life.



3. This was the last of the three graphic novels by Sale/Loeb that I read (the other two being Dark Victory and The Long Halloween). It added no value and was not worth reading. The major plus is the art other than that I would skip this collection.



4. The Scarecrow and Mad Hatter as real Batman villains, the way it should be! Not as filler characters as in other Halloween books like The Long Halloween and Dark Victory. Only problem is they are short stories since there are 3 stories in this book. The last story sucks so much as Bruce Wayne gets visited by spirits of his past a la A Christmas Carol.



5. Just like Loeb/Sale's "Batman: Long Halloween" and "Batman: Dark Victory", "Batman: Haunted Knight" is another holiday themed graphic novel. It is a trio of short stories which are nothing short of amazing. In the first story, Scarecrow is prowling about Gotham on Halloween night. The second story is based around the Mad Hatter and his obsession with Lewis Carrol's "Alice and Wonderland". Finally, the third story is a batman christmas carrolesque story in which batman learns a life lesson from three spirits who take the form of people who have greatly influenced him throughout his years. ((Note: the final story is clearly meant to be like Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". At the beginning of the graphic novel it says "Ghosts based on a christmas carol"))
   The artwork by Sale is amazing and as always, Loeb continues to prove he knows how to tell a great story.