rumbledethumps's review against another edition
4.0
I'm sure this would be very useful for someone who is looking to create comics. There is a lot of insight, and some fairly practical steps to becoming better at cartooning.
But it's definitely focused on a classroom environment. He often recommends using a photocopier as one of your tools to shrink or enlarge images, for example.
But it's definitely focused on a classroom environment. He often recommends using a photocopier as one of your tools to shrink or enlarge images, for example.
author_kathy_l_brown's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
Teaching yourself to cartoon
jeremymichaelreed's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
konbak's review against another edition
Horridly inane, self-boasting and with advice you can get from a "drawing for 5 year olds" book - and there's also a full page of a poorly written pasta recipe and weirdly sexual comments thrown in.
Just read Making Comics by Scott McCloud for infinitely better methods for practice and philosphy
Just read Making Comics by Scott McCloud for infinitely better methods for practice and philosphy
boygirlparty's review against another edition
5.0
Ivan Brunetti has the rare ability to articulate the art making experience, its challenges and triumphs, and a series of absolutely fun exercises to get the beginner and the expert both reoriented. Strongly recommended to anyone interested in combining words and images.
jeremyhornik's review against another edition
4.0
Delightful set of exercises and essays on cartooning, that is essentially Brunetti's class. I want to do all the exercises in order sometime.
maiakobabe's review against another edition
5.0
Cartooning: Philosophy and Practice by Ivan Brunetti was one of the two books I read for a Comics Pedagogy class in my MFA program over the summer. It took me a while to get into Brunetti's sometimes unnecessarily familiar tone but it's a very good outline for a 15 week comics class and by the conclusion it's downright inspirational. Probably one of the best books on teaching and making comics available. Also very short! I'd highly recommend it.
melanie_page's review against another edition
5.0
"Write for yourself, do not concern yourself with pleasing your audience (it is impossible, anyway)" (73).
"It is all right not to know what it is you are tying to communicate, exactly, ahead of time. Part of the creative process is exploring our thoughts, letting our guard down, and laying ourselves on the line, as we try to work through these things" (73).
According to Chris Ware and Seth (pen name of Gregory Gallant), "when you sit down to draw, you should 'dress for work.' Have respect for your craft. Put on a pair of pants" (71).
"Admittedly, art is like spit. It does not repulse or even worry us while it is still inside of us. But once it exits our body, it becomes disgusting" (73).
This book is like a syllabus that has passages that read as if spoken by the teacher to add in explanation. Brunetti writes with the confidence of a person who is a master of his skill. I found this book to be helpful with my fiction writing and that it does not simply apply to cartooning.
"It is all right not to know what it is you are tying to communicate, exactly, ahead of time. Part of the creative process is exploring our thoughts, letting our guard down, and laying ourselves on the line, as we try to work through these things" (73).
According to Chris Ware and Seth (pen name of Gregory Gallant), "when you sit down to draw, you should 'dress for work.' Have respect for your craft. Put on a pair of pants" (71).
"Admittedly, art is like spit. It does not repulse or even worry us while it is still inside of us. But once it exits our body, it becomes disgusting" (73).
This book is like a syllabus that has passages that read as if spoken by the teacher to add in explanation. Brunetti writes with the confidence of a person who is a master of his skill. I found this book to be helpful with my fiction writing and that it does not simply apply to cartooning.
trilobiter's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting discourse on how stories come together, filtered through the weirdness of the individual comics artist. It's straightforward, stressing the fundamentals over pretentiousness. But there's still room enough for ambition and for wonder at what an artist can achieve with limited tools.
As a textbook, it's highly effective as well. A reader interested in learning the craft of comics would do well to gollow its course.
As a textbook, it's highly effective as well. A reader interested in learning the craft of comics would do well to gollow its course.
More...