July 5th, 2010 | 
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Product 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!… More >>
- ISBN13: 9780823005871
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Hart breaks down the basics of modern character design in ways anyone could easily assimilate and recreate. This book came in handy when I taught animation to college students: being able to draw is only the first step to creating characters one can move about with ease and appeal. Hart’s approach, and the examples he uses, are perfectly suited to the more modern techniques of Flash, but are also adaptable to classical animation. This book is a great find, offering practical, useful advice to those who intend to take animation seriously. I’d advise serious animation students to have it as part of their library, along with “The Illusion of Life”, “Your career in Animation” by David Levy, and “The animator’s Survival Kit” by Richard Williams.
Rating: 4 / 5
I have purchase a good number of Chris Hart books. I have been through regular style, happy-go-lucky cartooning to comic book style to manga. I just wasn’t getting the hang of them. Then I saw this book. I figured since I was a Dexter’s Lab fan, I would give it a try. It was so easy for me to do! It just clicked with me.
I had found Christopher Hart books to range from well-explained to poorly-explained. This one falls deeply into the well-explained category! It explains differences in representing genders, how different types of eyes and other features can change a school girl into a sexy seductress. There are just so many tips that take the regular lessons and sort of glue them together or reinforce them.
It goes without saying that everyone is going to have one style they can do better than any other. If you have tried the others like I had, give this one a shot and don’t be suprised if it is the one for you.
Rating: 5 / 5
I had to order an extra copy of “Cartoon Cool” so the students in my elementary school art class could share Chris’ amazing book!
While all my K-5 students enjoy “Cartoon Cool”, I find that my 3rd thru 5th grade kids learn the most about drawing based on Chris’ style and instructions. Simple lines and curves, uncomplicated anatomy and basic shapes for hair and faces, all contribute to successful creations from my budding artists. The retro style is so popular now, and is a refreshing change from all the manga characters of recent years.
Thanks for another great book, Chris!
Rating: 5 / 5
Great for 8-15 age range. Artwork is fun and isn’t intimidating to novice drawers. I’m a little out of the target age range and target skill set in my opinion, but even still I did pick up some clear, concise, and insightful tidbits on the style. If anyone is looking for drawing books for their kids, I’d keep Christopher Hart’s name in mind.
Rating: 4 / 5
This book is sweet!!!! I looked throught it at Chapters in Canada
and I knew it would be right beside an IPod Mini on my Xmas list!
Really good for beginners and experts (like me, hee hee), great ideas, and it’s really fun to read! Oh yes, Mr. R.M. Fernandez definetly doesn’t know what he’s talking about! He says the hands in the book “strangly” have 5 FINGERS!! DUH!!! Don’t all people have five fingers!? SHEESH! Oh ya, I’m in Grade 6 and I AM PROUD TO BE CANADIAN!!!!! Have fun!
Rating: 5 / 5