Comics Crash Course [Paperback]

Vincent Giarrano (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 2004

Draw cool comics just like the pros!

You can create amazing comic book art like an expert with Comics Crash Course. Inside this start-to-finish guide, you'll find the most complete instruction for drawing exciting characters, poses, expressions, weapons and devices, and full comic book pages.

Author and expert comic artist, Vincent Giarrano, has worked on some of the world's most popular comic books including Superman, Batman, Peter Parker and Action Comics. Now Giarrano crams more than fifteen years of experience into this fully illustrated guide. Inside Comics Crash Course, you'll find:

• Techniques and tips for creating basic characters and elements including bulging muscles, extreme expressions, dynamic poses, seductive eyes and lips, and more
• Details for creating action-packed scenes and eye-popping characters from ripped superheroes and sultry vixens to dastardly villains and dynamic creatures
• The secrets of penciling, panel layout and inking techniques for creating a full comic page from start to finish
• Over 20 step-by-step demonstrations and hundreds of colorful illustrations
• Valuable advice explaining how to publish your own comic book and make it as a professional comic artist

With Comics Crash Course, you'll quickly learn the most sought-after trade secrets and master the skills you need to become a comic artist on the cutting edge.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up–Today's aspiring comic creators are pop-culture savvy in a way that initial readers of Stan Lee's seminal work, How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way(S & S, 1984), were not. Although that book is still the one to beat in terms of technique and readability, this one goes a long way toward closing the gap between the oversimplified and repetitive work of Christopher Hart and the overly technical but extremely useful "How to Draw Manga" series by Ben Dunn (Antarctic). Indeed, Giarrano's book is comfortably fitted right in the center–plenty of great art advice, striking imagery, and just enough edginess to satisfy most aspiring comic-book artists. However, it's somewhat short on information about how to draft a coherent story, create meaningful characters, and write smart dialogue. Of course, any book on how to create comics must have a strong graphic element to it, and Giarrano is successful from the very first page. With bold colors, crisp lines, and energetic posing, he provides excellent illustrations for all of his techniques. He takes readers from the most basic drawing techniques to complex shading and inking. The bulk of the book is taken up with graphic storytelling techniques that are specific to the comic-book genre. This is Giarrano's strongest area, and the chapters on design, composition, and layout make this book an invaluable addition to any "how-to-draw" collection. With nods to the currently in vogue Japanese manga technique as well as references to contemporary publishers like Vertigo, Image, and Top Cow, it is also timely. An excellent introduction to comic drawing, composition, and graphic storytelling.–Steev Baker, Kewaskum Public Library, WI

About the Author

Vincent Giarrano has worked for some of the top comic book publishers in the world, including DC, Marvel, and Dark Horse. His art has appeared in 19 different titles. He lives in Washington Depot, Connecticut.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Impact (September 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581805330
• ISBN-13: 978-1581805338
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,059,039 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best!, January 28, 2005

By 

BDC (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Comics Crash Course (Paperback)

I just bought this book last December 2004, and I must say it's one of the best how-to draw comics. It's not exactly "how to draw" because as the title says it's a crash course on how to make comic books. By this, I mean that the instructions on drawing are not very detailed. But when it comes to story-telling and do's and dont's in creating comics, this book has it all.

The author included so many tips - very helpful ones! From composition to inking. For example, he explains how to make a single panel look great, or how to work with a script, and so on.

This book deals with things that you need, without going into too much detail. And it cuts straight to the point. Thus, it's ideal for young readers as well (young adults).

Instead of buying Christopher Hart titles, you might as well get this one. It's just great, simple great!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great storytelling advice., December 26, 2009

By 

T. Wright (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Comics Crash Course (Paperback)

I am very impressed by the amount of attention given to the storytelling process in this book. Most books of this type typically have the same amount of space given to the various subjects involved with creating a comic book. This book, however, really touches on the rarely covered subject of storytelling. The basic anatomy and perspecive sections live up to the books title of "Crash Course". They cover only the bare bones basics. Tools of the trade, too, are briefly shown. Inking is given only a little more consideration.
In the storytelling portion of the book,however, the author discusses page thumbnails, page layout and flow, use of blue pencil and lightboxing, final pencils, and inking in more detail than most of these types of books. He breaks down a page, panel by panel, to illustrate how proper flow is so important in teling the story. I highly recommend this book on this section alone. I am a "wannabe" artist and suffer greatly in my storytelling ability but this book gave me tips and direction to begin to improve.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for more advanced artists., January 1, 2009

By 

Flatlander (Scotland, SD) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Comics Crash Course (Paperback)

This is a very good book but if you are just starting out trying to learn how to draw, there are better alternatives. I'm a hopelessly crappy artist so the parts that interested me the most had to do with the mechanics of comics such as storytelling, composition, and perspective. I'm only giving it 4 stars because the title gives the impression that you'll learn how to draw but as a beginner I didn't find it particularly good for that.