8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good book overall...though still some problems, April 3, 2006
This review is from: How to Draw: Heroic Anatomy (The Best of Wizard Basic Training) (Paperback)
The books is nicve in it's construction of how certain artists put together their characters and how they draw in general and what most people fail to understand is that this isn't a recipe book for all the artist's methods of drawing, it's not a step by step "how to" book. It give a budding artist ideas on how to improve their own drawings. And for the idiot who reviewd that this book sucks for DC fans and hates the fact that they didn't include any DC characters, it's because the fact that WIZARD (who publishes the book) was in a lawsuit with DC back in the nineties and has decided to steer clear from anymore copyright infringement, like what they were accused of in the lawsuit. So, no there won't be any DC characters. Plus the fact that Wizard is part owned by Marvel Comics, also makes that a difficult situation. So, to the reviewer who want smore DC, go pick up DC's Guide to Pencilling/Inking instead. And you won't see wizard publishing any of the illustrated articled pre lawsuit, because they don't want to get sued...again.
The main flaw that I saw with the book was that the articles are basically the same as what you got in all your past copies of of your WIZARD subscription. There's little more to flesh out the existing articles than what was actually in the magazine, so don't expect anything more in depth than a bout 3 pages per subject, sometimes it's enough but not often.
Overall the book ain't bad, just as long as you get the other 3.
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Just so-so, January 21, 2006
This review is from: How to Draw: Heroic Anatomy (The Best of Wizard Basic Training) (Paperback)
I don't own the first book of the Wizard How to Draw series so my review is unrelated to it.
Since this book is a compilation of articles written/illustrated by different comic book
artists, it doesn't cover topics in depth. So my advice to future buyers is to not expect
a stepwise tutorial about "comic book anatomy." This book's primary audience are people
who already know how to draw correct human anatomy and would want to know how to
"exaggerate" it to "superhero/superheroine" proportions.
Now, I must admit that I didn't like a few of the articles. However, there are some that
are noteworthy in my opinion and they're the following:
* Blocks & Cubes - Ty Templeton
- Although I wouldn't want to suggest that you actually start drawing the human
body using spheres, ovoids, cubes, and cylinders, they're useful in imagining
human movement. Ty also corrected my misconception that the elbows and knees
are ball-and-socket joints. They're hinge joints. Our shoulders do the rotating.
* Dynamic Perspective - Brent Anderson
- He talks about curvilinear perspective. We normally don't see the world this way
because planes don't have windows under our feet but a flying superhero would. I don't
live in a big city like New York but I think New Yorkers who find time to look up would
also see this kind of view.
* Structure; Head & Torso; and Facial Expression - Kevin Maguire
* Eyes; Noses; Mouths - Brian Bolland (Batman: The Killing Joke)
* Hair - Steve McNiven
- I always have a hard time with hair because I'm trying to learn how to draw it from
different sources - realistic or like a cartoon - instead of learning how to draw "comic
book" style hair. I now know that drawing "comic book" hair doesn't have to consider
individual hair strands but rather masses of them.
* Feet - Darick Robertson
* Woman - Joseph Michael Linsner
* Sultry Women - Adam Hughes
* Sex Appeal - Michael Turner
* Proportions - Dale Keown
Ultimately, in addition to excellent artistic anatomy and general step-by-step drawing books,
drawing from real life or near it would prepare you to become a comic book artist of some fame
instead of a second-rate, substitute for one.
I think I would be investing in a digital camera so that I can take pictures of hands, feet and
poses of friends and relatives :)
I'm giving this book 3 stars. I would have given it 4 but $ 19.95 is too pricey for this thin
book. I think $ 9.95 or even $ 8.95 should be the right price for it.
If Wizard is reading this then may I suggest you guys actually hire the best comic book
line-artists (as opposed to comic book painters like Alex Ross, Jon J. Muth, etc.) known for
certain aspects of their work to write their biographies (When did they started drawing? How
did they enter the comic book industry? What's their typical day like? What inspires them?
Who did/do they look up to within and without the comic book industry?). I think this would
make a better book(s), wouldn't you say?
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Too much information re-hashed from the first book., December 20, 2005
This review is from: How to Draw: Heroic Anatomy (The Best of Wizard Basic Training) (Paperback)
This is book #2 in what I think is going to be a series of 5 books. (it could be more than 5) As a Heroic anatomy book - as it's titled - it's pretty poor. The fist book was an intro to drawing book which wasn't all that bad, gave great tips, and was a good get you going down the right path book. But these books are labeled #1 - #2 (so far) which dictates step by step drawing course, or learning pattern. NO WAY - DO NOT GET THAT IMPRESSION. In this second book being that these are articles from wizard magazine, and collected by different artists tips on drawing anatomy, but this one is all over the place. It's all about the same thing: Anatomy. Only it's not a consistent anatomy book. All these artists draw a little differently, and it's not any real direct path, or teachings on how to draw anatomy. Not only that. The good articles are reprinted from the first book in the series (Exactly the same articles) The Turner article, and Hughes articles are in here again. This book is also thinner, and just isn't much of an anatomy drawing book. If you want to draw (heroic, and feminine) anatomy for comics book I would suggest books by Hogarth, and some good reference material. Knowledge of anatomy is a must. As sick as it sounds you can find it in medical autopsy books. The musculature must connect to the bone correctly in the right places. There are many comic book "drawers" that just don't get that.
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