The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Artists! Gain incredible superpowers…with the help of your computer! The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics shows how to give up pencil, pen, and paper and start drawing dynamic, exciting comics art entirely on the computer. Author Freddie E Williams II is one of DC Comics' hottest artists and a leader in digital penciling and inking—and here, in clear, step-by-step directions, he guides readers through every part of the digital process, from turning on the computer to finishing a digital file of fully inked comic art, ready for print. Creating a template, sketching on the computer, pencilling, and finally inking digitally are all covered in depth, along with bold, timesaving shortcuts created by Williams, tested by years of trial and error. Step into the digital age, streamline the drawing process, and leap over the limitations of mere physical drawing materials with The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics.

About the Author

Freddie E Williams II has been drawing digitally since 2000. He has worked on the record-breaking DC miniseries Countdown, DC's Robin series, The Flash, and others.  Visit him on the web at www.freddieart.com. 

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823099237
• ISBN-13: 978-0823099238
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,502 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic, and Important book for the future of Comics, September 6, 2009

By	John Gallagher "Comics Guy" (DC Metro Area) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am reviewing this as a working comics creator who has read almost every comics how-to book under the sun...
Buzzboy Trouble in ParadiseBuzzboy Volume 2: Monsters, Dreams, & Milkshakes

I've grown up reading how-to books for comics since the age old "How To Draw Comics the Marvel Way"-- whichas a twelve year old, blew my mind. "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud brought the unique concepts behind comics to the forefront, and as I prepared to launch my professional career in comics, it helped give me a set of mental tools to focus on storytelling that I still use to this day. But Freddie E Williams II has written and illustrated The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics as a book that focuses on the draftsmanship and technical tools that will help define comics through the 21st century.

Written in a friendly, easy-to-understand style, Mr. Williams leaves the basic discussions on HOW TO DRAW, and assumes the reader already has enough books on that. This book really focuses on creating comics in either a completely digital way, or (addressing most traditional artists' fears) creating comics as a hybrid between the computer and the hand drawn comics in a variety of ways that can cater to one's strengths. I have always been a writer/penciller, and can only describe my own inking as though I inked with a chocolate bar instead of a brush. When I picked up the book, I immediately went to the Inking section, and immediately found the methods to be completely within my technical abilities in Photoshop (a must have, along with a wacom or cintiq tablet for the methods described). And while I have over 15 years experience with Photoshop, Williams really makes this a doable thing for anyone who takes the time to learn just a few of the tools in Photoshop.

Other topics that surprised me for their ease and flexibility include the sections on creating backgrounds, working from a library of art for warping to fit perspective and placement, and other items that caused a few "Why didn't I think of that?" moments.

Whether you draw funny animals, super heroes, or manga, I highly recommend this book to anyone that is ready to delve into the process of creating comics in what can ultimately be a more efficient, flexible, and ultimately more creative way.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you Freddie, September 6, 2009

By	Armaghetto "Millennius" (Cypress,) - See all my reviews

Finally, in the long list of lackluster DC How to Books for comics, they hit one out of the park with the help of Mr. Williams. If you've asked, tried, and begged comic book insiders to give up some of their secrets about drawing comics in photoshop to no avail, then this book is for you. This isn't some half-baked gnomon video tutorial where they skip 5 steps between clips and the instructor is rushing through the process without
explaining what they're doing. Freddie breaks down his entire process and goes step by step. If he skipped a step in this book, then at least he fooled me. The multiple times steps are skipped in other tutorials are
far easier to spot.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Much Better Than I Could Have Expected..., October 23, 2009

By	Richard Browder "Part Time Geek" (Nashville-ish, TN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I was excited when I first learned about this book coming out because it's difficult for me to set up a normal artist's station in my house. Not knowing who this Freddie Williams guy was, I ended up going to his website and checking him out. It was here that I first became dismayed.

His website has a section labeled "DigiArt Quick Tools," in which one can find several Photoshop tools Freddie has available. These include several variations of his MasterPage file, which tend to cost a little bit of money (the bundle pack that gives you all the Master Pages runs I think about $125). I also noticed a blurb in which Freddie mentions that an entire section of the upcoming book is devoted to the Master Page. I immediately started thinking that the book was going to end up being a $15 commercial for the various tools he has to offer.

Never have I been so glad to be so dead wrong.

The section on Master Pages walks you through the process of making your own Master Page, and while he mentions his website, he never tells the reader to go buy anything. Instead, he teaches you how to do it yourself. In fact, there's only one thing that Freddie tells the reader to download, and that's the perspective tool that he created... and its free (as is a generic version of the Master Page, if you don't want to make your own or pay money for a company-specific Page).

As far as the rest of the book goes, it was a massive wake-up call in regards to realizing how powerful and how fast creating sequential artwork on the computer is. In fact, it seems that Freddie's main goal is to get the reader to create better artwork, faster, and he constantly discusses ways to make your work faster and more streamlined.

Be warned, though... this is NOT a "how to draw" book. If you don't know how to draw, this book won't be that helpful to you. This book is more accurately described as a "how to use the computer to draw" book. Additionally, if you don't know how to do any basic drawing in Photoshop, you might want to learn, quick. I have a very basic understanding of how to draw and paint with Photoshop, and this book has my mind racing with all the possibilities I have available to me now. Be prepared to think and imagine when you read the book.

Not every aspect of Freddie's work method will work for everyone, and he acknowledges fact. He describes his methods to the reader, and for key areas offers alternative paths for the reader to take that may be more comfortable for the reader.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes, I did. Did I learn anything from this book? Almost every step of the way. Would I recommend this book to the serious hobbyist or the artist getting into the comics field? Without a doubt and with no reservations, yes!!!!