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David Chelsea
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Perspective! for Comic Book Artists: How to Achieve a Professional Look in your Artwork Paperback – October 1, 1997

by David Chelsea (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 290 ratings
This clever book teaches artists the unique skill of drawing perspective for spectacular landscapes, fantastic interiors, and other wildly animated backgrounds to fit comic-strip panels.
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  1. Print length
    176 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Watson-Guptill
  4. Publication date
    October 1, 1997
  5. Dimensions
    7.05 x 0.48 x 9.98 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0823005674
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0823005673
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David Chelsea has been a commercial artist for more than 30 years, and his work has appeared in hundreds of publications, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, New York Press, Seattle Weekly, Chicago Tribune, Reader's Digest, Boston Phoenix, and Portland Monthly. He is the author of the graphic novels David Chelsea in Love, Welcome to the Zone, and Snow Angel; two volumes of his collected "24 Hour Comics"; and the how-to books Perspective! for Comic Book Artists and Extreme Perspective! for Artists.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Watson-Guptill
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 1, 1997
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0823005674
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0823005673
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.05 x 0.48 x 9.98 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 290 ratings

About the authors

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  1. David Chelsea

    David Chelsea

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    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

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  2. David Chelsea

    David Chelsea

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    David Chelsea was born in Portland Oregon. A published commercial artist since the age of twelve, David has drawn comics and illustrations for numerous publications and is the author of the graphic novels David Chelsea In Love, Welcome To The Zone, Snow Angel, and the how-to books Perspective! For Comic Book Artists, Extreme Perspective! For Artists, and Perspective In Action. In recent years David has taken up the challenge devised by Scott McCloud, to draw an entire 24 page comic within 24 hours, a record seventeen times, and the first 12 of these stories have been collected in two volumes by Dark Horse, Everybody Gets It Wrong! and Sleepless. David's 16th 24 Hour Comic session is the subject of the documentary 24 Hour Comic, directed by Milan Erceg.

    David's work on perspective stems from a lifelong interest. He has lectured on the subject at numerous institutions including The University Of Oregon, Pacific Northwest College of Art and Seattles's Gage Academy Of Art. Years ago, David devised his own six point perspective method for painting on spherical objects such as globes and bowling balls, and his spherical paintings are in many private collections.

    David lives in Portland's historic Irvington's district with his wife Eve and daughter Rebecca.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
290 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book excellent at explaining perspective, with one describing it as a "Perspective Rosetta stone." Moreover, they appreciate how it presents the topic in a fun and engaging way, and one customer notes its humorous illustrations. Additionally, the graphic novel format and taste receive positive feedback from customers.

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Explanation qualityPerspective knowledgeEntertainment valueGraphic novelTaste
26 customers mention "Explanation quality"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's explanations clear and helpful, with one customer noting it provides solid groundwork on how to achieve a professional look in artwork.

"...The material is approachable, it doesn't seem daunting, academic, overly precise or mathematic...." Read more

"...And for those people this book progresses from basic concepts to advanced concepts, with a cartoon author teaching a carton cartoonist that needs..." Read more

"...one goes into just about every possible variety, and really digs deeply into technique, but he glosses over things too quickly and moves on, and can..." Read more

"...grasp. This book is for serious people, not Amateur Nights. You really have to put your head into it, to get it right...." Read more

10 customers mention "Perspective knowledge"10 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's perspective knowledge, with one describing it as a "Perspective Rosetta stone."

"...This is a fantastic book on perspective...." Read more

"This is the DEFINITIVE book on Perspective. With Vertical and Horizontal lines drawn in, it really illustrates what Perspective is...." Read more

"...Other than than that, the book does explain perspective quite well." Read more

"Finally a book that teaches perspective at a simplest and interesting way. Infinite stars....." Read more

8 customers mention "Entertainment value"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining, presenting the topic in a fun and engaging way, with one customer noting its humorous illustrations.

"...want to know about perspective in wonderful, glorious, humorously illustrated detail...." Read more

"...This book is complete, and interesting to study, but some pages may go over your head to attempt to grasp...." Read more

"...of perspectives a rather boring topic but this book presents the topic in a really fun and engaging comic book story...." Read more

"...It is fun as it is presented as a graphic novel and the information is presented clearly and concisely. A must for any artist." Read more

4 customers mention "Graphic novel"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the graphic novel format of the book, with one customer noting its humorous illustrations.

"...It is fun as it is presented as a graphic novel and the information is presented clearly and concisely. A must for any artist." Read more

"I love the concept of this book: a graphic novel that teaches you how to draw in perspective...." Read more

"...I like the comic lookalike and if you have been reading Scott McCloud, it's the same layout." Read more

"...The illustrations are humorous and well done add to the experience." Read more

3 customers mention "Taste"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the taste of the book, with one describing it as glorious and another noting it is very tastefully done.

"...VERY TASTEFULLY DONE, IF ONLY MATH TEACHERS AND HISTORY TEACHERS AND ALL TEACHERS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND PRESCHOOL WOULD TAKE THE SAME..." Read more

"...you could ever want to know about perspective in wonderful, glorious, humorously illustrated detail...." Read more

"David Chelsea is an art GOD. He breaks things down in easy to understand chapters." Read more

Spend your money elsewhere.
1 out of 5 stars
Spend your money elsewhere.
Anti s3mitism is unacceptable. I'm just trying to learn how to draw perspective; not poor-taste "jokes". I won't be purchasing any books by David Chelsea.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • J.E.C.
    5.0 out of 5 stars BEST BOOK ON PERSPECTIVE EVER SEEN, GENIUS YET EVEN A KID CAN UNDERSTAND IT!!! TEACHERS SHOULD TEACH MATH, ALL COURSES THIS WAY!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2006
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    THIS IS THE ONE YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, THE MAN TEACHES COMPLICATED PROCEDURE LIKE A GENIUS WOULD, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE TECHNIQUES ARE SUPER SOPHISTICATED, EVEN A CHILD CAN UNDERSTAND IT (OR ATLEAST A TEENAGER) AND CAN BE USED IMMEDIATELY, YOU DONT HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE BOOK TO PUT IT TO USE IMMEDIATELY AND GET INSTANT, PROFFESSIONAL RESULTS GUARANTEED! I CANNOT WAIT FOR HIM TO MAKE BOOK TWO, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED A 10+ THIS MAN REALLY KNOCKED MY SOCKS OFF AND TO THINK THERE'S MORE TO THIS, NOT JUST FOR ARTIST BUT ALSO TO LEARN ABOUT LIFE, AS YOU KNOW ART TEACHES YOU ABOUT LIFE AND IT'S HIDDEN MYSTERIES ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BE QUIET, LOOK WITH A BEGINNER'S MIND IN ALL THINGS, WITH THE EYES OF SOMEONE WHOSE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND YOU WILL LEARN AND THIS MAN USING THE KNOWLEDGE OF MANY LEGENDARY MASTERS AND GENUISES PRESENTS IT TO YOU IN A VERY EXCELLENT FORMAT AND IN ADDITION THERE ARE PARTS IN IT THAT ARE EVEN FUNNY!!! VERY TASTEFULLY DONE, IF ONLY MATH TEACHERS AND HISTORY TEACHERS AND ALL TEACHERS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND PRESCHOOL WOULD TAKE THE SAME INTEREST AND IF ONLY THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS WOULD REALIZE THAT TEACHING, EVEN SERIOUS HEAVY DUTY LEARNING CAN BE SOO MUCH FUN, SO INTERESTING AND FANTASTIC. THUMBS WAY UP ON THIS ONE, SHOULD BE ESSENTIAL READING FOR ALL ARTIST!!!

    TO THE AUTHOR PLEASE WRITE BOOK TWO AND IF POSSIBLE BOOK THREE THE WORLD DESERVES THIS KIND OF EXCELLENT THOUROUGHNESS!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Rebecca Cooke
    5.0 out of 5 stars I'd recommend it to every artist!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2016
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This product was bought for, and reviewed by, Soul Cooke.

    This is a fantastic book on perspective. It was recommended to me by an artist friend, and I in turn recommended it to a college art teacher I to help her with students who were having a hard time with the subject matter.

    It goes over everything you could ever want to know about perspective in wonderful, glorious, humorously illustrated detail. The material is approachable, it doesn't seem daunting, academic, overly precise or mathematic. I'd recommend it to every artist, and I think every artist can learning something from it, not just those drawing comic books.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Michael Robin Cooke
    5.0 out of 5 stars The best book for the subject!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2014
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This is a book about perspective for comic book artists and it is itself, a comic!

    But understand 'for comic book artists' means that you are already attempting to draw comics, you are NOT completely new to drawing or attempting perspective!

    This is a book for people that want to ADVANCE their knowledge of perspective! And for those people this book progresses from basic concepts to advanced concepts, with a cartoon author teaching a carton cartoonist that needs help with perspective.

    Now I have had other books on perspective, and this book is better at explaining clearly and also helping an artist understand how to APPLY perspectives to drawings in the real world.

    Now myself, I had to get David Chelsea's 'EXTREME PERSPECTIVE' for comic book artists to answer a question I hoped this book would answer (now that the desk is in perspective, how do I draw the three pieces of paper scattered at different angles on the desk - in perspective?).

    But now I have both books I'm happy as a clam and whenever I forget something I can return to these books for the answer!
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Jim Gray
    4.0 out of 5 stars One of the Two Perspective Books You'd Need to Get It
    Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2009
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    In my opinion, the only perspective book (of the many I've looked through) that covers practically EVERYTHING is Vanishing Point by Jason Cheeseman-Meyer; that one goes into just about every possible variety, and really digs deeply into technique, but he glosses over things too quickly and moves on, and can leave you puzzled, not explaining WHY something should work, just believe it or leave it; I like Chelsea's book because he takes more time to explain things in a clear and understandable manner (tho he does spend way too much time on some of the very basic and obvious concepts; how hard is it to understand that objects get smaller in the distance?) but he doesn't go as far as Cheeseman-Meyer into such things as curvilinear.
    I think the two books together could just about cover it for anyone really trying to learn and understand perspective. When you can't figure out what an author says, it helps to read another author's explanation of the same subject, and these two complement each other well.
    36 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Luisa Felix
    5.0 out of 5 stars Perspective Book
    Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2008
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This is the DEFINITIVE book on Perspective.
    With Vertical and Horizontal lines drawn in,
    it really illustrates what Perspective is.
    But attempting to draw perspective in art
    is difficult to begin with, and this book is
    NOT for Amateur Nights. The art lines drawn
    here can really make you dizzy. It is a struggle
    to keep up with it, unless one does tons of
    practice. I am a cartoonist and I tried it, and
    I had to back off and give my eyes a rest. This
    book is complete, and interesting to study, but
    some pages may go over your head to attempt to
    grasp. This book is for serious people, not
    Amateur Nights. You really have to put your head
    into it, to get it right. But this book illustrates
    the Blueprint of perspective better than other books
    I've seen. If this book does not melt your brain, then
    try book "MAKING COMICS" by Scott Mc Cloud. It is the
    better drawing book.----- Luisa Felix
    13 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Ehrenstein
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great learning book that is also fun
    Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2012
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book was recommended to me by my art school drawing teacher and it helped me so much. The author focuses on how to create depth cues when drawing, especially on how to construct a perspective. Some art students use to find the rather technical construction of perspectives a rather boring topic but this book presents the topic in a really fun and engaging comic book story. Therefore, this book is both, a great learning tool but also fun to read.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • m787
    5.0 out of 5 stars Utile e divertente
    Reviewed in Italy on May 17, 2018
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Attenzione: libro in inglese!
    Il libro è strutturato come un fumetto: i due personaggi ci guideranno attraverso l'uso e le tecniche della rappresentazione prospettica come in un racconto.
    Molto scorrevole da leggere, utile sia a principianti sia a chi mastica già questo tipo di argomenti: non si tratta di un manuale tecnico, ma offre spunti e scorciatoie molto interessanti da applicare in ambito artistico.
    Consigliatissimo quindi per chi cerca tecniche e vari trucchetti per disegnare in prospettiva.
    Non consigliato per chi vuole conoscere le tecniche e la teoria in maniera approfondita per studiare.
    Report
  • Amazon カスタマー
    5.0 out of 5 stars 非常に実践的
    Reviewed in Japan on May 18, 2003
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    過去に何冊かのパースの教本を参考にしてきたが、いずれも用例がイマイチだったり、回りくどい解説だったりと、本当に必要な知識を得るためにはとても難解な手順を踏む必要があった。
    だが、この本は違う。無駄が無く、非常に分かりやすい。
    英語で書かれてはいるが、それでも国産の教本よりもはるかに理解しやすいのです。
    Report
  • Bücherwurm
    5.0 out of 5 stars Perpective in comic style
    Reviewed in Germany on May 15, 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Ich bin total begeistert. Perspektive zeichnen lernen durch Comic lesen😍.
    Kein bisschen trocken oder langweilig und man hat durch die Comic-Strips gleich mega viele Beispiele. Warum gibt es solche Bücher immer nur im englischsprachigen Raum? Meiner Meinung kommt man auch mit Schulenglischniveau klar.
    Report
  • Karen Alcazar
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente condición
    Reviewed in Mexico on January 25, 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Un libro muy recomendable si deseas aprender a dibujar perspectiva, independiente a si quieres ser un dibujante de cómics o no.

    Llegó en excelente condición.
    Report
  • Annie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really helpful
    Reviewed in Brazil on August 25, 2018
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    It teaches you some important information about drawing, in a fun way
    Report