Product Description

The follow-up title to the hit title Drawing Cutting Edge Comics, which has been translated into seven languages, this drawing tutorial shows artists how to draw the exaggerated musculature of super-sized figures in action poses. The guesswork is taken out of figuring out which muscles show through to the surface and how muscles appear through clothing. This instructional manual even gives both the Latin and the common terms for particular body parts such as scapula/shoulder blade. Hart covers all aspects of extreme anatomy. The book opens by providing detailed diagrams of all of the various muscle groups, including chest, back, shoulder, arm, and leg muscles. Then he covers many of the various extreme comic book types including good guy, bad guy, insane guy, punk, genius, and brute for men; and the heroine, bad gal, trashy gal, seductress, fighter babe, and cyber chick for women. As an added bonus, this book closes with two invaluable sections to all aspiring comic book artists. One provides a roadmap of all the steps an artist must take if he or she is going to get started in the comic book business, and advice on how the comic book business works. The second section features interviews with people from two of the most significant companies in the world of comics, Marvel Comics and Dark Horse Comics.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47856 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-01
• Released on: 2004-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780823023981
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School–While it won't replace a more traditional study of anatomy, this book covers the basics in good detail, always relating the discussion of bones and muscle groups to the exaggerated physiology found in comic books. The illustrations are lavish, often in full color, with black and white used for the drawings where color would obscure the lesson being imparted. A mixture of comic-book-proportioned anatomical drawings and finished art helps to show the transition between fact and presentation, with the text highlighting what has been emphasized as well as what has been left out to get the proper look. The last part of the book includes a discussion of how the comic-book business works and several interviews with artists, all of which drift from the topic of anatomy somewhat but is still useful and interesting. Attractively presented and educational, this title will be popular with comic-book fans who like to draw.–Paul Brink, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author
Christopher Hart is the acclaimed author of countless illustration tutorials, including two of the best-selling art books in the US-Manga Mania and Anime Mania. He has sold more than one million books worldwide and makes his home in Connecticut.

Customer Reviews

A Pleasent Surprise
I am an artist by trade. I grew up wanting to draw comics. Since getting an art (illustration)degree I have used my talent mainly on local adds and a few small book projects. But I still read comics, and draw them when I can.

I stumbled on this book in Barnes & Noble's one day, and flipped through it and it's counter part on Cutting Edge Comics. Both impressed me, so I picked this one up and put the other on my short list.

Anatomy is a tricky subject. I studied it in college, and a have a decent understanding. I own several other anatomy books, and even the art ones seem more for doctors than artists. And lets face it, comic book characters arn't built like normal people. All that said, I think this book does a wonderful job of laying out the muscle groups, explaining how they work, and exagerating them for comic book use. Both scientific and common terms are used, everything is in plain english, and there are plenty of examples. While at times it seems more like a referance guide than a how to book, that isn't really a problem. Every great artist knows the value of good referances. Over all the art is of an above average quality, with a few gems here and there. While it may not be as flashy as some of the best art currently being published in comics, it's still clear, well done, and easily gets it's point accross.

I don't think an young artist can go wrong giving this book a look.

another opinion . . .
i am an illustrator and a recent art college graduate and i actually found this book very informative and helpful.

i was surprised by the negative reviews of the book because i saw it as a very adequete refresher course of the lessons and ideas i learned in my classes while majoring in Illustration.

it covers 7 (and sometimes 9 and 12) head anatomy, muscles and how they react while in action, facial muscles, veins, and skeletal structure.

it also covers important details like body language, eye structure, LIGHT SOURCES, and surface mapping (to get an impression of the form and dimension s of the body).

i'm actually using a few sections of this book in a con-ed cartooning class for children i'm teaching at the moment.

i'd recommend the book if you want a quick run through of the differnt ideas for constructing the comicbook ideal of anatomy. from these ideals you can branch out into your own style and make it your own.

I would have written this review earlier...
...but I've been drawing ever since this book arrived!

"Drawing Cutting Edge Anatomy" is: 1/3 "Gray's Anatomy", 1/3 "Dynamic Figure Drawing", and 1/3 "How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way" - three essential reference books for the serious illustrator.

This has to be the most complete book for those who want to dive right in and start drawing proper anatomy. For me, I've always understood the principle anatomical structure of the human body - but there would be some improvising when it came to certain areas of the legs, back, shoulders, or forearms. Hart lays it all out and makes sense of some of the areas of the body you may not be completely familiar with. He also shows you how every muscle bends, stretches and works in conjunction with the other muscles around it (very important if you plan to draw a lot of poses and sequential art, like you would see throughout a 32 page comic book.)

Whether you simply want to learn how to draw comic book type figures, or you're a professional lookng to refine their skills, there's a surprising amount of depth within this book and even seasoned artists may be reminded of a thing or two they may have forgotten over the years.