Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #391453 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781402716126
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-10–In a refreshing change from what has come to be the norm, Caldwell does not teach readers how to draw manga-style characters. Instead, his drawing style is more a blend of modern Disney (Hercules, Mulan), Don Bluth (Dragon's Lair), and the Cartoon Network (Powderpuff Girls, Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars). Unfortunately, only Caldwell's sketches are included, and not his colored and finished drawings. Although the rough lines are dynamic and eye-catching, a whole book of unfinished art is enough to try the most generous reader's patience. Still, Caldwell shows original thinking, and his technique is exciting, modern, and unique.–Steev Baker, Kewaskum Public Library, WI
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About the Author
Ben Caldwell has created action figures based on characters from The Lord of the Rings, Spiderman, and the X-Men movies. He is currently redesigning the look of the popular Wonder Woman character for DC Comics. He is author of "Action! Cartooning" (0806987391).

Customer Reviews

One of the best books of its kind.
Fantasy! Cartooning is simply one of the best books of its kind. I own many books on illustration and cartooning and am the creator of Blue Line Comics. I am constantly looking for new ideas and techniques and have found many fresh ideas in Ben Caldwell's books. One of the best things about his books is that he breaks things down step by step, but doesn't fully complete the drawings... that's your job. Most drawing books will show you the completed work, fully inked and often colored. Mr. Caldwell sets the stage on your sketchbook, it's up to you to decide how it is going to end. Not only is he teaching you the basics in drawing, he's also helping spark your imagination.

Whether you've never picked up a pencil in your life, or if you're a grizzled veteran... you're going to love this book. I also recommend his Action! Cartooning book (available at Amazon). These two companions can make a difference in your work.

Good addition to any artist's library
Good follow-up book that expands on the foundation set in Action Cartooning. The 2-3 step drawing process of beautifully rendered cartoon drawings of fantasy heroes, villains, and animals/beasts is effectively supported and enhanced with many design tips on how to portray specific traits/moods/archetypes along with concise explanations of their cultural/historical/mythological backgrounds. This book is suitable for beginner and intermediate budding artists as a foundation for self-study and a good source of inspiration for more advanced artists that may find Ben's cartooning approach refreshing and fun as they experiment on their own sketchbooks.

Beautiful Book
Any inspiring cartoonist will benefit from this book. Ben has mastered and combined styles from Disney and Don Bluth, as well as a few other influences tossed in. The renderings are beautiful, and Ben inspires the artists with interesting and different concepts on mythological and fantasy themes. This book is not intended to be a comprehensive volume on cartooning. Fantasy Cartooning is best used in combination with his previous work, Action Cartooning. Also, the book mainly focuses on character design and props. Unfortunately, there's very little on stage and background design.

Fantasy Cartooning is just great to look at, even if you don't intend to learn drawing.

Ben regularly uses Shane Glines' forum. If you want to see more of his sketches and recent work, I recommend stopping by.