Cartooning

Synopsis

From the editor of Yale's Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons, and True Stories, a smart and charming guide to the art of cartooning

Winner of the 2012 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for the Best Academic/Scholarly Work 

"Brunetti has given the cartooning world something very similar to what Strunk & White gave to prose with their Elements of Style. . . . Keep it right next to your desk where you can find it at a moment's notice."-Tim O'Neil, PopMatters.com

The best cartooning is efficient visual storytelling-it is as much a matter of writing as it is of drawing. In this book, noted cartoonist and illustrator Ivan Brunetti presents fifteen distinct lessons on the art of cartooning, guiding his readers through wittily written passages on cartooning terminology, techniques, tools, and theory. Supplemented by Brunetti's own illustrations, prepared specially for this book, these lessons move the reader from spontaneous drawings to single-panel strips and complicated multipage stories.

Through simple, creative exercises and assignments, Brunetti offers an unintimidating approach to a complex art form. He looks at the rhythms of storytelling, the challenges of character design, and the formal elements of comics while composing pages in his own iconic style and experimenting with a variety of tools, media, and approaches. By following the author's sophisticated and engaging perspective on the art of cartooning, aspiring cartoonists of all ages will hone their craft, create their personal style, and discover their own visual language.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Basics of Cartooning

* Introduces the fundamentals of cartooning, including line weight, shape, and perspective.
* Real example: A simple cartoon of a smiling face, using basic shapes and lines to create a recognizable expression.

Chapter 2: Character Design

* Explores the principles of character design, such as creating distinctive shapes, assigning personality traits, and conveying emotions.
* Real example: A cartoon character with an exaggerated nose and a permanent grin, representing a playful and mischievous personality.

Chapter 3: Scene Composition

* Teaches techniques for laying out a cartoon panel, including using rules of thirds, cropping, and leading the eye.
* Real example: A cartoon panel depicting two characters engaged in a conversation, with a background that subtly reinforces the narrative.

Chapter 4: Storytelling in Cartoons

* Discusses the basics of visual storytelling in cartoons, including sequential panels, panel transitions, and using dialogue bubbles.
* Real example: A cartoon strip with three panels that tells a humorous story about a character's encounter with a talking animal.

Chapter 5: Animation for Cartoons

* Provides an overview of animation for cartoons, covering keyframes, tweening, and creating motion.
* Real example: A short animation of a character bouncing back and forth, demonstrating the principles of animation.

Chapter 6: Digital Cartooning

* Introduces digital tools for cartooning, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Clip Studio Paint.
* Real example: A fully digital cartoon artwork depicting a fantastical landscape, created using layers and blend modes.

Chapter 7: Advanced Cartooning Techniques

* Explores advanced cartooning techniques, such as caricature, symbolism, and satire.
* Real example: A satirical cartoon that portrays a politician using exaggerated features and exaggerated gestures to convey a political message.

Chapter 8: Marketing and the Business of Cartooning

* Provides guidance on marketing and selling cartoons, including building a portfolio, creating a professional website, and pitching ideas to clients.
* Real example: A cartoonist's website that showcases their portfolio and provides information about their contact details and availability for commissions.

Chapter 9: The Future of Cartooning

* Discusses emerging trends in cartooning, such as augmented reality and interactive storytelling.
* Real example: An augmented reality cartoon that allows users to interact with characters from a graphic novel via their smartphone or tablet.