What do you think?
Rate this book
Drawing on the Funny Side of the Brain: How to Come up with Jokes for Cartoons and Comic Strips
Teaching cartoonists how to evoke laughs is the latest great idea to come from a best-selling author who always knows just what readers want. Aspiring cartoonists and seasoned professionals all face the same problem: coming up with a steady stream of jokes for their drawings. But there's a science to funny art, and this book's complete course shows just how to create comic panels and strips that get laughs, setup right through to punch lines. The essential tools of joke writing are outlined: visual stereotypes of comic teaming (fat/skinny, short/tall): setting up a character's agenda, then putting up obstacles to create conflict; action that brings the surprise. Other valuable guidance includes whether to find resource materials for jokes, plus tips for drawing comic lettering styles and dialogue balloons.
160 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 1998
3 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Hart
155 books204 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
I started drawing character designs and storyboards for a small animation studio in while in High School. Cartooning and animation was a magical experience to me. I try to bring that experience, as well as art tips, to my readers. Their enthusiasm also motivates me.
Early in my career, my cartoon work got noticed by Watson-Guptill, a premier publisher of art books. They asked me to do a book for them on drawing cartoons. It sold 200,000 copies, which is a healthy number. So we kept going. I discovered that I enjoyed the art of creating books, which has its own special requirements. I also worked as an author for Random House, Quarto and Soho Publishing. In total, I have had 8 million books sold, and have been translated into 20 languages.
My book, "The Master Guide to Drawing Anime: How to Draw Original Characters from Simple Templates" has sold over half a million copies to date and is still very actively in print. An earlier book of mine, "Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics:" reached the number one art book in the country, according to Bookscan.
I've also been a cover story on the industry trade magazine, "Publisher's Weekly." And if you've read this far into my Bio, then I'm more impressed with you than you are with me!
Thank you so very much for letting me offer some inspiration to you in your art adventures.
Christopher Hart
I started drawing character designs and storyboards for a small animation studio in while in High School. Cartooning and animation was a magical experience to me. I try to bring that experience, as well as art tips, to my readers. Their enthusiasm also motivates me.
Early in my career, my cartoon work got noticed by Watson-Guptill, a premier publisher of art books. They asked me to do a book for them on drawing cartoons. It sold 200,000 copies, which is a healthy number. So we kept going. I discovered that I enjoyed the art of creating books, which has its own special requirements. I also worked as an author for Random House, Quarto and Soho Publishing. In total, I have had 8 million books sold, and have been translated into 20 languages.
My book, "The Master Guide to Drawing Anime: How to Draw Original Characters from Simple Templates" has sold over half a million copies to date and is still very actively in print. An earlier book of mine, "Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics:" reached the number one art book in the country, according to Bookscan.
I've also been a cover story on the industry trade magazine, "Publisher's Weekly." And if you've read this far into my Bio, then I'm more impressed with you than you are with me!
Thank you so very much for letting me offer some inspiration to you in your art adventures.
Christopher Hart
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 2, 2020
Has a lot of good info and things to consider when character designing and making panels.
I bought it used for 8-12 euro (can't remember).
Well worth it.
But I wouldn't pay more, as one can get Scott McClouds books making comics and understanding comics for a bit more and those are better bang for the buck, in my opinion.
Still a good book though!
I bought it used for 8-12 euro (can't remember).
Well worth it.
But I wouldn't pay more, as one can get Scott McClouds books making comics and understanding comics for a bit more and those are better bang for the buck, in my opinion.
Still a good book though!
March 24, 2018
A great book on cartooning and humor. But, one important/shocking learning from this book is difference between art and craft.
February 8, 2014
من فترة طويلة لم اقرأ كتابًا باللغة الإنجليزية ، وبما أني مهتمة هذه الأيام برسم الكاريكاتير وتعلم نظم الشعر ، فكانت غالبية قراءاتي مؤخرًا في هذين المجالين.
للأمانة لم أركز كثيرًا على الشرح المطول ، بل اقتصرت قراءتي على العناوين ورؤوس الأقلام ، وكان جل تركيزي واهتمامي على الرسومات نفسها والكاراكترز أي الشخصيات وطريقة رسمها، بالإضافة إلى تعابير الوجه المختلفة وحركة الجسد.
حاولت تقليد الرسومات ونجحت في رسم الكثير منها ، وإن شاء الله استفيد من هذا الكتاب في محاولاتي البسيطة في تعلم الرسم الكاريكاتوري وصنع شخصيات كرتونية مختلفة وذات نكهة فلسطينية قد تصلح لبعض أفكاري المتعلقة بفن الكاريكاتير.
أتمنى أن أجد الوقت الكافي لتكرار تجربة الرسم الكاريكاتوري مرة أخرى.
هنـــــــــــــــــــــا ، تجدون بعض من رسوماتي القديمة (البدائية) ، أتمنى أن تعجبكم.
http://emtiazalnahhal.blogspot.com/20...
للأمانة لم أركز كثيرًا على الشرح المطول ، بل اقتصرت قراءتي على العناوين ورؤوس الأقلام ، وكان جل تركيزي واهتمامي على الرسومات نفسها والكاراكترز أي الشخصيات وطريقة رسمها، بالإضافة إلى تعابير الوجه المختلفة وحركة الجسد.
حاولت تقليد الرسومات ونجحت في رسم الكثير منها ، وإن شاء الله استفيد من هذا الكتاب في محاولاتي البسيطة في تعلم الرسم الكاريكاتوري وصنع شخصيات كرتونية مختلفة وذات نكهة فلسطينية قد تصلح لبعض أفكاري المتعلقة بفن الكاريكاتير.
أتمنى أن أجد الوقت الكافي لتكرار تجربة الرسم الكاريكاتوري مرة أخرى.
هنـــــــــــــــــــــا ، تجدون بعض من رسوماتي القديمة (البدائية) ، أتمنى أن تعجبكم.
http://emtiazalnahhal.blogspot.com/20...
March 20, 2012
This was a very helpful book on how to draw cartoons and comic strips. It took me a while to read but it was worth it. I can now draw really funny cartoons! It helps on designing characters, coming up with jokes, how to make a strip visually funny, and how to arrange comic strip panels. It also shows the difference between a funny picture and one that's not and why. This book has helped me in so many ways.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews