The Education of a Comics Artist: Visual Narrative in Cartoons, Graphic Novels, and Beyond

by Michael Dooley, Steven Heller (Editor)

Featuring essays by, and interviews with, more than sixty professionals, educators, and critics, the book provides an in-depth view of the art, business, and history of comics art. Readers will learn about a wide variety of genres, from editorial cartoons, political comics, and comic strips to graphic novels, superhero sagas, and alternative comics. Other featured topics include the role of comic art in related fields such as animation, design, and illustration; lesson plans by top teachers; and essays on how to thrive and grow as a creative comic artist.

Genres: Nonfiction, Comics, Essays, Art, Anthologies

405 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2005

Reviews

[november]

okay i gave up half way but STILL this was full of fantastic interviews and was a really inspiring read

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Education of a Comics Artist, a collection of short essays and interviews edited by Michael Dooley and Steven Heller, offers a fascinating look into the methods and motivations of some of the top practitioners of visual storytelling. The book presents an amazing lineup of contributors—Jim Steranko, David Mack, Chris Ware, Art Spiegelman, Marjane Satrapi, Kim Deitch and many more legends in the field—weighing in on disciplines ranging from editorial cartoons to comic strips, Archie Andrews to alt comics.

Every section is insightful, with creators reflecting on the influences and insights that inform their work. Some articles are accompanied by black-and-white illustrations, but text is the main focus, with artists elaborating on the creative process that results in ink on paper.

Later portions of the book examine the conceptual framework that surrounds visual storytelling, with articles and interviews on teaching, understanding and—oh yeah—making money from comics. The thoughts on display are diverse, lively and occasionally contradictory, making for a rewarding view into how comics of all types are created.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about getting started in comics.