Books are listed in alphabetical order.
by Gary Martin with Steve Rude
Dark Horse Comics
1997
ISBN: 1-56971-258-1 (SC)
109 pp.
by Ivan Brunetti
Buenaventura Press
Published as a supplement to COMIC ART #9
2007
80 pp.
Cartoonist Ivan Brunetti takes you on his fifteen week cartooning class that he has taught at the University of Chicago and Columbia College Chicago.
by John Adkins Richardson
Prentice-Hall, Inc.
1977
ISBN: 0-13-157586-4
266 pp.
One of the worst. Obtuse and abstract. If you want to learn how to be a cartoonist, you won't learn it here.
by John Mendenhall
Chronicle Books.
1990
ISBN: 0-207-16994-0
132 pp.
500+ Historic and Modern Color Formulas in CMYK
Written and designed by Leslie Cabarga
Northern Light Books
1999
ISBN: 0-89134-857-3 (HC)
144 pp.
One Hundred Years of Line Art 1900 - 2000
by Leslie Cabarga
Art Direction Books
ISBN: 0-88108-114-0 (SC)
192 pp.
by Carl Anderson
The World Publishing Company/Tower Books
1942
Reprint of 1935 edition by Greenberg Publisher, Inc.
190 pp.
Carl Anderson, the creator of HENRY, tells you his cartooning secrets in 46 short lessons.
by Stan Lee and John Buscema
Simon and Schuster
1978
ISBN: 0-671-22548-0
160 pp.
Not very good at all. The section on perspective can be helpful if you are having trouble but that's about it. 'Nuff said.
by Judith B. Margolin
Plenum Publishing Corporation
1983
ISBN: 0-306-41309-4 (HC)
295 pp.
I found this book extremely helpful when I was putting together my proposal to the XERIC Foundation. A useful book on how to get a grant.
Step-by-step Series
by Richasd Dennison Taylor
Watson-Guptill Publishers
1947
159 pp.
by Daniel Clowes
Fantagraphics Books
Published as a supplement to EIGHTBALL #18
1997
16 pp.
Cartoonist Dan Clowes gives it to the aspireing cartoonist in straight talk,
by David Mamet
Penguin Books
1991
ISBN: 0-14-012722-4 (PB)
107 pp.
A great little book on the mechanics of telling stories in pictures. It's very clear and concise; nuts and bolts. The best part is when Mamet and his class construct a story, through description of action-no dialog, about a farmer and his sheep. The big lesson is that the story is told through cuts. Good for film directing and comics. I told James Sturm about this book several years ago and he has since used it in his catooning classes.
by Scott McCloud
Paradox Press
2000
ISBN: 7-61941-22097-0
252 pp.
A worthless companion to UNDERSTANDING COMICS.
by Ken Muse
Prentice-Hall, Inc.
1981
ISBN: 0-13-798132-5 (SC)
330 pp.
I dislike the way Ken Muse draws but this is one of the best books on cartooning I have come across. He is extremely specific in terms of tools and what they do. Nuts and bolts. A great book.
Edited by Don "Arr" Christensen
Eclipse Books
ISBN: 9-913035-40-8 (SC)
76 pp.
Hit and miss (mostly miss). 35 cartoonists tell you how they do it. You may get a good usable tip every dozen pages or so.
by Scott McCloud
Kitchen Sink Press
1993
ISBN: 0-87816-243-7
216 pp.
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