Christopher Hart Drawing Cutting Edge Anatomy

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· 152 ratings · 9 reviews

Start your review of Drawing Cutting Edge Anatomy: The Ultimate Reference Guide for Comic Book Artists

Oct 23, 2007 J.G. Keely rated it did not like it

Hart's writing style approaches something like the failed humor of a pot-smoking uncle trying to 'cut the jive and vibe on your level'. He does not have an understanding of the methods of either teaching or art in order to aid any up-and-coming artists. Stick with Loomis and Hogarth and just steal your style from your favorite comic artist. There are a number of good artists (and some quite poor) who Hart tapped for this book, but if you just want to copy styles, you'd learn more copying from yo Hart's writing style approaches something like the failed humor of a pot-smoking uncle trying to 'cut the jive and vibe on your level'. He does not have an understanding of the methods of either teaching or art in order to aid any up-and-coming artists. Stick with Loomis and Hogarth and just steal your style from your favorite comic artist. There are a number of good artists (and some quite poor) who Hart tapped for this book, but if you just want to copy styles, you'd learn more copying from your average monthly title, because at least the art will be professional quality.

My Suggested Readings in Comics

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Apr 19, 2019 Britt rated it did not like it

Hart is definitely trying. The book is not bad as a pose reference for those that like superhero comics. But, overall, for a book published in 2004 it sure feels dated. The very first page of "foundation" skills breaks down the skeletal structure and the female skeleton (over a female figure) is show with exaggerated curves and a thigh gap! I know many people will not be bothered by this but for me it automatically made me wary.

Over and over throughout the manual female sexiness is stressed when

Over and over throughout the manual female sexiness is stressed when talking about poses, anatomy, or face shape. As an example, there is a two-page spread on how to do "drop-dead gorgeous head tilts" which ends with this tidbit on designing a supervillianess, "the badder she is, the sexier she must look." (pg47) Later, in the introduction of the arms and hands section Hart notes, "Arm muscles are the showpiece for heroes and brutes. On women they must be athletic, yet long and attractive." (pg84) For me it was incredibly off-putting.

Terrible female anatomy and the constant stressing of sexiness as the defining female trait were enough to turn me off. But I should not that there is also no diversity of character design. These are cookie cutter silver age comic book character designs. He doesn't discuss how ethnicity effects facial structure or go into how to draw any male characters beyond the Superman overtly buff type. Maybe once he mentions the existence of fat males and twice uses skinny males as examples of "cowardly" or "villainous" looks. There are much better anatomy books out there!

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Jan 20, 2021 Jamie rated it really liked it

Really shows how to draw the anatomy. The muscles are exaggerated since it's for comics, but that's to be expected for comic book style. I think it will be beneficial to go through this again and spend some time and draw all the examples. Really shows how to draw the anatomy. The muscles are exaggerated since it's for comics, but that's to be expected for comic book style. I think it will be beneficial to go through this again and spend some time and draw all the examples. ...more

Mar 23, 2018 Daniel rated it liked it

It was fun to read this book because it had a lot of drawings and had some useful tips. I will have to practice my drawing. I particularly enjoyed the end of the book when he talked about career opportunities for artists. It made me want to before a comic book artist.

Apr 23, 2008 Freyya Quinn rated it really liked it

This is basically a book of poses to practice. Bodies come in three sizes: muscular, ripped, and gargantuan huge where it would be impossible to tie your own shoes. Whether or not this is a good book for you will depend on a couple of things:

* whether you want a step by step instructions or you learn by mimicry
* if you want to draw comics in the mainstream supermuscular way or an "alternative" way.

If you want mainstream muscles and mimic with the best of them then you'll enjoy this book.

* whether you want a step by step instructions or you learn by mimicry
* if you want to draw comics in the mainstream supermuscular way or an "alternative" way.

If you want mainstream muscles and mimic with the best of them then you'll enjoy this book.

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This is a really great book on drawing comic book people. It goes through each part of the body and gives you several examples of different ways to draw them.

I like this book. I actually use it a lot as reference for my sketches and paintings.

Could be better. Maybe, my expectations were high. At least it's easy to read but i can not say it helped me a lot. Could be better. Maybe, my expectations were high. At least it's easy to read but i can not say it helped me a lot. ...more

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

I started drawing character designs for a small animation studio in San Diego, California, when I was still in High School in Los Angeles. I used to drive 136 miles, each way, on the weekends, when I was 16, just for the opportunity to get paid to draw. Cartooning was a magical experience to me.

I graduated from

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

I graduated from High School, and attended the character animation program at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California. At Cal-Arts, we had to do a lot of intense animation, which I found tedious. I was more interested in character design, and story, rather than drawing twelve poses to create one second of movement. It wasn't for me.

So I left and enrolled in, and graduating from, New York University. The social scene at Valencia consisted of a sandwich shop, where you could buy a magazine, if you got there early enough. New York city had slightly more to offer.

After I graduated, I worked as a staff writer on several NBC prime-time, comedy-variety television shows. I also wrote for 20th Century Fox, MGM-Pathe', The Showtime Cable TV Network and Paramount Pictures. But then the Writer's Guild went on strike. Writers in Hollywood weren't allowed to work for TV or the screen. So I went back to my cartooning roots. And I began writing for the Blondie comic strip, and began contributing regularly to Mad Magazine, and did some cartooning for magazines.

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. They had never done that before. The result was 'How to Draw Cartoons for Comic Strips,' and it sold briskly. They asked me to do another, and then another. Well, I've sold over 3 million books domestically since then, have 19 translations, and I'm still at it.

My book, 'Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics,' quickly became the number one selling art book in the country (source: Bookscan). It is also the winner of the prestigious New Jersey Library Association's Garden State Teen Book Award for 2004 in the category of nonfiction for grades 6-12.

The Young Adult Library Services Association selected two of my books for their prestigious "2003 Quick Picks for Young Adults." Those titles are: "Anime Mania: How to Draw Characters for Japanese Animation" and "Mecha Mania: How to Draw the Battling Robots, Cool Spaceships, and Military Vehicles of Japanese Comics." my title, 'Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics,' was selected for 2002.

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) chose my book, 'Drawing Faeries: A Believer's Guide,' for their 2004 'Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults' reading list. The 'Children of the New Earth' online magazine awarded the book its 'CNE seal of Excellence.'

My book, "Manhwa Mania," which introduces Korean style comics to manga audiences, was chosen as a "Quick Pick for Relunctant Young Readers" by the American Library Association in 2006, ages 12-18.

In 2004, I was asked by the Loew-Cornell Art Supply Company to develop a series of eight top-quality art kits, which would feature my manga, cartooning and comic drawings. The kits are now completed. They will be available, on Amazon, in fall, 2006.

My work has also been been featured in such publications as American Artist, Newtype (the premier manga publication), Mad Magazine, Highlights for Children, Crayola Kids, Ranger Rick, Cat Fancy, Dog Fancy and Boy's Life. My tutorials have been featured on Animation World Network, one of the leading websites of the animation industry. 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. Keep Drawing!

Chris

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