Cartoon Cool: How to Draw New Retro-Style Characters

by Christopher Hart

Book Overview

Love that Sponge Bob? Always lurking in Dexter's lab? Wishing for Fairly Odd Parents? Millions of fans watch these shows avidly, often solely for their zingy, stylized look and hip visual jokes. Now... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0823005879
• ISBN13: 9780823005871
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.5" x 10.0"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Want to Know How To Draw Retro? This Is Your Book!!!

If you are looking to change your cartooning style or just want to learn how to draw "retro" styled cartoons, this is your book! Christopher Hart teaches you how to draw retro-styled cartoons by comparing the classic style and the retro style so you can pinpoint where you need to draw differently to achieve that retro look. As always, a great learning guide for the beginner or the experienced cartoon artist.

Finally, I found my style!

I have purchase a good number of Chris Hart books. I have been through regular style, happy-go-lucky cartooning to comic book style to manga. I just wasn't getting the hang of them. Then I saw this book. I figured since I was a Dexter's Lab fan, I would give it a try. It was so easy for me to do! It just clicked with me. I had found Christopher Hart books to range from well-explained to poorly-explained. This one falls deeply into the well-explained category! It explains differences in representing genders, how different types of eyes and other features can change a school girl into a sexy seductress. There are just so many tips that take the regular lessons and sort of glue them together or reinforce them. It goes without saying that everyone is going to have one style they can do better than any other. If you have tried the others like I had, give this one a shot and don't be suprised if it is the one for you.

My students' favorite book!

I had to order an extra copy of "Cartoon Cool" so the students in my elementary school art class could share Chris' amazing book! While all my K-5 students enjoy "Cartoon Cool", I find that my 3rd thru 5th grade kids learn the most about drawing based on Chris' style and instructions. Simple lines and curves, uncomplicated anatomy and basic shapes for hair and faces, all contribute to successful creations from my budding artists. The retro style is so popular now, and is a refreshing change from all the manga characters of recent years. Thanks for another great book, Chris!

DEFINETLY Cartoon Cool!!!!!!

This book is sweet!!!! I looked throught it at Chapters in Canada and I knew it would be right beside an IPod Mini on my Xmas list! Really good for beginners and experts (like me, hee hee), great ideas, and it's really fun to read! Oh yes, Mr. R.M. Fernandez definetly doesn't know what he's talking about! He says the hands in the book "strangly" have 5 FINGERS!! DUH!!! Don't all people have five fingers!? SHEESH! Oh ya, I'm in Grade 6 and I AM PROUD TO BE CANADIAN!!!!! Have fun!

Very Cartoon Cool

This book was very enjoyable and a great deal of fun. Christopher Hart really captured the essence of retro cartoon characters and obviously how to draw them. This provided great instruction and was very entertaining. My kids loved this book!!