World Famous Comics: Cartooning the Head and Figure
Cartooning the Head and Figure
By: Jack Hamm Publisher: Perigee Trade Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Perigee Trade Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 128 Publication Date: November 01, 1986 Reading Level: Young Adult
Cartooning the Head and Figure This the best cartooning book around. A classic. A must for entry level cartoonist or professional.
Hamm! I'm always looking for the perfect book of whatever variety, & speaking as a former library employee, a cartoonist & art teacher, Jack Hamm has written THE book on cartooning. It is so packed with examples & not so much text, as it should be, it has tips & then TONS of examples. The style ranges from early American cartooning style to 50s/60s modern style. Fantastic examples of different expressions, hand positions, walking positions, drawing women, all of it. All good. If you want a great guide for old fashioned American cartooning, this is the one to get. Then get the Preston Blair book from Walter Foster.
Great reference This book is full of great ideas and tips. There's plenty for the beginner, like little tutorials on highly-stylized eyes or noses or mouths, or straightforward examples on common poses, but it's not just a book for beginners. There are a lot of highly-finished drawings as well, and examples of moving from simple to more complex drawings. Plus tips on various penciling and inking techniques, and various cartoon genres. All in all, there are literally thousands of examples and sketches, enough material to keep anybody busy for a long time. I've pulled this book down from the shelf more often than any of my other numerous drawing books, and I've filled page after page with exercises based on the material. A classic and worth far more than its price.
An amazing book If you're a cartoonist this is a book you have to have. It has been in publication for quite a while but nothing better has been created in the way of a great, all-purpose reference book. I've gone through a couple copies of this book and no matter how many times I looked at it I was still able to come up with ideas. Whether you're just starting out or have been doing cartoons for years you should have a copy of this book.
The greatest intoduction to CARTOONING ever written "Cartooning the Head & Figure" --by Jack Hamm
Artist and Christian minister Jack Hamm passed from this world at the age of 81. He illustrated the notable cartoon strip characters "BUGS BUNNY" and "ALLEY OOP" early in his career as an artist. He wrote and illustrated over 25 books on drawing. He pioneered an early TV show on drawing instruction in the Dallas/Houston Texas area.
I admit I am not an expert on fine art, but after reviewing many books which teach beginners HOW-TO-DRAW, it is my sincere opinion that Jack Hamm is the finest instructor America ever produced. Hamm almost never composed text, or used wordy explanations about drawing something. Hamm drew you a picture or series of pictures and showed how it might be done. He did not do this ..."sometimes" in his books. Hamm did this ALL THE TIME, whether it was cartoon figures, seascapes, landscapes, or drawing the human figure.
That is why any effort to list all the contents of his book, "CARTOONING THE HEAD & FIGURE" staggers the human imagination. I might be sitting at the computer for several hours, just listing the contents. Hamm shows how to draw every possible human emotion. Pages 22 & 23 alone are specific instructions in how to draw particular parts of the face to yield a human feeling.
The amazing thing is, Hamm is offering a book not only that adults can use; rather, Hamm is offering a book that CHILDREN can use. This book is in a class by itself, just as is Hamm's classic on drawing the human figure. Hamm's books are one of the richest treasures ever produced on American soil.
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