Book Review: Drawing Cartoons and Comics For Dummies

I doodle, draw cartoons as a hobby and follow comic strips with interest. I enjoyed reading Brian
Fairrington's Drawing Cartoons and Comics For Dummies. Though it appears to be written for an American audience, the book discusses tricks of the cartooning trade and numerous ideas that can be useful to aspiring cartoonists anywhere in the world.

The author, a professional cartoonist, makes it clear in the beginning that this book is not a complete art course. It has step-by-step examples on how to draw characters and objects commonly used in cartoons and explains topics that make cartoons interesting like Lettering, Perspective and Layout. The author offers valuable tips on packaging and selling your work. There is a good deal of cartoon history that makes the book engaging.

While drawing can be taught, I think drawing humorous cartoons is a highly individualistic process that cannot be taught. I feel, studying the work of the masters & drawing from the experience of experts like the author of this book can set aspiring cartoonists on the road to success.

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Exaggeration is an essential element of humor. (I drew this in 2001)