Character Design for Graphic Novels (Paperback)

Description

Character Design for Graphic Novels not only showcases the best in character design from the world's leading artists onscreen and on the printed page, but provides you with a hardworking guide to the process behind the evolution and development of character design, the key milestones of the art, the genre busters, and the genre definers.

This stunning book offers a unique insight into the creative process, interviewing the genre's leading artists, showcasing their work, and showing how it is done so you can benefit from their expertise when creating your own graphic novel characters.

Throughout the book biographies of the major artists in each field, their inspirations, their achievements, and their finest hours, are highlighted to give you the inspiration required to succeed in this competitive field.

Learn how popular characters evolved from sketches, drawings, and initial inspirations, through fine-tuning, discussion, and alternative proposals, to onscreen debut and first-edition publication on the printed page.

Featured artists include: Colleen Doran (Illustrator on the Neil Gaiman's - New York Times bestselling author- Sandman series), Kurt Busiek (Writer for Marvel Comics), Eddie Campbell (Illustrator of Alan Moore's acclaimed 'From Hell')and Stan Sakai (creator of the famous character Usagi the bunny).

 

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface: Graphic Novel Characters and Seven Precepts

Section I: The Graphic Novel
What Is a Graphic Novel?
History and Geography
The Graphic Novelist: Singular Vision
The Design Team: Collaboration and Oversight

Section II: The Character
Story and Archetype
The Central Character and the Opposition
Contrast and Commonality
The Supporting Cast
Character Histories: Motivation and Conflict

Section III: Elements of Design
Unity and Sequence
Tools and Techniques: Character Model Sheets
Speech Patterns: Dialogue, Balloons, and Lettering
The Face
The Human Form
The Nonhuman Form
Case Study: Eric Shanower
Line, Contour, and Sequence
Case Study: Eddie Campbell

Section IV: Design Style
The Character Design Spectrum: Abstraction to Hyperrealism
Genre and Tone
Minimalism: Tom Gauld and Jeffrey and Brown
Cartooning: Colleen Coover and Jef Czekaj
Verisimilitude: Miriam Katin and Don MacDonald
Reality and Imagination: Jeff Parker and Colleen Doran
Case Study: Leah Hernandez
Case Study: Jeff Nicholson

Section V: Appearance & Reality
Subtext and Symbolism
Wardrobe and Props
Expression, Motion, and Gesture
Case Study: Jenn Manley Lee
Case Study: Brendan Cahill
Case Study: Metaphrog

Section VI: The Expanded Cast
Group Identity and Storytelling
Case Study: Jason Little
Case Study: Dylan Meconis
Case Study: Busiek, Anderson, and Ross
Case Study: Stan Sakai

Section VII: Knowing Your Audience
Age Appeal
Gender and Culture
Case Study: Wendy and Richard Pini
Case Study: Bryan Talbot
Case Study: Andy Runton
Case Study: Mark Crilley

Section VIII: Modern Methods
Digital Design
Internet Research
Case Study: B. Shur
Case Study: Scott Christian Sava
Case Study: Ryan Estrada

Section IX: Putting It All Together
Symmetry and Synthesis
Judging and Refining Your Character Design
Conclusion: Into the Future

Suggested reading
Online resources
Glossary