Vanishing Point is all about drawing backgrounds (environments) that don't suck. It's all based on this widely-taught idea that all objects and elements within the artwork point back towards one (or multiple) vanishing point(s) on an imaginary horizon(s). It's basically how to draw things in perspective. The technique was actually a well kept secret among all the great Renaissance artists. It was a secret, because if everyone knew about it, then everyone would be good artists and they'd have more competition.
It really does make drawing a lot easier. Everything is based off angles and maybe a little mathematics, almost in a way similar to architecture. Some of the "art" almost seems to be taken out, replaced by a method to obey. Which is good, because then people might think you're actually a good artist.
I was flipping around the more advanced techniques. It shows how to draw within a fisheye lens, so that everything's curvature remains proportional. To draw a car, the dude basically sketched out a three-dimensional grid on the page, with vanishing points going off all over the fucking place. It's a really good book.
And then I also got this
I know, I know, it looks corny, but it's apparently a classic must-have for any beginning comic artist. It's co written by Stan Lee himself -- the creator of Spiderman, The Hulk, The X-Men, and basically half of Marvel's lineup. I love what he put at the end of the introduction.
It pretty much covers everything, even some of the perspective stuff the other book goes more into. But what I'm most interested in is the correct way to draw the human form. We had a nude model come in at the end of my drawing class this semester, and we spent a class period drawing quick, 10-20 minute sketches of different poses. That probably helped me out more than I know. I'm fairly satisfied with some of the sketches I got out of it. But I'm still clumsy and confused on a lot of things (odd perspectives and action poses, mostly), and this book covers that.
Additionally, I asked for yet another book for Christmas which specifically focuses on the human body. So I think I'm set. I've started on the script, and some of the ideas I got floating around I think are pretty neat. I hope this doesn't suck and I end up embarrassing myself.
This reminds of the days back in grade school when I would buy books like these (HOW TO DRAW AWESOME MONSTERS), make comics about the adventures of my dog Lou and Andy Nelson's dog Spuds, and I would tell myself I wanted to be a cartoonist. This is all just a euphoria thing to me, really.
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