Cartooning 1 (The Beginning Artist) - Hardcover

Gr 4-8-The first few pages of each volume describe the various tools and materials that will be needed, and then several techniques (such as value, texture, and achieving perspective) are introduced. More than 10 projects follow. The books have different approaches to learning, and the projects range from basic to fairly sophisticated. For example, in Dragons and Pets, readers follow a step-by-step method for arriving at a final design, while Cartooning focuses on three styles (cute, realistic, and zany) and the specific details needed for each category rather than going step by step to reach one individual cartoon. Manga also is more about characteristics (hair, facial expressions, etc.) than creating any one design. One drawback with this set is the unusually small font, which is a strain to read and will be a turnoff for the lower end of the age range. Artist's tips are sprinkled throughout all volumes. α(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journal. LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.