I, I --

Everyone at Watson-Guptill.

!xtcutiw Editor. Candace Raney

De1lgn md color. KADA Design, Inc. Jfnky Coronado: 48-51
front cover delign: KADA Del!gn, Inc. Roger Cruz: 13, 34- 41
Smlor Production Manager: Ellen Greene
Chris Hart: 11 (all except left image), 12
Published in 2005 by Watson-Guptill PubUcations (all except bottom right), 16 (all except
a division of VNU Busineu Media, Inc. bottom image), 17 (top right, bottom
770 Bro.tdway left), 22-33
New York, NY 10003 Fabio Laguna: 116-119, 126-143
-w.wgpub.com
Phil Moy: 102-116, 120-125
Copyright <Q 2005 Art Studio LLC Khary Randolph: 2-3, 6, 76-85, 88-93
Diogo Saito: 60-61, 63-75
Ubruy of Coapele c:ataloglng.ba-I'Uitcation Data Steven Segovia: 8-9, 11 (left), 12 (bottom
Dart, Chriatopher. right), 15, 16 (bottom), 17 (top left,
Drawing cutting edge fuaion :
bottom right), 18-21, 42-47, 52-59,
American comics with a mmga influence I Christopher Dart.
p. em. 86-87, 94, 95-101
Includes Index.
ISBN 0-8230·0160·1 (pbk.)
1. Dumm bebags-carlcaturea and cartoons. 2. Action in
art. 3. Cartooning- Technique. 4. Comic books, strips, etc.-United
State1-TechniquL 5. Comic books, strips, etc.-Japan- Technique.
1. Title.
NC1764.B.BB4H3B 2005
741.5'973- dc22
2005014139

AU rights reserved. No part of thil pubUcation may be reproduced or

used in any form or by any means-graphic, electronic, or mechanical,
Including photocopying, recording, or information storage-and-retrieval
systems- without the written permluion of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9/13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 OS
lntrodurhon G Po e P51Qn fi More G
THe WIDe SHOT 88
Sltrh rhoroders POSrrtONING IH6 DOMINANI CHARACrel2 sq
D61'Ait,S AND SKINNV PAN61-5 qo
FUSION MeN 10 Til,liNG IH6 HOI21ZON I.IN6 q1
HeADTII:fS 13 FUSION LINe QUA1,11V qz
FUSION FeMA(..e5 w FUSION SHADING qi.f
w• AND "DDWN• ANGt,e5 18 1-IGHI, SHADOW, AND MOOD q6
'f7
ft o t AnnfOAIJ 20 THe MOON AS A LIGHT 50UI2C6
EDGe LIGHIING qa
FUSION MUSCI,e5: nre MeN 22 OTH612 LIGHTING EFFeCTS qq
MUSCt,eS IN ~OFII,e 2/.f SOUND EFFeCI L6'T'Tei21Ne 101
MUSCI,e5 FfZOM nre BACK 26
FUSION Mt.JSCI,e5: THe WOMeN 28 fortoon u51on 102
FeMAI,e MUSCI,e5 IN ~OFII,e 30 THe BASICS 10'1
FeMAt.6 MUSCt,es FfZOM iH6 BACK 32 IH6 FACe tiP Ct..DSe 105
nre CONC6PTS IN USe 3'f nre FeMAI,e FACe liP aose 10s
TU12NIN6 STANDARD INtO FUSION 3q
CArrrOON FUSION EXPI26SSIONS 110
STANDARD VS. FUSION H6120 'iO THe CArrrOON FUSION H6120 112
DI2AWIN6 iH6 80DV FfZOM A(..t, ANGt,eS 'f2 Tfofe CARIOON FUSION H61201N6 113
FINeSSING TH6 FUSION FeMAI,6 FOI2M 'iS SUPPOIZTING CffARACT612S 11'i
HANDS 116
ordrobe: DIFFereNt AGes 120
from eolltg to fontosu S2 AMAZING SII-HOU6TT66 122
TI2ANSFOI2MING A CHARACT612 WrrH Ct,OTH6S
A COStuMe STAPt,e
5/.f
56
Drowmq ~£tmn 128
WINGS AND HOI2NS 57 THe I.IN6 OF ACIION 128
D12AMA VS. SUP612POWei2S 58 MOI26 ACrtON POSeS 12q
MAKING CONiACI: FIGHI SC6N65 130
H rd£ore Heroes GO THe Tffre6 STAGes OF A PUNCH 131
FINDING iH6 121Gffl DISIANC6 132
Klt,t,el2 ON TH6 EDGe 62 THe POSI·IMPACI SPt.ATT612 13'f
FeMAt.6 rl6SISTANCe FIGHI612 66 ADVANC6D PUNCHeS 135
MAI,e lreSISIANCe FIGHI612 68 BAI,ANCe AND MOMetmJM 136
TeAM t,e;AD612 70 GIANII20801S 138
MAI,e TeeNAGe FIGHT612 PII,,T 72 56A MONST612S CArrrOON-FUSION SiVI-6 WO
F6MAI,e TeeNAGe FIGHI612 PII,,T 7/.f LAND MONST612S W2
4rtmn-Hero Fusmn 78 Index
MASKS AND MOI26 78
BODV A'Ti'IIUD6 7q
~ nreFOWeR OF GUWT CHARAC1"6I2S sz
FUSION AND MeCHA 83
G6111NG POWel2 FfZOM P612SP6CIIV6 8'f
SUPei2CUI2V6S 85
 omic book artists have to stay
current to be on top of their game. As new
styles emerge and gain popularity, artists
either adapt or go the way of the dinosaur.
No one who reads comics can be oblivious to
the huge impact manga has had on the
industry. What started out as a trend has
quickly turned into a colossal category that's
here to stay.
Artists are quick to capitalize on the next
new thing. But rather than attempting to
create a clumsy imitation of manga
(Japanese comics), American comic book
artists have selected the coolest stylistic
elements of manga and merged them with
the mainstream American style of comics.
The result is Fusion. It's bold and powerful-
just as you'd expect from American comics-
but with the elegance and gracefulness of
Japanese comics. It's a sleeker, trendier look
that focuses on characters with style and
charisma rather than on overblown muscles
and capes. The major comic book publishing
houses, as well as the independents, have
been working in this style for a while. Isn't
it time you hopped on board?
Many American artists who don't
necessarily want to draw manga nevertheless
would like to incorporate some of its
influence in their work, in order to stay edgy
and relevant. No matter what kind of
comics you like to draw, Drawing
Cutting Edge Fusion will enhance your
skills because it covers all aspects of
comic book art, including: simplified
anatomy, the use of the line of action,
the creation of effective silhouettes,
the staging of fight scenes,
foreshortening, costume design, comic
book panel design, and more.
This book also focuses on the cartoon
style of Fusion, a new trend gaining
popularity not only in comic books but
in television animation, as well (a field
in which many comics artists find
successful careers as character designers,
storyboard artists, and creative
producers). This appealing style also
belongs in your artistic repertoire.
And, as with all my books, my aim is to
give you a complete course in drawing
comics, with all the necessary basic,
intermediate, and advanced techniques.
This book contains many never-before-
revealed secrets that the pros use to create
amazing comic book images. If you want to
draw comics, you can benefit from this
book. Comics are an ever-evolving art form,
and every artist needs an edge. Fusion can
give you that edge.
·, \" .
 e
•

AS""'""" c\-\i"' cveoo.t-es

oo. s'ee~ev ~oo.ce.

-r\-\e v.yyev Yi.y i.s

t-1.-\\'o\ 'ov.\- st-i" s\-\ows
so""'e t-1.-\ic~\\ess.

~e 1.-\oo.iv 1.-\oo.S t-1.-\e t-yyic"'-' s\-\oo.v\'

eJ..~es ~ ""'"""'~""' 'ov.\- it- C"'-"'-
""'so oo.f\'eoo.v s~·
 r~~e se:ar:ro,vs
oFr~~e,vose

~~~
~\ l fLCT>.

THE!'Nostr HAS "f'H~

11,41/J SE"C.T/0/JS:
1 5/NU'511f.!811 CYoi.II<Now, WH~
You~ IHI!"Hi!"I1PI1ci{f!'$.J
;!. /J.Ii!/p~(W'.I"Pa= lfl1t.F IS ~NE;
~WeE lfl1t.P IS c.,tll£-rt~
~ np 11NP Nosrnu (11tt- t:'.,llf.!rlt-.4~

- -

•
When the head turns to a 3/4 vieW, the sharp jawline emphasizes the sleek look.

•
 Mill.i~Motl {!otciotl
cveotse li11.es
Trod1f1onof
(1.\ll.less si-vo~~_~
e~Mono~~_ is expv-esse.A)
Ele~otll.f- eyes

Heotvy
cheekboll.e
cveotse

The head Cdn be dMded Into rougJW

equa~ thirds from top to bottom The
Jaw, which ~s up the lOWest thfrd.
is itself SUbdivided Into thirds here to
aid in the Placement of the mouth,
which falls on the upper subdivision
line. The space bewtween the eyes is
equa~ to the width of the nose at the
outer sides of the nostrils, and each
eye is also about this same width.
 'W}1e'f\ dfawlt\g
oeautifu\ wotnel'4
focUS ptiynarUy
of\ their eyes.
•
• {~ -.\
. - .........

j
!
Y,o\\e)' ~oi.w\- "'\-
\-\~ o~ eye'ovOW
~vo\-v'-'.::keS s\i.~V-\-\y.

I
I

A\l of you comic boo\< fans who are familiar

with manga won't be able to help but notice
the manga influence in this pose. The face is
soft and round, and the chin comes to a sleek
point-that's so manga~ The nose is small
and upturned-again, the manga influence.
And strands of hair fall in front of the ears.
What is that, class? Manga influence~
 Over-the-Shoulder Glome
Very appealing on female characters, the shoulder upjchin
down pose is playfully seductive.

The Of..\Hil\e o.P

.PG'\c e is SL\bHe.

Borh of the Heod: The floss1r "D10Iogue Pose"

Here's an essential pose for draWing two characte,. halring a conver>ation. Th;s is the position
relatively easy tofigure.
for the listening draw. You rarely see beginners using this pose, although they should. And it's

UI\.:Aevsi.:Ae o.P jG'I.w

14-\f..\S~ be visible.
tx\n~me "Up" Anq\e

t.yes 17\VI.J..
.....ose ~17\" oVI.
Sl7\""'e 17\vc.

Sbqb\ "Up" Anq\e

 Neutral Angle

Blrght "Down" Angle

Ncse ot\\.A lips

"lYe clcsev-
i-cjei-1-.ev-.

Extreme "Down" Angle

Tip c.P \\cse

p01.v-i-i otll'y
cvev-lotps
L\ppev- lip.
 Stm~tlttted
foundo\ton
lhis basic foundation has all you
need to draw the heroic, male
figure. once you have this in place,
you can decide hoW much muscular
definition to add.

~t-ev\\oc\eiJ..o"""e~~.s+-oiJ..ev.s
(wow, w\\e~~.\- 01. """ov.t-\\~v.\\)

<Sevve~~.\-V.S e~~.\\t-eviOY
(-r'Aese e~~.ve t-\\e
"""v.sc\es covevi"-B
t-\\e vi'o ce~~.~e. '(ov.
\t-e~~.ve \-0 -oe vevy
"""v.scv.\e~~.v ~o.,
t-\\ese t-o s\t-ow.)

b:.t-ev\\01.\ o'o\iqv.e
t(es, v.\\J..ev 01."
t-\\e~~.t- ~01.\- t-\t-eve' s 01.
"""v.sc\e. A"-J.. yov.' J..
\;..\\OW i\- i~ yov.
cov.\J.. st-e~~.y e~~.we~~.'l
~vo""" t-\t-ose ~vies\)

A'oJ..o"""i"'e~~.\s (-r'Ae
\owes\- sect-'lo"- ~
e~~.'oS 'ls t-\t-e \o\\~est-.)
 MDJDr roml[
Booh Mus1l~s
Many aspiring artists give up on anatomy,
because it seems so complex. And it
seems so complex because too many
books focus on each muscle with equal
emphasis. Listen up: You don't have to
know every single one of the over five
hundred muscles in the body to have a
working familiarity with anatomy. These
are the major comic book muscles.
These, you need to know-but you
don't need to memorize the Latin
names. I've listed them just
in case you're interested.

This cl1art shows how the muscles appear

through the skin.~ it's the most important
muscle cl1art because we usually see people
with their skin on. If you look closely, you'll eee
that: some of the muscles have sofl:ened as
compared to the figure on the opposite page,
while others remain just as articulated By
varying the intensity of the muscles, you do
two things: CV You give the eye places to rest
when every inch of the body is not busy with
stressed muscles, and (2) you add vtsual
pacing, varying the look rather than l1avbtg a
one-note representation.
 5tmvbtu~d toundotton

--rv..e J,.o~eJ. \i.\\e ver(ese\\1-s

t-V..e cv..we ~ \-V..e 'o"'-c~,
1,.-..i.J.J.e\\ 'oy \-V..e .:~~.vV/1..

--r\.\i.s .:~~.ve"'- ~voJ.v..ces t-V..e

V~~."'-~ov, J.e~i."'i."'~ cv..V\Je o~
t-V..e ov..t-ev t-\.\i.~k
Gi."'"''" c.:~~.W o,M.v..sc\es
.:~~.ve \-'fflC"'-' i.\\ coV~~.i.C
'oOO~ cV...:~~.v.:~~.&evs.

""\\.\e e"'J. o~ \-V..e \e~ 'oo"'e

(~i.'oi..:ll.) \.\.:11.$ .:11. \\.:11.\-V..V.:II.\ 'oV..\~e
t-V...:~~.\- cve.:~~.\-eS \-V..e "'"'~\e.
 MOJor rom1r Booh Muscles
The deltoid has
three pmts:
A the outer head,
B the middle head, and
C the inner head.
This is useful, because if
you want to add extra
def'tnition, you can
delineate tl10se three
sections.

Ul"ot
(A bo"e, 1\ot- ot IML\scle,
+-he L\11\ot pvof-vL\.Aes otf-
~e wvisf- 0\1\.:A CYeotf-es
+-he 1\otf-L\votl bL\I~e
wheve +-he otv~M bol\es
c o""eci- +-o +-he elbow.)

,.---,-~-- FibL\Iot
(A bo"e, 1\of- ot
IML\scle, +-he
.PibL\Iot bL\I~es ott-
it-s f-op ei\.A,
cveotf-i"~ ot
lit-t-le hob o"
+-he OL\f-si.:Ae o.P
+-he \c.l\ee.)
 \,.0\t-tssi.IMV.S J-ovsi.
(ov ''\0\T-$ ~
1

~___,..--- \..i.\\e o~
i.\\\\ev
\ e~ i.s
s\-vt'\i.~'-"T-·

ov.t-ev 0\\\\:.\ e
'()o\\e i.s
\owev t-\,.-,0\\\
i.\\\\ev o\\e.
 BOSI[ romll Booh Musdes

Sevel\i-h vevi-ebv.,_e
(This vevi-ebv.,.e is
visible o" i-he
l.\1\cloi-heJ. b.,.ck.)

eli-oiJ.

Tviceps
Cll\1\ev
he.,.J.)

Tviceps "\\·\,
(ol.\i-ev he.,.J.) ,;.'
·_ ;.)/ j
~
jll
•' \,I, ' ) ' ·'•
'"" (
I
~~~
 Suupbtled toundot,on

-(\.o~ l-> .,.vsc~\" 'I

t-'v-.e $'v-.OV.\J.ev$ (71.Ve
..._ot- ovev\y \t?l.v~e.

A\rn for \ol'\9

svreep\r\9 c1,U"t'eS·
 Bosrr romrr Booh Musdes

Coll"tv bo~e
(~is s~ows o~
-el.'\oo.le c~"tv"tcf-evs,
especi"tlly +-~e hobs
"tf- +-~e e~c::A.s.)

Del+-oi.J.
Bo+-tol<o\ o.f!
vib C"t8e
o~'+- s~ow Pec+-ov"tlis
J.e.f!i~e.J. vib 1'-\~0Y
"-\V.scles o~
.f!el<o\"tle Biceps
~<1\v"tcf-evs.)

Ab.J.ol.'\i~"tls
( 0~ \.vOI<o\e~,
+-~e ov.+-li~e
o.f! +-~e "tbs
looks like
"t violi~.)

I I J

(
:J
 StmtJ\ttu~d
foundo\ton

~e c111.'f'.Je \\\ \-\1\e

S""'~" o~ \-\1\e "~c\:.
\s e'l'~~~ev~\-eJ-.
Bnstr romtr Booh Musdes

( \
)
Del~oi"*
roo~ ~ -*e.Pi~e ~~e
1

~~vee -*el~oi"* po\V+s .

0~ 0\ WOIA-\0\~
0\S )'OL\ IA-\i~~~
0~ 0\ ""'""~.)

Peci-ov.,..lis IA-\~ov
. - ------...,....
(Fov wOIA-\e~, ~~eve 1s
~0 oL\lk ov -*e.Pi~i~io~
0 ~ ~~is IA-\L\scle

w~.,..~oevev!)

Tviceps

Biceps

Biceps .Pe!Ao\ovis . _______

Stm\Jbtted toundotton
 Bos1r rom1rBooh Muscles

Gv-e""t f-v-od"""~ttev­
("This is +-he bi,<,
socket .Pov- +-he H\i~h
bo~tei it jives +-he
hips +-1-.etv- wi-'*tk)

elvis (This is bo~te,

ttot 1.<\l..\scle, bl..\t it's
·1.<\pov-t""ltt becO\l..\Se
·t ~ives +-he hips
~eiv- wi.,,..tk)
 f\eJ<OV
COl."\'\
vOI.J..\01.\\S
 The torso nas
the most
muscle derznition because
the muscles are compact
and they ClWich down on
one another, whereas the leg
muscles are longer and leaner.

The biceps "~"'.,~.

hiceps IA1L\Scles <'~ve
sep"~v<'~f-eJ. by "~ +-hi"'
"'11-\Scle c<'~lleJ. +-he
COY<'\CObv<'lchi<'llis.

The wi"'Blike
1<'~+-issi!A1L\S J.ovsi
{l<'~f-s) Bive +-he
L\ppev boJ.y i+-s
wi.A+-k
 ~i.cY- \C\\-s
(\0\\-i.ssi.IMV.S J.ovsi.)
ovev\C\f Sfi,\,e.

"'fe\\J.o\\S o\\\y,
"o \Mv.sc\es \.\eve.

IMC\Ssi.ve,
s\-i.c'Y-s ov.\-
fC\St- C\V\M.

foveC\viM
IMv.sc\e
'oe~i.\\S
C\'oove e\'oow.

~o\-1-oiM o~ ~C\W cv.v'JeS

i.\\ s\i.~V..t-\y t-o cveC\t-e
C\ s\eeY- \ooY-.
~e le~s we-*~e
hi~h i~tf-o f-he
hips o~t wo~e~t. ~e 'k~tee
we-*~es -*ow~t
i~tf-o fhe c"'l.P.
 I .

--r\.-\e \"'t-i.ssi.\1'\VS.
J.".-si. (t-1.-\e \~"\"'~""
\1'\v.sc\es "~ \-1.-\e
-o"'c~) "'"e S\1'\"'"
""' wo\1'\e"'-
Regufor
Nice but bland.

More Angufor
Rock-hard, but too bulky to
be graceful and llthe.

fUSIOD
Just as muscular as the
previous guy, but with a
thinner waist and legs, which
prevents him from looking
bulky and brutish even though
he's got big muscles and an
impressive build.
Stnndold

Bulkirt9 Up~
WhfYL -you 'bu"" up a c}taraCter
lr\ this cutt\rtg·ed9e st-y\e1
don't s\rnpti mf\ate al\ of the
rnusc\es as if t'he'i were
oal\oons. mstead1 cut c\ear\1
angular \lr\eS m the hea'll'ti

I[)
rnusc\ed c}taraCter. Each
rnusc\e group sl'lould 'be
cornpac~ rather thar'L f\o.....nng
mto the neltt rnusc\e group.
fU51DD

.
Vtl . . V
i
I
 OSING 8A51C MANN5GUIN-5iVL.e FIGUireS 15 A cSrziSAi WfH iO 5l.OCK
our A Pose AND A DI2AWING. I i Hel.P5 VOU cSei iHe POSe COJZrzeCi Ai
AN eAJZUf 5iAcSe, 5eFOrze DOING ANV e2ASING WOUL.t> MeAN HeAIZfACHe
(Oft HOW Wel.L. I KNOW iHAi{). I i AL.50 eNA5l.e5 VOU iO GUICKL.V iU12N
our MAN'( P05e5 5eFOrze 5eiil.INcS ON iHe FINAL. ONe.

THe Vf;rzTICAL. l.INe5 5KeiCHet> DOWN iHe Mlt>t>L.e OF iHe TOJZSO, AIZMS, AND L.e65
ACi A5 A Hei..PFUL. GUIDe iO KeeP iHe l.IM55 AND iOJZSO IN AL.J6NMeNi. THe
MANNeGUIN 50t>le5 Arze 5Uil.i our OF INI>IVJI>UAL. PA1215 5iACKet> iOOeiHeiZ, AND
!Herre'S ALWPH5 iHe t>AN<Se2 iHAi, WHeN FITTING i00e!He2 A JUM5L.e OF Plece5,
iHe oveJZAL.t. FL.OW OF iHe Pose cout.r> se L.OSi. A cetmzAL. verzr1CAL. t.INe ACiS
l.IKe AiH20UcSH-l.INe, KeePING MMHINcS IN PL-ACe.
Front 3/11 R~or

j
r MAL.e POSTU!re, e51'eCIAWJI ON A CHARACieiZ SUCH A5 'THI5-A secrre-r
serzv1ce AGeN1"-1s USUAL.Vt' oorre UPRIGHT.
,
l
 Measure a cl1aracter's
height from the heel,
not the toes.

Bette""'
e~ pelvis
is ~1.-.e
1.-.<1'1.\.PIN<I'I.y
pel\\~ 0~
t-1.-.e ooJ.y
Front R~or
 r nre iiZICK TO K66PING nre I..OOK OF THe 50DV CONSISTeNT trelre 15 TO KeeP THe 1
51.1NKV P05TU!Ze IN 5ACH ANG1,61 Wl'fH HIPS Til.TING DOWNWAJZD AND THe CH55T
j PUSHING UPWAJZD TO GeT A Pf20NOUNC5D OV512Al.l. CUI2V5 TO THe P05TU!Ze. l

flAI5eD
:5HOUI.De25
C~15A
se'!fN L.OOK.

HIP6 AR6
FAI~IH
WIDe.
Front ~/IJ R~or
 A \.')i.\\\:. (!1.\\P-
(!1. Y.1i.~ s~M-i.\e

f\i.v\-t71.\-i.CV.S
\.\et71.P- t-i.\\-

Dvess vi.ses
i.\\ -..,....eez..e

/
fU5\0D
Vou see
"the wink" in
lots of manga.
people don't really
wink when they're
happy, but this is a
caricature, and the
wink is an over-the-
top, cute expression.
It gives the non-
fighter character a
disarming sexiness.

\-\et71.P- t-i\\-S
-.,(!I.e\:.
i.wvi.t-i.\\~\y.
""(!l.\\\\eveP-
\.\t71.\\J- ~cse

~ \-\i.~\.\-1..\ee\eJ­
sV.:ces ct71.v.se
~ee\- \-C (!I.YC\.\
J_C\.'J\\'-'lt7\yJ_1
""'(!1.\:.i.\\~ t-1..\e
\e~s \cc\:. \c\\~e.,..
(!1.\\J- s\ee'iev.
 Amer1ron
fU51DH

Amer1ron
fU51DH
 tuston
AmettlDD

Av.....S tAve
tAVJtA'f ~vOIM
t-V.e '()oJ..y,
eiM~\.-\tAsi.z.i.vo.~
~ose ovev ~oVJ ev.

?>evo.\- \e~
vi.ses ~'((Ace~v.\\y,
\i.\--e (A J..tAvo.cev's.

Poi.vo.t-eJ.. t-oe cvetA\-eS tA

st-vtAi.~\.-\\- ~vovo.\- \e~ \i.vo.e
tAvo.J.. e\ovo.~tAt-es t-V...e \e~.
Amer1ron

fU51DD

You can also apply the Fusion style to female

fighters to increase their femininity and
attractiveness, although this will cause them
to lose some of their aggressiveness. But not
all fighters need to be murderous machines.
Plus, readers like to see sharp, good- look.ing
women battling the bad guys.
 Wkei-keY' yo~ ~Y'~W ~ W~Y'Y'iOY' OY' ~ wi\\~e~

~o~~ess, tke clotkes, k~iY'si-yle, ~\\~ ~ccessoY'ies

\'\~~e OY' bYe~~ i-ke ck~Y'~ci-eY'. It's \\Oi- e\\o~~k

to j~st ~Y'~w ~ ~y\\~\'\ite ~i~~Y'e. Yo~Y' ck~Y'~ci-eY'

\\ee~s ~ w~Y'~Y'obe tk~t sko~ts, "Loo~ ~t \'\e!" Yo~

c~\\ ~Y'~w ~\\ e~~y ~i~~Y'e, b~t ~\\less i-ke cost~\'\e

is ~lso e~~y, yo~ lose. R~\\w~y \'\O~els ('ootk \'\~le •
~\\~ ~~\'\~1~) \'\~~~ ~ ~Y'e~t Y'e~eY'e\\ce: -rke

~V~\\t-~~Y'~~ clotk~s \\eVeY \'\~~e it to i-ke

-
~ep~Y'~e\\t si-oY'es-tkey'Y'e li~e i-ke cool co\\cept
c~Y'S yo~ see ~t ~~to skows-b~t i\\ tke Y'~Y'e~ie~
woYl~ o~ co\'\ic boo~s, o~i-Y'~~~o~sly stylisk clotkes
.
~Y'e i-ke o\\ly w~y to ~o. Re\'\e\'\beY', yo~'Y'e \\Oi-

~Y'~wi\\~ yo~Y" typic~l ~iY"l-\\e)C+-~ooY"

~cHo\\ keY'o. -rkis is

OY'
\'\~\\~~ F~sio\\, i-ke
~oo~-\\~i-~Ye~

\\ewest style o~
•
co\'\ics tk~t lives O\\ i-ke yo~z.oyo's e~~e.
•
 Long, splashy hair is a must! It
shoulcflook.lik.e it's blo~ in a soft:
breeze whether or not tl1e other
garments are blowing.

Keep the
shoulders bare
as much
as possible.

Bare arms and

shoulders add a
provocative touch.
Bare as much
as possible.

Pants J:tang low

on the hips and
look se'X:>j when
the character
tilts her hips.

lvl!rgdog rhl[
In comics, the typical female city
dweller wears clothes that look like
they came from a boutique in
Tribeca, not from some chain
department store. This type of
character should never look like High heels elongate the
she's going on a job interview. look of the regs.
 Mutof1ng
rollege roed
This outfit is a variation of
the ones seen in the manga
Magical Girl genre when the
schoolgirl outfits transform
into fantasy-fighter clothes.
When drawing a transforming
character, keep in mind that
special powers should not
overwhelm a character. (Note:
Mutating is different from
matriculating, although they
might feel similar.)

fontosg fighter
For fighting women wearing battle
gear, mix armor and unclothed
areas. long gloves and tall boots
are perfect for female characters
in the Fantasy genre.

1-\i,x: OlYIA-\Oy Ol"\.A

L\"\clo+-he.A "I.Yeots.
 \-\i.~\.\ cv.\-
s\.\ows \.\i.t>S·
Curls at the ends of
long, flo~ hair
are a hallmark. of
the Fantasy genre.
 Costurrtes don't have
to be sk\rtt\g'r\t. Baggy-
\ookmg rrtatenafs
g\ve rrtore of a fee\\ng
of real\srrt·

Capes aren't just for flying anymore. They

add a dramatic flair, especially for medieval
and sci-fi costumes.
 Ropper
Everything on him should be oversized and loose.
Don't forget the gold chains.

Boots OY
d\l-\~\::.y
s~e"'\::.eys

Do~'i- w"'~~"'
Yl.\~ low o~
0\IM!MO.

S[....oyt- j"'ck.ets 0\Ye

IMOYe ,AyO\IMO\i-tc
t-t.-."'~ c"'pes i~ +-t.-.e
Fv.sio~ st-yle.

Urbon fighter
He doesn't have any superpowers, but a few
weapons and supplies will help him out.
( -:X
[/
 t:lffe the
po~~nce~
Face a::ss of the
eyeb the s~
are~ which
...T,..lcal of
lMI1ga VIllains.
 A rnar\9a mf\uertce that's
apparent here \s the sketch)'
~\t)' of the pert \\rteS1 wh\ch
adds a ~r\tt)' fee\. lrt star\dard
Arnencar\ corn\cs1 the pert
strokes are c\e3}'\erl \ess sketch)'·
 ~c+-e +-1--.e
e>ctve~Me "'-"'-ivcv.+-. He S~Mc~es, ~tci­
pl"'-~t~ti~t~ t-c be
0\YCV.\\.:A. lo~t~ e~tov.~l-\
t-o ~e+- C0\1\Cev.

H~ ,~CI'\\\S ~OY\A/0\Y..:A. i~t """

""~~vessiv~ pos+v.ve,
s\1\oi.\I.Aevs hl.\\\d\e.,l.,
\\ev~v v~lA)C~~ •

THE INDIES
The "indies," as the independent
comics publishers are called, can
risk taking a chance on more
hardcore cl1aracters and story
lines, which is where the indy
strength lies; the more
established behemoths of the
comic book worl~ with their
stockholders and corporate
parent companies, are more
hesitant, preferring to sit back
and wait to see what trends
catch on before adopting them.
 Vf

(Jfff!N Pfi!AWIN& A
CJ.IA~ IN A Nl!W
ANG-t.e; L-INe UP 'YOl/Ti'!
Nl!W Pfi!AWIN& WI1"H A
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PONe Ar ANorHf!'/i! ANGU!:
rHA-r WA't yocru.
MAIN-rAIN rHf!' C.OTZU'~r
P1ZOP01i!1"10/JS.
 Wei~l--.+­
beowi\1.~ le~

S11ort brellk.s From

the violence of a
story are important.
They prevent the
action From being
nonstop, tedious,
and grating on the
eye. Tl1eY also
remind readers of
a character's
humanitY-that
there's a Pll1'pose
to her right.
Bodg Armor
Deto1l5
 Wei~l--.+-­
bee~.vi\\~ le~

Don't forget to show the cllaracter reload.

It adds tension, because it means he's out of
bullets! The reader will root for him to hurry
up before something bad happens.

Slv5~ IS A 4(:::Jop t-ool< FO£. A £&SISIANa& FitJ,~.

He Ol/1€)!! IIIINtlrS lo t.JOI!:I!!Y /150()1 If/AN Sf/AVINtJ,.
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~t:!:I1!J!:S /li!O(JN!? fiiM, ANI?

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 The waist and
shoulder areas
are good spots
for ammo.
 Hi~lt\ly evolve.A
.fi~V..+-ev pilot- sv.it-.

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Mtlt.-6 ~ 1!1£SISri{NC!I£
FI~f!T7i!J! Ner~fff:
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Sf(O(.It....P Mve AN
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S<:!J?IIFFY t....OOi<.
 ~INGPWGs
ANI> SOCKeTs HOOK
uP THe SUIT TO THe
JST'S~
5'15-reM IN THe
COCKPIT.

Teenage fighters
are never as
heavily armed as
their adult
counterparts.
~ISi/IIJt!e fltSJHf'E!il! rteriSJiff:
w 11€AP ~ri{S T'Au.
Q
-. '-~ '

THe H.411Z IS
.4SYMM~CIIt­
WITH ONeS/J?e
L.oNGe1;! TH.4N THe
OTH~ 411-/IQ.( IS
/10fZC!~NG­
TH.4N .4 Pf!leFecrq
evtm H.4/J!po.
- Moshs o No Mo5h
Keep in mind that an

rl! unmasked face should be as

good as any mask you can
think up-if you're going to
give a character a mask, you
should have a good reason
why it would help the story.

Full Mo5h
The total face mask focuses the reader's
attention on the outline and shape of the
face, and the narrowness of the Fusion face
makes the character look weaker.

Goggl~5 ond H~odpl~[~

That's better. He's a masked character,
but now the Fusion style shows
through. Note the downward-pointed
Eyepieces, earpieces, and layered helmets are
"hook" design at the outer edge of the
great for the mecha Sd-Fi genre, which is now
mask. It runs along the typically sharp
incorporated into many Fusion comics.
cheekbones of Fusion characters. Adding
little touches like this keeps an old

----
design fresh.
 Tke ke"'"*
looks .Aow" ( The coii<'\Ybo"e +-ilts
"'""* +-i If-s
sli8k+-ly +-o
.Ai<'\801\<'\lly .Poy "'
sk<'\Ypeyf 14-\oye
o"e si.Ae. <'\dive ook.

~' \
((/,+,.

'.J,r,
~
<:::::>
lnrreose the Stature '-......_..r

To do this draw the figure from a Low angle, as if the reader

is below the character and the character is Looking down at
the reader. This creates a commanding Look. It puLLs the
reader in as the character appears to be in a superior
position, just Like a boss who sits across the desk from you
but in a higher chair. The character Looks assertive and
ready. It's a pose you'LL be using a Lot in comics.
twisting the body is
another great way to
create a sense of
motion whi\e a
character is standing
still. It makes the
pose look more fluid
and energetic. This
would ordinarilY be a
3/4 rear vieW of the
character. sut here,
the torso twists so
that the figure now
looks back {toward
the reader). As a
result, the chest and
hips rotate in
opposite directions,
which is more active
than just standing
straight forwardly.

Tl\e euggeetioJ\ of a
breet.e tl\at''5 strol\9
eJ\0~ to \\ft part'5
of t'hf cnaracter''5
outf\t par&\e\ to t'hf
9J'Ourtd prodUce<;; a
coo\, ~\c effect.
 SINCSTHS
Shrftmg Werght
W51GHT- Shifting the bulk of a character's
85NZING'-SGJS weight off to one side, makes a
L.OclceD, rr stationary pose more expressive.
SHOV!STHS
HIP uP IWl> Ottr. Female characters, especially,
always look sexier if drawn with
their hips shifted to one side, I
can't emphasize this technique
enough. Make good use of it, and
your draWings Will fmmedfately
have extra pizzazz. But here's the
catch. When you shift the hips over,
you need to adjust the entire pose
to accommodate this. So, notice that
the weight-bearing leg is straight (it
always is) and directly under the
body. This, in turn, pushes the hip on
that side up and out. The non-weight-
bearing leg is used for balance, it is
placed away from the body, and bends
slightly at the knee.

'·C
~----
)

Don't draw
skinny thighs!
Only women think.
that guys like
anorexic women.
 mphos1zmu the r-owe·r·
~

_. of lOOt rhoro[t~r!i · ·
 Tke c~es+­
oo.veoo. is loo.v~e.

Tke
IA\i.Asec+-ia\1.
is +-~i\1..
ll!thng
Perspedwe"0\~\ ,

Blah
 STIFF

Deep CL\vve

Fluid
 ~i"c~ F~Ot\ is ~ "eN, u~iew- st-yle, Mw! 1oc* o-P ~ F._ ~-~­
~~iew- ~" $~ of H\~ Y~1W\'o1~ sfo~Y~S \-M.. lwwc lfNIW!Il
H\e ye~YS. -ro k~p i\- .PYesk, yo~ "~u t-o IIIU\M e/C'I'y
~osive. Yo~ c~"'t J~ sei+l~ -PoY telli~ ~st-y. y-. ~ h ~M
~"A ~"'~"' '""'~d to~~ '~"~' t-o ker ~ •
J.esi~" sko~1A"'\- 'oe ~" ~-Pt-e••ko~kt. 'foe. "~u t-or'~" '""e
p1"'ce~"\-, siz.e, ~~ s~e to "best c~l~t- '""e
ck"'""'deYS '" "'"Y ~ive" sce"e ~~ ~ cNew-..d1
• • story 1t"e. Yo~'ve ~otto "'he~ H\~ typa oP
•
•
• • '"'"e1s o" ~ p~~, OY iV11 'o~ ~ 41l~11 ~ "'
~H\ \-e"'ckew- o" ~ ~o~y M0¥1\i~.
t)i~e...e"\- '"'"el s~es ~...~ IASU -PoY
Ai~~"~"\- p~YpOS~S. C"""""'~
sko~1A "be posiHo"u so ~\-
H\~ '"'"e1 AoeS\\ \- ~eel too
1

C"f'~~A OY too ~""''i"Y·

It sko~1A "be J~
"''"'\-. \.ik .......II""'.
"' "b0\N1 oP
pon-Ll~~.
 When you're establishing a
scene, a down angle is the
best choice because it creates a
fly-on-the-wall viewpoint for
readers, allowing them to get
a broad look at the scene and
who's in it. (This is an optimal
combination of characters for
a Fusion team: the hero, the
girl, and the giant-all
personalities that
complement one another.)
To prevent the panel from
looking empty and to unify
the elements, create a floor
pattern. {Note that the
pattern is positioned in a
diagonal orientation,
which is more dynamic
than vertical and
horizontal lines.)

• •
• • •
• • • • • •• •
• • • • • • • • • ••
• •• •• •• •
•••••••••••••••
• • • • • •• •• ••
• • • ••••••••••
•• • • •• • • •• • • •• • • ••
............ • •: .•
• •
•• •• •• •• ••
•• •• ••

...............
• • • •• • ••••••••
•• •• • •• • •
• •• •• •• •
•

'
••
.. .. .. ..
•••• • •••• • •••• • ••
•••••••••••••
• ••••••••••
•• ••• •• •••
••
••• • ••

...... •••• •••

• ••::•::·-:··
•••••••••••••
•• ••• ••• ••• •••
••• ••• ••• •••
••••••
••• ••• •••
••••• •••••••
••• •••
••••
••••••
Womon Is
Dom1nont
 D~to1l Shots
Detail panels are used to show just that-the details.
They focus readers on one thing, and break up the
monotony of a scene. When you've got a character with
matinee-style good looks, you'll want to show them in
extreme close-ups more often. Whatever you're showing
in a detail shot, it should be important to the story-
perhaps a loaded weapon, perhaps a facial reaction-
otherwise, readers will scratch their head wondering what
all the fuss is about. In addition, the shape of the detail
panel should comfortably fit the image it contains.
If you're detailing a set of eyes, the panel should be
horizontal. If you're concentrating on the outline of the
face, the panel should be vertical.

Hh1nnu
Pon~ls
Skinny panels are
sleek and stylish,
which is in keeping
with the Fusion look.
When you see a comic
book page with
skinny panels thrown
in, it always looks
trendier than a page
of blocky rectangles.
 NEUT2AL
TH525'6 NO TeNSION WH6N THe HOJ21ZON
15 !.eVa. THe FIGU!re IS ceNT5IreD IN
THe SPACe AND THe SP55D (,fNe5 Tf2AIJa
8ACf( TOWAIZJ) C6NT5f2 OF TH5 PANa.

TILTED
THe ill,reD HOJ21ZON ACC5NTUATes
THe ACTIONI e5F'eCIAW( WH6N TH5
CHArMCrefZ JaJ5H55 TOWAIZJ) VOU. THe
FIGU!re ill,iS IN THe SPACe l\l.ONG
WrTH THe HOJ21ZON I,INSI AND TH5
SPSel) 1,1Ne5 AL.50 ecHO THAT ill,TING.
 -

The Fusion l~ne isf thinner

standardthan
the ~pi cal~~: :omics. The
Amencan-~e can also
fusion sty light sketchy
incorpora.te ou ~ould never
lines, whlch y rican style
typical Ame
seemics
fn but which are more
co
common 1·n manga.

. . .. .. .........
.. . . . . ..
.. . . . .
. ..
. .. ....... •.•.•.•... •.••..
• • • •• •• • ••
• • • • • • •• • ••
• • • • • • • • • •• •• • •
• • • •• • • •• •• •• • • • •• ••• •
•
• • •
• • ••
• •• •• •••• •• •••••••••• ••
••
• • • • • • • • •••••••
•
••• • •• • ••
•• •••••• ••••••••••••••••••••
··::- ............. •••••
....................
• • • •• •
• • • • •• • •••• •
•
• •••

............ ·····
•••• •••
• • ••••••• •••
••••• ••••• •••••
····.:····:····
••••• ••••• •••••
····:····::···
••••••••••••
••••• •••
····:····::··
•••••
::::.:::····
··:·
••••
•••

\
:/d \
...
""'
\
flashy comics become even
more dramatic, more brutal,
more heroic when a high-
contrast approach is taken-
when areas of dark shadoW are
juxtaposed against Ught areas.
It's part of the comic book
pencUer's job to indicate
where these areas of shadoW
fall. And while the pendler
has to consider the light
source, shading is primarily
an aesthetic consideration. It
needs to look cool just as
much as it needs to be
logical. Getting this down
takes time and practice, like
any other aspect of drawing.

• • •
• • • • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • ••••••••
• •
•• • • •• • • •• •
• • • • • • •
•• • • •• • • •
•• ••
• •
 FUSION STYLE
BV '-5AVING OUT THe H5ftVt( PATCHes OF ~T,
THe 5Ye APPJreciATes THe ~L.Ne56 OF THe •
'-IN6Wo0c. we e DfMWN 46 UUCH TO THe
P5JlSoN~~t,nv OF THe CH~ 46 wee TO
THe POfAft OF THe 5C5N6. WHeN THe ~lNG 16
6VeNTuM.W 1N1Cet> liND COl.oRez>, rr WIU Be
81l~GHT'efz CTHIIN THe ~ICIIN ~) BeCAuse
TH51Ze WIU Be FeW5JZ POO(.s OF &4c1c.
 Vonous l1ght 9ouru~5
ond R~5ult1ng 9hodow5
Cool looks result from multiple light sources. Two, even three, light
sources in different spots around a character, create appealing moody
effects. The light sources don't all have to be of equal strength. Often, a
All comic book art uses light weaker, secondary light source provides just the accent needed.
and shadow to create engaging
moods. And this works
espedally well on Fusion
characters. You can bathe
these characters in pools of
blackness and edges of light.
Their elegant Look, splashed
with shadow, gives them a
dark glamour that is at once
compelling and haunting. To
use Light and shadow, ask
UNSEEN
yourself where the light LIGHT SOUrlCE
VOU 'DON'T HAVe TO
source is for a scene. You AC1UAU.V see -rtre
need to know the light LIGHT 50U2CS TO
source, because the 566 tf6 SFFeCf6.
eXAMPL85 OF TffiS
shadows have to make COULD Be LIGHT
sense. If you don't know FROM AWINDOW OJZ
where the Light comes FJZDM AtJ 0\feJZHeAD
from, you'll be winging it, FIX'TUIZ5 IN
ANO'f'HeJZ JZOOM.
applying shadows here and
there wherever you think
they'll Look good. But the
result will not be logical
or look particularly
appeaUng.So, think
"light" so that you'LL be
able to draw "dark."

•
•••
• ••
•

Major lig}tt Major lig}tt LigJ1t source

source from source from from below.
left and minor rigJ1t and minor
light source light source
from rig}tt. From left.
 1-Main light source. I
Edge lighting is a popular
device and one of the most
effective types of light for
highlighting the curves of
female characters. In edge (or
rim) lighting, the major light
source hits the figure on one
side while, simultaneously, a
minor light source hits the
figure from the opposite side.
This results in the formation
of a thin sliver of shadow
that falls on the figure
between the two light
sources (but closer to the
minor Light source). This
narrow shadow travels in a
serpentine manner along
the contours of the body,
accentuating every curve.
ISecondary light source. I

• •
•
• • • • • • •
• • • • • ••
• • •• •• ••
• • •• ••• ••• ••• •
• • • • • •••••••••••• • •
• • • • • • •• • •• •• • •
• • • •• •• •• •
• •• •• • •• •• • •• •• • •• •• •••
••
• • •• • • •• • • •• • • •• • •

......... :· ....•
• • •• • • •• • • •• • • •••
••••••••••••••
• • • • • • • • • • • ••
••
• • • • •••• ••• •
•
••• ••
..... ···:·-:·
•• • •••••••••
• •
•• •• •• •
•••••••••••••••
••
•• ••••••••••
••• ••
•• •• ••
··::-::-::-: ••
•••••••••
•• ••• ••••••
••• ••• •••
•• •••• ••••
••••
••••
 PATTEI2N
I/6N5'TIAN &.INDS CAN
CA61" A JreP6A1"1NG
PAiT'eiZN OF L.IN6S
ON A FIGU!re-V6J2V
A"fMOSPHefZIC. (NO"re
-rtre eooe L.IGHriNG
ON "fire AIZM AND
SHOUL.t>efZ.)

"'(,
 •
•
• • • •
• • •
• • ••
• •
• • ••
• •••
••

WDJOOW LIGHT
fJO'f AU. IN"re~IO~ I..IGHIIN$ IS 0\le~treAD FI..UO~reSCeNi I..IGHIING. IF IHAI We~ ltre CASe,
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 p
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f-k,.o~k "'t\f 41\"i~Hotl. l1t .w..iWt..·tr.if7MWI

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i" C01.vf-oo~-t
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{s .,_ bif- SIA\0\IIev. I.P f-h.,_+-
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kOI.vcA f-o veiA\eiA\beY,jl.\sf-
re""'e""'bev +-his:
Alw.,.ys keep +-he
ttose SIA\.,.11.

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wif-h +-he poi~-tf­
wheve +-he j01.w
beji~-ts f-o 0\\\jle i"
\V
The cAis+-.,."ce be+-wee" +-he
eyeb.,.Jis e91.\01.ls +-he
f-ow.,.v.,A +-he chi'\. cAis+-.,."ce be+-wee" +-he
e'\cAs o.P +-he 14\0I.\f-h.

In Cartoon Fusion style, the lines

are thick. and bold. It's a very
clean look. It's very different
from the line treatment in the
earlier Parts of the book.
\(eef t-\.\e 01.\\~\e
o~ t-\.\e ~""w s'.\"'-'~"f
'oe\ow t-\.\e e"'-'~"·
 Cve~~"\-e \~~"v~e, ~"'" \irs (~~"s
orroseJ- \-0 11'\IA\-~e\\\-iC \Moll"\\~~~"
\irs, w\t-ic'-" ~~"ve ~~"\w~~"'/s S\M.~\).

Just as w\th yrta\e

c}1ara.Ctet'Sl s\\OW the
af'l9\e of the ;aw ort
feirtale ~ters.

""f\Ae 'oo\+o\M. o~
\-\t-e \t-e~~"J- (\-\t-e
~~~"w sec\-io\\) is
S\M.~~"\\ 'o'f
co\M.r~~"vlSO\\.
 Prof1le

~e ~ovehe"'ol.
sweeps -"e"Hy
i"+-o +-he bviol.-"e
o~ +-he "ose.

~e "eck
ct.wves Ol.\f- +-o
/
"""ee+- +-he keep +-he "'"8le
Just as with male characters, to create the 1.\"ol.evsiol.e o~ o~ +-he j"'w
profile, draw a d~onai EJ!lideline from the tip +-he chi". pvo"ol.\"c eol.
of the nose to tne tip Of the chin and then below +-he eO\v.
chisel out features within that area.
 lAUO\\\t\0

\WII\tD
D\tlAPPD\RUD
 SURPRISED
PlEASED

HAPPH
AHHDHED
 ""(\.\e "'ec~ \s
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\\¢\- avev J..a\\e.

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s\.\av.\J..evs
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 :Tkele"'
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/

The shoe
have hicJh s
to mdke heels
legs look. I the
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m;r~L- n.~LlscleSj
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 ~ ·- ------

~ COHT20C.5 ON
1lf6 HANDHet:D M0Ntf0250
1lfA1 CAJHOeVeR 15 ffot.DING
tf CAN TW TO ADJUST THe
TUNING IF 1lf6 IMAGe
!BGIN6 TO FADe.

MI551Dn rommond~r
Cartoon Fusion characters are often part of a
group, headed by a mysterious leader who conveys
their battle plans. The leader is drawn with straight
lines so that he looks flat, which is a typical style
for manga characters who don't have huge eyes and
pointy chins. He sometimes appears as a projected
hologram. He can also appear on a handheld monitor.
Then he can zap out as fast as he appears. If any
group members want to ask questions or opt out of a
dangerous assignment, it's too late. The orders have
been given and it's over-and-out. Blink!
 rrozu Sr1ent1st
Scientists in lab coats are a
staple of manga. So, it's no
surprise that they're part of
the Cartoon Fusion style. It's
a law in comics that if you
study sdence for too long,
you're going to end up
wanting to rule the world.
Why somebody doesn't try to
get these guys to pursue, say,
the violin instead remains a
mystery. But once your
scientist passes that point at
which aU he craves is world
domination, it's too late.
 /-

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~i~~evs cveoo.t-e
oo.~oo.vck ~

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it- oo.t-t-oo.cl-.es t-o t-l-.e
l-.oo.~.:A, wl-.icl-. oo.cl-.ieves "'
t-l-.e ""'i.:A.:Ale o~ t-l-.e
t-l-.vee-.:Ai""'e~sio~oo.l look.
'ooo.se o~ eoo.cl-. ~i~~ev.
 Lo~8 sect-io~
o.P .Pi~8evs k~L\ckles

~e li~e +-h"'+-
i~J.ic"'+-es +-he seco~J.
joi~+-s o-P +-he .Pi~8evs
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sec+-io~ o.P
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bv-C\cele+- Cl.\v-ve G'\YOL\1\.:A
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v-e~MG'\il\s visible T~e +-~l.\~Mb pa\::.es Ol.\f-
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 - - - - - Le33i113s

Sh>cki"~' ~

rwentgsomethmg fortgsomethmg
ftffgsomethmg
 Und2or

THe FISTS
C>VeaAPTH5
UPJ'eiZ AIZM5
AND GeT
LOSTINTH5
51LHOUeire.

TH5 FISTS A1Z6

AWPH F20M THe
501)1( 50 THAT
TH5V !reAD CLeAIZLV
IN SILHOUerre. TH5
SAMe 16 TRUe FOIZ
TH5 5eNT 1.56.
 Undeor

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 tbe runtb
More than any other action in comics,
the punch needs a one-direction
.. thrust. You need to make all the energy
in the pose look as if it's going in one
direction. That's where the line of
action comes in. Don't labor over it: just
quickly sketch a line that indicates the
overall flow of the pose.
You'll \ike the concept of the Keep it simple.
line of action. lt ties everything
together, is simple to use, and
boy, does it make a difference
in your drawings. You'll wonder
how you ever drew an action
pose without it.
The \ine of action is a
guideline that you sketch
first-before drawing any
part of the figure-to shoW
the main thrust of the
motion in the pose. When
you draw a character with
lots of deta\\, you can
sometimes get away with
not using the \ine of action
because the rendering is so
dramatic. But when you
have a stylized, simplified
look (as is the case with
the cartoon fusion style),
there simply isn't enough
detail to counter a stiff
pose. In fact, the \ine of
action becomes even
more important to
counterbalance the f\at,
graphic look of the style•

•

IJrocefuf Run
Attractive women point
their toes when they run.
Reef1ng Boch
In this pose, the tine of action
dictates, first and foremost, the way
the torso moves. The arms are not part
of the torso, so they're not part of the
tine of action. When the body reets
back like this, the arms trait the body.

/ \ "\

free-folhng
The free faU leads with the
chest.

Reodg to Punrh
The fist that's ready to punch hangs
tow, for a dramatic took. Spreading
the feet wide adds stability for
throwing a haymaker.
 ~tlh tnmoretbe
Women do tole
kicking in comics than men, because i~s
not considered as masculine. The kick should go straight
out, with the leg locked for maximum extension. Notice
that her bodY leans into the pose, never away, which
looks weak. ShoW the moment just after the kick makes
contact-never the point of contact (this does not hold
true for authentic manga).

In authentic manga, fight scenes

don't have the giant, cataclysmic,
scene-ending punches of
American-style comics. In
manga, there's more emphasis -r\.\e v'lct'liM's
\.\e"'-P.. vee\s
on characters radng toward one As\-"'-v\'l~e -.,.,..c~.
another in clashes. fusion tilts ',;:)v.vs\- s\.\owS
w\.\eve
to the American style. cov.\-"'-c\-
We've seen hoW to throw a w"'-s ""'"'J,.e.
punch, but things change when
you add a second character.
the character being punched
\s responsible for making the
punch look effective. That's
right, it \s the "punchee,"
for lack of a better term,
who gives the punch its
power. Think about \t. When
a boxer throws a punch that
doesn't faze his opponent,
you think either the guy
who got punched \s the
tougher of the two, or the
punch wasn't reallY that
hard. But, if the person
who gets punched flies
across the ring and lands
face down on the mat,
then you're impressed
with the puncher's
power. As I said, it's all
in the way the victim
reacts· Still, you need
to make the punch look
powerful and gracefuL,
because when
combined with an
extreme reaction
from the victim, it
creates a dazzling
fight scene. f ov "' ve"'-" '1 e~ec\-'lve
-.,\ow, \-\.\e v'lc\-\""''s \e~s
s\.\ov.\J.. \ e "'-'-'e \-\.\e ~vov.v.P...
 The Wmd Up
In the first stage the
character leans back,
winding up to throw a
haymaker. Notice how he
twists his body like a
corkscrew to store up
added energy before
releasing the punch.

Afohmg rontoct
This is the stage seen only in
authentic manga. It has never
caught on with American
comics, because drawing the
actual point of impact makes
the two fighters look frozen in
time. Manga artists get around
this by using an abundance of
speed and impact lines.
American artists prefer to use
body language to show power,
so this pose is out.

The follow Through

The arm extends fully across the body
as the body leans forward at its most
extreme. This is the stage used by POtJNtJI/J?;P
American artists to show impact with rtiNey
the opponent. r~e- Pl.ING!flf1i!"'S ~PY
~ Po~Ail!l?. r~e­
Powete op A Pl/NG!f IS
11B/I'SGQ!ep ~y T~e"
P/SrAIJC.e"~elm T~t:
POINI op 111P,4c.:r
~rep ~y l~e'
~.)ANI? 1~e- V/Cf7!1"'S
~e'AP. r~e-~/e1i! ~~e­
P!SrANceM"/Wf$N l~e'
IWo, l~e' 577i!oN~
T~cPl/NG!f. IN T~IS
4ISe; Irs A PC01!Y!
 loo C\ose
The fighter receiving the b\oW
is a\most entire\y obscured by
the puncher.

There's another, crucial aspect

of drawing fight scenes: the
distance between the two
fighters. Too close, and the
action looks cramped. Too far,
loo to1
These two fighters are too far apart.
and the action lacks impact. Despite the fact that one is ree\ing
bac\<, the punch \oses a\\ impact.

~----·/
~
~
Wtt'\\e the figures over\ap to some
degree, there is enough space between
them for the action to read c\ear\y. The
effect is that you can a\most fee\ the
impact of the b\ow.
 forrerf Dtsfonre
The girt is close enough to inflict
damage, but she is not obscured by
the robot's arms.

rorred Dtsfonce
The gun is close enough to the opponent to make an impact.
Too far, and it would lose its threat. Yes, the same prindpte
that applies to fight scenes also applies to weapons: Do not
touch the opponent with the tip of the gun.
American comics have developed
an important fight-scene detail
that enhances combat scenes:
the post-impact splatter. This
Blood 5plot\2l bum Moutb
element has carried over to the
fusion style, and wh\le it
sounds kind of gross, it's
actuallY a very cool look that
adds a professional touch to
your work. All the top comic
book artists use it. The idea
is basicallY this: When the
head of an opponent snaps
back from a punch, sweat,
blood, or spit w\ll fly off
him. It maY seem like an
unimportant detail, but it's
not, 1 assure you. lt reallY
drives home the feeling of
action. ln animation this is
known as secondary action.
It's an act\on subsequent
to the main action (in this
case, the head snapping
back) that emphasizes •
that first action; it's like
a whiplash effect.

Duo t1om Moutb \usuoll!J l}l22D\

 leop1ng
There are two versions of
the leaping punch, the
classic (right) and its
variation (above). For the
classic, one character leaps
up, legs off the ground, to
deliver the ultimate blow.
In the variation, the punch
is thrown from below and
travels upward.

SJmultoneous
Both characters get ready to
punch at the same time. This
provides a great moment of
tension-who's going to land
the first blow? Keep reading,
and you'll see!
Nothing detracts from an
lbe Ptont ol
image so much as a character
mistakenly drawn s\ight\y off
tnutltbltum
The point of equilibrium is the
ba\ance. The basic concept for pit of the neck and is indicated
maintaining ba\ance is that by the dotted line running
the body weight must be through the picture. The
figure's mass must be evenly
distributed even\y on either divided between the left and
side of the point of right sides of that point in
order to maintain balance.
equi\lbrium. The basic
concept for showing ________ ..,
momentum is that the I
faster a character moves, I
the further forward the I
body \eans.

•
• • • •
• • • • •
•
•
• •
• • • • •• • •
. .. .
• • • • • ••• •
• ..• • • • •• ••
• • • • • • • • •••
•• ••
..
•• ••
I
I
L---
This pose, with its triangular
guideline, provides a better
example because the momentum of
the pose travels down to a single
•• ••• ••• ••• ••• Dtt Bo\onie point. If the figure were off
• • • • •• •• •• balance in this pose, the character
•••••••••••••••
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •
Since more of the character's mass falls to would clearly fall over.
the left (our left) of the point of ,----- ------1
• •• • • •• • • •• • • •• • • •• •
equilibrium, the figure is off balance. \ I

•• •• •• • • •
••••••••••••••
\ II

..
I
• • •••••••
•••••••
..... ...
•• •••• •••••••
:···
• • • • •••• • ••••
.... ••• •• ••
•• •••:•·:··:··
•
\ I

.:············
••••••••••••
••• ••• •• •••
•• ••• •• • Sketching shapes around the I

••• ••• ••• •

••• •••••••
••• •••
figure as a guide helps
highlight whether or not a
\
\
I

•••
••••••••••••
figure is correctly balanced.
Here, the weight is evenly
••••••••••• divided between left and

··=··=··=··:
••••• •••••
•••••••••••
right sides. However, this is a
somewhat static pose, so the
importance of balance maY
••••••••
•

not be so evident.
•••••
••
 No Momentum
Without forward momentum,
a character stands up straight.

Some Momentum
The body leans forward when the
character runs.

Extreme Momentum
The faster the run, the farther forward the
character leans.
 Robot wttb Jet Polb

Necha, a genre of manga that

features amazing battles with g1ant
robots, p~des another kind of
action in comics. These robots are
controlled by pilots who sit in
small cockpits inside of each
robot. These robots are huge,
armored fortresses that possess
an arraY of powerful weapons.
T\le robots in true manga can
be unbelievably complex. for
that reason, many manga artists
in Japan specialize exclusively
in mecha design. T\le eartoon
fusion style of manga uses
lines that aren't ruler-straight
but have a slight, pleasing
curve to them, which makes
them look cartoony. Since
these figures are loaded up
with gadgets, it's better to
start with the basic
foundation, so as not to get
lost in the details. seg1n
with st\ck ngures, just to
get the placement right, Robot wttb \'JtnQ5
and then quickly work up
to a f\eshed-out
mannequin and, finally,
the finished robot, with
all the bells and whistles.

•
•

• • •
 B1rd of Preu Robot
Many robots are based on predatory animals.
The most popular are eagles, dinosaurs, tigers,
lions, snakes, and wolves.

~Pert/It...
Tiff!" /ff!"AP IS II lfff"t#e'r WIT/f II
f?4Ce1:>t.,4n:. IT li!:e'Se?1~t..es II
lfUI1M 191t:E1H.Jr WITifOl.IT ANY op
Tiff!"Pf!"T/11/..:5_ S{.ICif liS Tiff!"~
Oli! 110l./T1f (/l~lfOl.IG/f T/feli!f!" IS
S011e'nl1e:s 111Zl.IPI11eNTIIIi!Y
Nose). 1/S llli!f!"St./~ T/ff!"li!O~
!i!e11111Ns Sin:::>Ne'-P/It::e1? 11NP
~ONt..esrs, W/fiC# IS WlfiiT
Yot./'p l!XPecr P'li!0/1Afi!OJJor: II
F'/lt:E~ IITTIIC.I<e1z IS /10/Zf!"
PleiG'fTHNIN&- TITAN ONf!" TlfiiT
~T'S IT'S rm!T/f IN IIN6e1;!,
 Av..t-ev..v..dl.e c-n-.ese d\ve
J,.'l~evev..+:- ~o""'
Anuo-lbtno dl.v..+:-ev..v..dl.e ov.. ~dl.ev'les
dl.v..J.. i.v..sec+:-s· +:-\.-.ese
dl.ve t-\.-.'lc~ev, \'l\.e +:-\.-.e
ryt'e yoiA see ov.. sv..dl.'l\s.)

There comes a point when ever'J

comic book artist feels the
overwhelming impulse to draw a
giant creature to terrify a ci~·
I'm feeling it right now. So,
without further delay, let's
cause some carnage. Cartoon
manga fusion makes fantastic
use of monsters-and this,
again, adds action to your
stories and drawings. But let's
be honest, monsters are a
little on the cheesy side,
aren't they? Still, comic
bookS and animation need
them. The Cartoon s~le is
perfect for this, because it
gives them a little tongue-
and-cheek look, which
allows the monster to fit its
scat'Y role whlle at the
same time winking at the
audience. Pissed-off giant
sea monsters are a popular
OIAt-ev s\.-.e\\ \..i.~e t;-\.-.dl.'r o~ dl.
type. TheY are the t-IAv+:-\e, v..o'r dl. c\dl.""'
unintended consequences
of hazardous waste being
illegallY dumped into the
oceans. They are large-1
don't mean large like an
elephant, 1 mean large
like a building. And,
they're usuallY gigantic,
big enough to floss
with a submarine.

<;IAc\-lOV..S
('r;-\.-.l'VI.~ oc\-O{'IA.S)
 ~ Bnde of Aquo-Thmg
~)

Dovs"'l .Pi"s

Aquo-Thmu, the Undeod

v

.. .....
.. ..
Land monsters are typically
so big that theY need a
girdle to squeeze through
the skyscrapers on a major
avenue. There are two basic
types: gorilla and dinosaur,
although you can easilY in
vent more.

•
• •
•
I.ONG-N~CKeD
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 power
lrom perspecti~e. 84
ol giant character~. 82
lree-lalling, 129
Iron\ ~iew, ol body, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 prolile lace in, \OG--107 , 109
action, 126- 143 lull mas~. 78 muscles in. 24-25. 3()-3\
line ol , 128. 129
action heroes. 76-85 Fu~ion, 7 punch(esl. 128, 129
ad~anced , 135
ages. 120- 121 giant characters, power ol , 82 three stages ol, \31
amazing silhouettes, 122-125
giant robots. 138-139
anatomy, elegant, 2()-51 glance, o~er-lhe-shoulder, I 1 qualit'J, line, 92- 93
angle(s\ goggles, 78
bodY lrom all, 42- 47 goo, post-impact, 134
down, 18. 19. 88 gorilla land monster. 142. 143 rapper, 59
ready to punch, 129
up, 18 gracelul run, \29 reality wardrobe. to lanta~y. 52-59
angll expression, I 10 rear ~iew, ol bodY, 43, 44, 45, 46, 41
angular pose, 39 hair, 10, 11 , 15, \6, 104, \05, 107
animation, I02-I 25 reeling bat~. 129
hands. H6- ll9 resistance lighter, 66-67, 68-69
ann~d e~pression. II I haPPl e~pres~ion, \\1 re~er~e edge lighting, 99
aqua-thing, 140, 141 hardcore heroes, 60-75
attitude, bodY. 79- 82 head. 10- \3, 14--\9, \04, 105--\07 , 10&--109 rim lighting, 98
robots, giant. 138-139
headpiece, 78 run. gracelul, 129
bat~ herole~)
olhead, \1 action, 76-115
muscles Iron,, 26- 27, 32- 33 scenes, light, 130
cartoon, 112
hardcore. so--75 scienti~l
halance. 136 crazy, H5
bird ol prCl robot, 139 standard vs. lusion. 40--41
e~il, 104
blood splatter, 134 heroine. cartoon, 113 sea monster~. 140--142
body. Irom all an!lles, ~2--" 7 horizon line, 91 secret service agent, 43
bodl alhtude, 79-112 horns, 57 shading. 94--95
bodysuit, 56 shadow, 96
bounce light. 100 impact, splatter alter, 134 shilling weight, 81
bnde ol aqua-thin&. 141 indies, 65 shines. 14, \04, \05
bul~inll up. 40 shot\s)
iaW, 12, \3, 17, \8, 106, \08, 109 detail, 90
cartoon style, 7, I0?.-I25 iet pac~, robot with, I38 wide, SS-119
chee~bones. 10. 13. 14 shoulder, glance o~er, 17
chin, 10, 13, 1~. 16. 17, 105. t09 ~ic~ in tace. 130 side ~iew, ol body, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47
clothes, 52- 59 ~iller on edge, 62- 65 silhouette~. 122- 125
college coed, mutating, 55 simplilied loundation, 22. 24. 26, 28, 30, 32
commander, mission, 11 ~ land monsters, \42-143 simultaneous punch, 135
contact. light. no. 131 laughing, no s~innY panels, 90
tra1'1 r,cientist, t 15 leader, team, 70- 71 slic~ characters, &--19
curves. 85 leaping punch. 135 son ol aqua-thing, 140
lettering, sound el1ect. 10 \ sound el1ecl lettering, 101
design, panel, 86- 10 I lighting, edge, 98, 99 spit, post-impact, 134
details. 90 lighting enects. othcl, 99- 100
splash page, 135
determined cJpressaon, 110 light sources, 96, 97 splatter, post-impact, 134--135
"dialollue pose." 17 line standard, into lusion, 39
dinosaur land 1non~te1, 142. 143 ol action, \28, 129 standa1d hero. ~s. lusion, 40--41
disappointed exprmion, I I 0 norizon, 91 stature, increasing ol, 79
dastam:t:, u~hl , 132- I33 \inc Quality, 92- 93 street light, e~ening, 100
dominant character. positioning ol, 89 \ipS, 10, 11. 14, 19, 108 supercurves, 85
down an~le superpowers, drama ~s., 58-59
lor late, 18, 19 111a~ing contact, 130. 131 supporting characters, 114--ll5
lo< wide shot, 88 male re~i~tance lighter, 68--69 surprised e~pression, 1\ I
downward punch. ll1 male teenage lighter pilot. 72-73
drama. ~s. superpowers, 58- 59 ma~~s. 78 team leader, JQ--7 1
mecha, 83 teenage lighter pilot, 72- 73.74--75
ears, 1~ . IU9 men laces ol, \0- 13, 104, 105--107 3/4 ~iewol body, 43, 44. 45, 46, 47
ml&C, ~aile• on, 62- 65
mu~le~ ol, 22-27 ollace, 12, 16
cdKC liRhling, 98 mi~chie~ous e~pression, ll1
re~erse. 99 tilting horizon line, 91
mission commander, 114
cle11anl anatomy. 2()-51 tilt~. head, 13
eQuilibrium. point ol, 136 momentum, 136, 137 tired eJpression, no
e~eninll street lillht. 100 monsters, cartoon. 140--143 twen~omething, 120, 121
e~ef'idaY chic. 5~ mood. 96
moon, as light source, 97
twisting, olligure, 80
e~ll scientist. 10~
e~plosions. as light sources, 99 mouth. 10. 13, 18, 105
splatterlrom, I34
undead, aqua-thing as, 14\
e~pressions, no-Ill unseen light source, 96
6'j6 n1as~, 78 muscles up angle, lor lace, 18
C'jllS, \3, 1~, 16, 18, \04, 105 ol men, 22-27 upward punch, 131
ol women, 2&--33
urban lighter, 59
tace, I0--13, 1•1- 19, 104, 105- 107, IOlH09 mutating college coed, 55
~ic~ in. no wardrobe. 52- 59
lantasllightcr, 55, 58 nee~. 109 weight, shilling ol, 81
lanla~l wardrobe, reality to, 52-59 nose. 10. 11. \2, 16, \8, \9, 105, 109
wide shot, 88-119
lcmalc l~cc, 14- 11, 104, 108- 109 window light, 100
lemale lorm, iinessing oi, ~8-51 old characters, 120. \21
o~er-the-shoulder glance, 17 wind up, 131
leanale mu~cle~. 2&--33 wings, 57, 138
lcmalc resa~tance lillllter. 66-67 win~. 48
lemalc tcena\le lillhler pilot, H-75 panel design, 86- \01 women. see female entries
liltysomelhing, \20, 121 pattern, light, 99 worried e~pression, no
pilot, lighter, teenage, 72-73.74-75
lir,hter pla'jlul e~pression. 11 I young characters, 120, 121
lantasl, 55, 58 pleased eJpression, ll1
resistance, 66-67, 68--69
point ol equilibrium. 136
urban, 59
hghter pilot. teenage. 72- 73.74- 75 pose(s)
action. \28. 129
light scenes, no "dialogue," 17
ligure, twisting ol, 80 positioning dominant character, 89
linessing leanale lorm. 48-51 post-impact splatter, 134
lollow through, punch, 131
lorehead, 109
I01tlsomething,
loundation,120, 121 22. 24, 26, 28. 30. 32
simplilied,
 All of Christopher Hart's
books-including his
manga and manhwa
titles-have become
staples for a new
generation of aspiring
artists, and they have been
selected by the American
Library Association for
special notice.

Christopher Hart is an award-winning and best-selling

author whose books have set the standard for art
instruction, both nationally and internationally, with
two million copies in print in seventeen languages. He
is "the" go-to guy for manga how-tos, and his title
"Manga Mania" was the top-selling art book in the United States for months
after its 2001 publication and continues to be one of the country's best-sellers*.
Renowned for his up-to-the-minute content and easy-to-follow guidance, Hart
is a prolific writer and artist. He is the author of several art-instruction book
series and children's books, and his work has also been featured in numerous
magazines. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and two daughters.
*Source: Bookscan
 costumes,
and panel design . .,-. ·