JESSE HAMM’S CAROUSEL Carousel 020: Problem Solving Most lessons on cartooning are meant to be applied under ideal circumstances, when no special problems block the cartoonist’s goals. But in practice, there are often complications. For example, a script may call for more panels on a page than you’d prefer, or for more dialogue in a […]

KATIE’S FIRST DRAWING TUTORIAL! Carousel 019: Close Read of Batman Year One Among the best ways to sharpen your grasp of cartooning is to take a close look at a celebrated comic, panel by panel, and observe what makes it work. Batman Year One often appears on lists of the best superhero comics, and it remains—34 years […]

JESSE HAMM’S CAROUSEL Carousel 018: Anatomy We hear a lot about how we must improve our grasp of human anatomy. Complaints about anatomical errors are perhaps the common criticism I overhear when artists receive portfolio reviews. And although anatomy is of special concern for artists drawing superheroes, a good grasp of anatomy is important in […]

JESSE HAMM’S CAROUSEL Carousel 017: Backgrounds A common refrain from editors when you’re starting out as an artist is “work on your backgrounds.” Backgrounds are the unsung hero in comics, establishing the story’s mood and sense of place while the characters prance around soaking up all the glory. Faces and figures may grab our attention, […]

JESSE HAMM’S CAROUSEL Carousel 016: Outside Influences Aspiring cartoonists are often advised to study other fields, and allow non-comics disciplines to inform their comics work. But “other fields” covers a lot of ground. Where does one begin? Certainly, broad subjects like history, politics, philosophy, and religion can do much to inform your work, but these […]

JESSE HAMM’S CAROUSEL Carousel 015: Common Sights I once wrote a column here on how to draw EVERYTHING, but here are a dozen key things you’re likely to draw OFTEN. Whether you draw action, drama, humor, or any other genre, you’ll be called upon to draw these items again and again, so studying them now will […]