How to Draw Noir Comics by Shawn Martinbrough: Book Cover

    How to Draw Noir Comics: The Art and Technique of Visual Storytelling by Shawn Martinbrough

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    • Publisher: St. Martin's Press
    • Pub. Date: October 2007
    • ISBN-13: 9780823024063
    • Sales Rank: 314,714
    • 144pp
     
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    Synopsis

    How to Draw Noir Comics: The Art and Technique of Visual Storytelling is an instructional book based on the cinematic, high contrast noir style of acclaimed comic book and graphic novel illustrator, Shawn Martinbrough.

    Martinbrough’s work has been published by DC Comics, Vertigo and Marvel Comics, illustrating stories ranging from Batman to the X-Men. This is his first book, released through Watson-Guptill Publications and The Nielsen Company.

    In How to Draw Noir Comics, Martinbrough shows how the expert use of the color black is critical for drawing noir comics. He demonstrates how to set a mood, design characters and locations, stage action and enhance drama, and discusses important topics like page layout, panel design, and cover design.

    How to Draw Noir Comics includes The Truce, an original graphic novel written and illustrated by Martinbrough which incorporates the many lessons addressed throughout the book, and has an introduction by critically-acclaimed novelist Greg Rucka, author of the graphic novel Whiteout, currently in production as a major motion picture.

    Biography

    Shawn Martinbrough illustrates many DC and Marvel comics, including Superman, Detective Comics, Batman, and X-Men. Other clients include LucasArts, Playboy, and many others. In 2004, he was named one of "Washington, D.C.’s Best" by The Washingtonian. He lives in Washington, D.C.

    Customer Reviews

    Number of Reviews: 2
    Average Rating: Customer Rating for this product is 5 out of 5
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    Customer Rating for this product is 5 out of 5 MUST BUY!!!
    THE BOSS, an Ethics lawyer in NYC, 05/19/2008

    How to Draw Noir Comics is an excellent instructional book. Great for all levels of experience, and a nice read even if you're not interested in learning how to draw using the noir style. As a non-artist who cannot draw a straight line w/a ruler, I found Mr. Martinbrough's comments to be extremely insightful and helpful.

    Customer Rating for this product is 5 out of 5 A reviewer
    Henry Berry, writer, editor, consultant, 11/29/2007

    Martinbrough shows how to get various kinds of dramatic effects in the noir style using the simple tools of ink and pencils, pens, and brushes. Additional work of this foremost artist/illustrator can be seen at the website verge.tv. But his work is already familiar to many in DC Comics and Marvel Comics and also the films Batman, X-Men, and others. Starting with how to visual a script 'or any text' to create noir illustrations for it, Martinbrough moves on to the fundamental of page layout and then the techniques of graphically portraying action and developing a series of illustrations generating drama. Panel design, backgrounds, and rhythm are among the specific topics covered with corresponding illustrations. While cautioning the illustrator should never forget text that is going to be inserted into many noir illustrations, in a series of three simple illustrations Martinbrough demonstrates choices that can be made in panel design or organization affecting the effects or prominence of elements of the noir illustration. In discussing 'Designing the Covers,' he notes, 'Remember, the more detailed your cover, the harder it becomes to convey a clear message of what the story is about.' The reader benefits not only from Martinbrough's exceptional talent putting him at the top of his profession, but also from his experience in the field of comics and films working on projects involving various persons 'e. g., writer, director' and thus various considerations. The expert instruction is capped off by a 16-page graphic novel titled 'The Truce' combining all the considerations and techniques Martinbrough has covered in the earlier sections.