Lee J. Ames - Draw 50 Famous Cartoons: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Your Favorite Classic Cartoon Characters

Copyright 1979 by Jocelyn S. Ames All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Watson-Guptill Publications, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York, in 2012. WATSON-GUPTILL and the WG and Horse designs are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc. Originally published in hardcover in the United States by Doubleday, a division of Random House Inc., New York, in 1979. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Ames, Lee J.
Draw 50 famous cartoons.
1. DrawingTechnique I.

Title.
NC1320.A46 741.5
7800173 eISBN: 978-0-7704-3291-1 v3.1

Draw 50 Airplanes, Aircraft, and SpacecraftDraw 50 AliensDraw 50 Animal ToonsDraw 50 AnimalsDraw 50 AthletesDraw 50 Baby AnimalsDraw 50 BeastiesDraw 50 BirdsDraw 50 Boats, Ships, Trucks, and TrainsDraw 50 Buildings and Other StructuresDraw 50 Cars, Trucks, and MotorcyclesDraw 50 CatsDraw 50 Creepy CrawliesDraw 50 Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric AnimalsDraw 50 DogsDraw 50 Endangered AnimalsDraw 50 Famous CartoonsDraw 50 Flowers, Trees, and Other PlantsDraw 50 HorsesDraw 50 Magical CreaturesDraw 50 MonstersDraw 50 PeopleDraw 50 PrincessesDraw 50 Sharks, Whales, and Other Sea CreaturesDraw 50 VehiclesDraw the Draw 50 WayTo: Murray Z.
Herb O.
Matt A.
Billy K.
Bob K.
Irv K.
Jerry L.
Si O.
Benjie R.
Ben S.
Phil S.
Jack S.
Harry S.
Bob S.
Joe W.
Marty W.
Marv Z.
Joe Z.
Harry R.
Si F.
Herb E.
Pepper I.
Jerry F.
Howie M.
Arthur Z.
Sam S.
Al F.
Muggy P.
Jesse G.
Cliff U.
and
Butch R. with much thanks to Holly Moylan for all her help. This book will show you a way to draw many different cartoons. You need not start with the first. Choose whichever you wish. Very lightly and carefully, sketch out step number one. Very lightly and carefully, sketch out step number one.

However, this step, which is the easiest, should be done most carefully. Step number two is added right to step number one, also lightly and also very carefully. Step number three is sketched right on top of numbers one and two. Continue this way to the last step. The last step, and the last step only, should be drawn in firmly. It may seem strange to ask you to be extra careful when you are drawing what seem to be the easiest first steps, but this is most important because a careless mistake at the beginning may spoil the whole picture at the end.

As you sketch out each step, watch the spaces between the lines, as well as the lines, and see that they are the same. After each step, you may want to lighten your work by pressing it with a kneaded eraser (available at art supply stores). When you have finished, you may want to redo the final step in India ink with a fine brush or pen. When the ink is dry, use the kneaded eraser to clean off the pencil lines. The eraser will not affect the India ink. Here are some suggestions: In the first steps, even when all seems quite correct, you might do well to hold your work up to a mirror.

Sometimes the mirror shows that youve twisted the drawing off to one side without being aware of it. At first you may find it difficult to draw the different shapes, or just to make the pencil go where you want it to. Dont be discouraged. The more you practice, the more you will develop control. The only equipment youll need will be a medium or soft pencil, paper, the kneaded eraser and, if you wish, pen or brush and India inkor a felt-tipped penfor the final step. (Keep your work very light.) Remember, there are many other ways and methods to draw cartoons. (Keep your work very light.) Remember, there are many other ways and methods to draw cartoons.

This book shows just one method. Why dont you seek out other waysfrom teachers, from libraries and, most importantly from inside yourself? L EE J. A MES

David can draw Popeye better than any of the other kids! Such peer acclaim and encouragement generate incentive. Contemporary methods of art instruction (freedom of expression, experimentation, self-evaluation of competence and growth) provide a vigorous, fresh-air approach for which we must all be grateful. New ideas need not, however, totally exclude the old. One such is the follow me, step-by-step approach.

In my young learning days this method was so common, and frequently so exclusive, that the student became nothing more than a pantographic extension of the teacher. In those days it was excessively overworked. This does not mean, however, that the young hand is never to be guided. Rather, specific guiding is fundamental. Step-by-step guiding that produces satisfactory results is valuable even when the means of accomplishment are not fully understood by the student. The novice with a musical instrument is frequently taught to play simple melodies as quickly as possible, well before he learns the most elemental scratchings at the surface of music theory.

The resultant self-satisfaction, pride in accomplishment, can be a significant means of providing motivation. And all from mimicking an instructors Do as I do. Mimicry is a prerequisite for developing creativity. We learn the use of our tools by mimicry. Then we can use those tools for creativity. To this end I would offer the budding artist the opportunity to memorize or mimic (rote-like, if you wish) the making of cartoonscartoons he has been anxious to be able to draw.

The use of this book should be available to anyone who wants to try another way of drawing. Perhaps, with his friends encouragement, David can draw Popeye better , he will be persuaded to continue, to experiment, and finally to create his own cartoon style. L EE J. A MES

King Features Syndicate, Inc. 1984