Book Review: The Art of Comic Book Inking

In the foreword, Gary Martin says The Art of Comic-Book Inking is intended for

• people who want to become inkers
• working inkers who haven't had professional training
• pencillers who want their work to be more inker-friendly
• the majority of editors working in comics today

This isn't a step-by-step tutorial book but more of a guide book showing the different impact a drawing create with different inking styles.

There are lots of industry tips in each chapters, like how to create the illusion of depth, fix composition, add realistic backgrounds, prevent backaches etc. There are also professional tips on handling assignments in the real world, stuff like how best to communicate with editors (which is to always tell the truth).

Plenty of real world examples are included. A point to note is there's no instructions on how to specifically create the different lines, like applying pressure at different points to get a thin-thick-thin stroke. Only the end results are shown. So this book is really about the reader going about with his own experimentation and discovering his/her own technique.

Towards the back are 10 comic panels where different guest inkers are invited to ink their version of how they should look. They also talk about the equipment they use, their work flow, considerations they used to interpret the panels and personal tips.

Finally at the back of the book are 8 inking boards where they can be photocopied to be used for practice.

The table of contents:

• Before You Start
• Getting Started
• Line Weight
• Contour Lines
• Spotting Blacks
• Feathering
• Crosshatching
• Establishing Your Style
• Facial-Shadow Guide
• Inking Backgrounds
• Advanced Techniques
• Cartoon Inking
• Texture Reference Guide
• Practical Tips
• Secrets of the Stars

The Art Of Comic-Book Inking 2nd Edition is available at Amazon (US | CA | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | JP | CN)

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