The DC Comics Guide to Inking Comics (Klaus Janson)

This second book in the DC Comics master class on comic book creation is this volume on inking from Klaus Janson - author of the first volume on pencilling. Once again, a huge amount of information and valuable wisdom has been packed into what might seem like a very "text heavy" book, but delving deeper I found priceless nuggets of information on how to improve my own style.

One example - the answer to the age-old dilema of "do you use a pen or a brush" - is given in the sentence "the hard metal point of a pen might best be used to ink drawings of hard and metallic shapes . . . (while) . . . any shape that has a softer element to it can be handled very well with a brush." Now why didn't I think of that?!!

Once again, as with the pencilling book, Klaus Janson presents a serious advanced manual for serious artists. Not perhaps the step-by-step DIY book that beginners might need, but definitely a treasure trove of ideas, experiece and inspiration from a master artist in his field.

Highly recommended.

This book is hands down the most useful books on drawing out there, as well as by far the best inking reference I have ever read. And speaking of reading, it is actually written well, too!

The first reading took under an hour. The second, a little more so. The examples Janson gives in the text are from some of the greatest artists in comics history, yet from some of their least known work.

If you are an artist of any sort, READ THIS BOOK!

This book is both historically informational and instrucional. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to konw more about inking in the comics way!

When it comes to drawing or inking you have to understand the rules. Some people have natural ability when it comes to inking and they couldn't tell you exactly "why" they inked in a particular way. This book definitely goes into that realm. It will tell you the fundamentals of the inking process and in time you will develop your own inking style. This book is worth adding to your drawing reference library.

On the one hand, this book will give you every practical bit of information you'll need to, basically, critique your own inking and bring it up to an acceptable level. This book is appropriate for the novice artist.
Unfortunately, there is almost nothing inspiring about this book, including the art.
DC has had some tremendous inkers, which you'd expect from such a large company with such a long tenure. But you'd also expect that the bulk of the work from a large company would be average and unnotable. It is in the latter category into which this book falls.
It was written and the bulk of it illustrated by two stalwarts of the industry, who have done tremendous work in the past.
But the image on the cover - of two breasts charging at you - pretty much sends the worst, loudest message the comic book industry has: No depth, just something to grab your attention.
What certainly isn't shown or described, except for the 3 or 4 images by Berni Wrightson, are examples of careful, beautiful, meticulous artwork. Sadly, that IS the kind of work that is predominantly seen in comic books today. What disappoints me is that the best work is not what this book is about.