There's a new book out from Red Panda Comics called Emberley Galaxy: A Tribute To Ed Emberley that I've got a 6-page comic strip in:
Ed Emberley -- along with
Commander Mark Kistler -- was the most inspiring and instructive drawing-teacher-from-afar I had as a kid. He made lots of wonderful 'how-to' books, including two of my favorites the
Big Orange and the
Big Purple Drawing Books.
Emberley uses a step-by-step approach in which drawings are 'constructed' through an assembly-line process. A skeleton is erected then layers of raw lines shapes and squiggles are added sequentially. Emberley's drawings are angular and cartoony, as well as 2-D and diagrammatic - evidence of their the process in which their built. There's no doubt this style has influenced how I
"build" drawings, mechanically and aesthetically.
Above: "Running Fox" from The Big Orange Drawing Book. Below: Recent cut-paper fox I made a pop-up card. 
Another thing that was always really appealing to me about Emberley's books was the sheer density of the drawings. The world he creates is really fun and crammed with weird details. But there was an underlying graphic logic to his world - it makes sense that an orange gorilla named Buttercup lives alongside a purple 70's conversion van.
Above: "PICKUPS" from The Big Purple Drawing Book. Below: Poster I made for a pal's business.
Given the drawing style - which resembles elaborate erector-set directions more than traditional art instruction - and the overall consistency of his creations, it seems appropriate that Emberley's
most famous book and an
upcoming documentary are entitled MAKE A WORLD. In my story, characters from Orangeland are gearing up for a big battle against their foes from Purpleville, and Emberley's motifs of construction and deconstruction become more than just teaching tools. Check out the book for the exciting conclusion!
Above: excerpt from my Emberley Galaxy story. Below: excerpt from my comic IRONCLAD.
Thanks for everything, Ed!
There's a new book out from Red Panda Comics called Emberley Galaxy: A Tribute To Ed Emberley that I've got a 6-page comic strip in:
Emberley uses a step-by-step approach in which drawings are 'constructed' through an assembly-line process. A skeleton is erected then layers of raw lines shapes and squiggles are added sequentially. Emberley's drawings are angular and cartoony, as well as 2-D and diagrammatic - evidence of their the process in which their built. There's no doubt this style has influenced how I "build" drawings, mechanically and aesthetically. 
Above: "Running Fox" from The Big Orange Drawing Book. Below: Recent cut-paper fox I made a pop-up card. 
Another thing that was always really appealing to me about Emberley's books was the sheer density of the drawings. The world he creates is really fun and crammed with weird details. But there was an underlying graphic logic to his world - it makes sense that an orange gorilla named Buttercup lives alongside a purple 70's conversion van. 
Above: "PICKUPS" from The Big Purple Drawing Book. Below: Poster I made for a pal's business.
Given the drawing style - which resembles elaborate erector-set directions more than traditional art instruction - and the overall consistency of his creations, it seems appropriate that Emberley's most famous book and an upcoming documentary are entitled MAKE A WORLD. In my story, characters from Orangeland are gearing up for a big battle against their foes from Purpleville, and Emberley's motifs of construction and deconstruction become more than just teaching tools. Check out the book for the exciting conclusion!
Above: excerpt from my Emberley Galaxy story. Below: excerpt from my comic IRONCLAD.
Thanks for everything, Ed!
6 comments:
Nice stuff as usual, LOVE the Fox popup card. Cool beans.
i love ed. i grew up with orange, purple and green.
Awesome! Been looking forward to this.
When I was a kid my Dad would bring big pieces of paper home from his job at a newspaper. I would draw pirate ships from Ed Emberley's book I had (the purple one I think). I usually drew the two ships doing battle in real time, making sound effects as cannons fired and crew members swung from one ship to the next. I had totally forgotten about all this until I read your post!
Also, I'd give anything to get my hands on some Commander Mark shows on DVD.
my fox!
this is super sweet. can't wait to get my hands on the book!
Where did you get this awesome comic? it amazes me so much! I want to buy it.
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