June 29, 2009

Comics Worth Reading -- glamourpuss Revisited

I've been reading, buying, and "promoting" the comic book glamourpuss among my friends who care. There aren't many. Partly because it's such a bizarre comic book. There's no story, really, unless you include some possible plot progression about the title character found in bits and pieces in the letters page and introduction pages. The comic itself is divided into two distinct pieces, but they both come from the same purpose: Dave Sim is exploring the photorealistic artwork of the masters. He does this by A. illuminating the history of said masters and mimicking some of their actual illustrations, and B. using those techniques to draw women from photo reference using fashion magazines and in the process parodying said magazines.

It is interesting to me, because (even though I am not an artist) you see him actually trying to draw, stroke for stroke, the same exact illustrations the masters* used, utilizing the same tools (specifically, ink brushes). And then you see him branch off on his own, putting the techniques to the test with the fashion magazine stuff. Unfortunately, for many people, the fashion magainze stuff is a complete turn off.

Well, if YOU'RE one of those people, you'e in luck, because here's a free download that contains all the ART and ART HISTORY material from the first three issues, and NONE of the fashion magazine pardoy stuff.

Here's the link.

Anyway . . . I know this will likely be of interest to very few people who read this blog, but to the few who ARE interested, there you go!

~ Ben

* The masters are Alex Raymond, Al Williamson, and the like -- artists who developed amazing realistic styles in the confines of dramatic and adventure newspaper comics.

2 comments:

Bud Rogers said...

I actually liked the fashion pages, but then again, I like Project Runway and America's Next Top Model too.

Ben said...

Yeah, I like the whole package as well.

I do not share your affection for Project Runway and Next Top Model. ;)

~ Ben