Cartoonists who only draw their characters from the waist up

JeremyW · Post by **JeremyW** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 9:00 pm

What are your thoughts on this? Is it lazy? Keeping in mind the more expressive body parts are the face and the hands. Does it even really matter?

Van Douchebag · Post by **Van Douchebag** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 9:14 pm

It depends comic to comic.
I don't hafta stare at Gabe's crotch to enjoy Penny-Arcade.

Heh heh... Michelle & Maria should do some fanart for it... call it 'Penis Arcade'.

Distant screaming · Post by **Distant screaming** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 9:50 pm

What about a comic that only shows from the waist down? You could call it "The Air Down There"

JeremyW · Post by **JeremyW** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:47 pm

distant_screaming wrote:What about a comic that only shows from the waist down? You could call it "The Air Down There"

http://images3.deviantart.com/i/2004/10/a/4/Pants.jpg

LibertyCabbage · Post by **LibertyCabbage** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:48 pm

yes it's lazy because the full spectrum of humor can't be expressed without shots involving the character's entire body!

The real question is, can someone make a comic that only shows the back of one person's head? The answer is, yes, but they suck at it. Did I type that out loud?

JeremyW · Post by **JeremyW** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:49 pm

LibertyCabbage wrote:yes it's lazy because the full spectrum of humor can't be expressed without shots involving the character's entire body!

The real question is, can someone make a comic that only shows the back of one person's head? The answer is, yes, but they suck at it. Did I type that out loud?

What comic are you talking about?

Beyonder_alpha · Post by **Beyonder_alpha** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:53 pm

distant_screaming wrote:What about a comic that only shows from the waist down? You could call it "The Air Down There"

Mom and Dad from Cow'n'Chicken.

Nuf said.

Humbug · Post by **Humbug** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 12:55 am

Beyonder_alpha wrote:
distant_screaming wrote:What about a comic that only shows from the waist down? You could call it "The Air Down There"
Mom and Dad from Cow'n'Chicken.

Nuf said.

The ironic thing is their legs are their whole body.

Faub · Post by **Faub** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 12:56 am

I think refusing to draw legs for no other reason than so you don't have to draw legs is lazy. Inability to draw legs requires practice.

Dutch! · Post by **Dutch!** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 1:20 am

It's probably not always a necessity for the joke, but it does add a bit of visual interest for the reader.

Chibiartstudios · Post by **Chibiartstudios** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:43 am

I don't think I've ever seen the legs of Jon from Garfield. I'd bet that there are tentacles. That would be so cool! And it would explain why he has such a hard time with women!

Evil Jamie! · Post by **Evil Jamie!** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 3:09 am

chibiartstudios wrote:I don't think I've ever seen the legs of Jon from Garfield.

Actually, in comics than involve snow, or outside (which are very few) Jons legs are visible. I also remeber one where Garfield marveled at how Jon could loose his socks after he put them on.

I usually draw from the waist up, exept when there's like, some action going on, or a joke that needs legs, but that's just what's comftable with me.

Garasade · Post by **Garasade** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 3:23 am

In my opinion, it really doesn't matter. I don't think that absence of legs generally indicates any laziness on the part of the aritst. The part of my answer lies in the question asked, why that sometimes legs seem to be 'neglected'. They really do not necessarily express any direct interest to direct the readers's attention to the comic's point. I think I can assume rather safely that the legs are just there, hidden from view.

In the end, I guess, there can be as many reasons for the absence of legs as there are comics not denoting them in the forefront.

Dotty · Post by **Dotty** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 5:12 am

Pfft. Legs aren't important for humor comics that don't require the viewing of the legs. Don't agree? Dinosaur Comics. The layout NEVER CHANGES. At least for the comics being drawn where you don't see legs, the layout is probably changing.

The only comic where you can see the back of the head, and thats it, that i can think of...would be that drive thru comic that was in comic pitching not too long ago.

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 5:27 am

It makes sense for the same reason we exaggerate the size of eyes in comics - that's where all the expression is. A conversation playing while the camera is on someone's boots divorces you from it - which can be a useful effect occassionally but is largely undesirable.

However, lots of people leave them out, not because they're hard to draw but putting them in means you're playing with the camera angles and that's more a challenge. It's dull and the genre base of webcomics suffers because of it. The level of comic "camera work" and "direction" is very low and we're stuck with a glut of talking head sitcom comics.

- Joel Fagin

Dr Legostar · Post by **Dr Legostar** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 8:05 am

I know, personally, I have a hard time drawing feet, or shoes, or anything of the sort. Of course I have a hard time drawing much of anything.. but feet are especially hard.

AndrewTaylor · Post by **AndrewTaylor** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:30 am

I draw legs whenever the alternative is an inky black void beneath a character's waist. I leave them out whenever it would mean specially extending a panel to incorporate them. If I can fit in the character's face, any relevant arms, and the speech, then it would never have occured to me to even notice if I was drawing legs. I'm going to be all self-concious now.

NotoriousMEQ · Post by **NotoriousMEQ** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:33 am

Some people should just never draw legs, ever. But they do pretty good comics.

For example, I wince in horror when Scott Kurtz draws a full figure. All the problems with figures that're just stylistic things from the waist up stick out and look awful. That strip needs a good chiroprator.

But my favorite strips artists do draw whole figures, even if entire strips will be talking heads and upper torsos. That just fits the sizing thing.

-megs

Phact0rri · Post by **Phact0rri** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:33 am

Really, I don't mind how people put what in thier panels. though setting it up with the same shots over and over again, do feel a little static and boring. I like to see comics with a wide range of movements, poses and angles. However I've read comics and enjoyed them (usually humor based ones) where they are realitivly static.

Personally I think it comes down to why you do a comic. For some its just doing a comic... to do something regular. If you do cut and paste style comics then I'd assume you arn't doing it to get better at drawing (as you arn't drawing all to much), though I'd assume for the majority of people (myself included) doing a webcomic is great cause it allows you to try things you normally wouldn't draw. Its also been said that doing a webcomic allows you to practice your art and improve a lot more than just drawing illustration/pin up style.

That said, if your like me and are drawing a comic to get better at drawing, then why limit yourself? My comic is probably one of the worst on keenspace art wise (at least in my own mind), and in that element of suck I don't believe in limiting myself. I try to draw as many poses and diffrent angles as possible. Course I'm the sort who gets bored if I draw the same darn panel time and time again. if I don't draw diffrent angles, movements or scales then I'll never get a strip done.

But no matter what don't worry what other people think so much. Its a hobby after all. If you have fun drawing from the hips up, and you still gotta a lot of work to do on the torso and face anatomy and stuff then don't fret its good for you. Its only if you get bored and want to try diffrent things, then do it! Webcomics if anything --IMO-- is a big ole experiment. Have fun with it, and try diffrent stuff. Trying to force yourself to do angles you suck at and pieces of anatomy your not very good at can only make you better.

Hense why I do a lot of hand shots, and profiles and I've increasingly started getting better with these things. If you don't challenge yourself-- well no one else will.

Gengar003 · Post by **Gengar003** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:33 am

What if all the characters stood on their hands, so their arms became their legs, and their legs their arms, and put jack-o-lanterns between their legs? Then the legs would be very important; they'd take the place of the hands. And they'd have to take off jack-o-lanterns and put new ones on when the facial expressions needed to change!