Irv Spector Pretty Girl Comics

Here's an Irv Spector treat.









Spector is the same guy who draws the beautiful Coogy comics.


He blends appealing traits from a lot of different styles all into one.


http://irvspector.blogspot.com/2009/12/comic-book-interlude-farmers-daughter-1.html

Less Lines, More Thought and More Life

I think that it's more daring to draw cartoons with just a few lines and details than it is to do fake "realistic" animation.
You can't hide your ideas and skills under a lot of non-essential surface extras.
In my opinion, Irv Spector here draws a million times better than all those nasty Filmation like humanoid mannequin cartoons.

In just a few lines, he shows characters with attitudes, acting, construction, design and life. Life. That, more than anything else is what's missing from cartoons today.
But here it is in all its natural looking glory.
Spector's compositions are really fun and clever too.

This is a gifted cartoonist who thinks. He doesn't just draw by rote or current trend-thinking.
This is his own unique style, but it uses all the general important principles common to most skilled cartoonists.
Even before I look close at the individual details of a panel, the whole composition jumps out at me and says "This is art!". It's coordinates a pile of difficult techniques, skills, principles and style in such a way that it makes a point - and is pleasing to the eye.
This is obviously a free-wheeling individual style that is not hampered by second-guessing what a cartoon is "supposed to be" or by tons of executives telling him how to draw.
Lots and lots of energy in just a few well-placed lines.

Compare to no energy and no commitment to a design or statement:These Filmation style characters look like they are stuck together out of individual pieces of broken glass. There is no line of action, no construction, no expression, no contrasting attitudes and no real tools of good drawing. They are not even "realistic" as I assume they meant to be. They are merely lacking in life and animation so to the executive brain that makes them like live action - only without the "live". It's design by committee and reflects nobody's particular idea or vision.

Spector is the complete opposite of the corporate fear style above.

Not only are his individual panels fun and lively...

But Spector's continuity and the way he balances his panels against each other is full of energy and contrasts.
This is cartooning doing what it does best, expressing an individual's view of the world using the tools cartoons have that other media lacks.
He is using the media to its advantage rather than fighting against it.

Lots more great Coogy strips by Irv Spector!
http://irvspector.blogspot.com/search/label/Coogy

Irv Spector and Style

When people who don't already have strong drawing skills think of "style", they are usually thinking about the last layer or the surface layer of a drawing - the line, the finish, or some trick of the shape of the character's eye.
I know if you make a nice clean storyboard with bold black lines, it impresses the Hell out of executives - even if the drawings underneath the polished line smell like your cat box.

Young cartoonists are a little more sophisticated than animation executives because they can recognize a stylish looser line, but the same problem exists - just to a slightly lesser degree. The youngsters love their squared off fingers and 'tude faces, thinking that they are somehow symbols of high style or that they are drawing just like Milt Kahl. Modern squared fingers and hands (and faces) are 2 dimensional and only have a few easy-to-draw positions vs Kahl's whose are 3 dimensional. These have a potentially infinite amount of angles and attitudes - a huge difference in skill and quality. (I still find them offensively ugly though)

http://autodaddy.blogspot.com/2008/03/milt-kahl-hands.html

Corners do not make style. Simple surface elements without solid principles underneath are merely excuses for ignorance.

This panel, on the surface looks like Walt Kelly. The loose brush lines on the dog's nose is definitely a Kelly trademark.Spector uses a lot more dynamic angles and compositions than Kelly and also has a very unique style of shapes he uses that distinguish him from Kelly and other animation cartoonists.



If a young cartoonist liked this style, he might think that the secret to it is wobbly lines and shapes.

If you could copy this line style, that wouldn't by itself give you the ability to draw a good composition, perspective, line of action and construction - all of which these drawings have.


You might think the construction is off here because the belly shape doesn't fit 100% on the pussy's form. It definitely doesn't, but I can see that the form is very solidly suggested, but the lines just skirt around on top of the form like a loose glove. The knowledge of construction is completely there though.

Compare to Harvey Eisenberg's lines which fit around the construction like a tight glove.


It's like when a great singer like Sinatra takes the lyrics and melody and just barely avoids delivering it right where it's written in mathematical tempo. Instead he uses and is applauded for his "phrasing" - his slightly loose interpretation of the timing. He starts some words before where you expect them to hit, and some after - and it isn't at random. It's all according to great sensitivity and emotion. He is expertly toying with the listener's expectations. He knows exactly where every note is supposed to land, but varies it on purpose for emotional effects that can't be written in words or in musical notation.

Frank can sing on key, has a wide range, has great rhythm, great control and enunciation - all principles of good singing. The last thing he does after learning his fundamental skills is give you his fantastic moving style.

I like these big pupils but wouldn't assume that if I drew big pupils I would automatically have my own style or could draw just like Irv Spector.

Irv Spector has a unique style - it only superfically looks like Kelly. What actually makes it unique is much harder to define.

It's completely obvious to me though, that he has the same background knowledge and skill that most of the classic animators had. Without that, an animator is crippled. Just like a singer who can't carry a tune.

Listen to Frank and Ollie....starting with "SOLID DRAWING" That's where it all begins - including the journey towards style.


http://allthingsger.blogspot.com/search/label/Irving%20spector

Irv Spector, a new favorite for me

Remember this post? I wasn't sure who this artist was and Ger Apeldorn and Paul Spector let me know it was by Irv Spector -- Paul's Dad.

http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2008/09/more-handsome-cartoon-compositions.html

He's great! He has all the principles down and a really great personal style. If I were to guess his influences, I would say...Herriman, Walt Kelly, Dan Gordon and of course animated cartoons.


I had seen Irv's name in the credits of many Famous cartoons. He was an animator and storyboard artist there (and maybe more). It never meant anything to me, because Famous cartoons are (mostly) so non-descript. If only they had looked like this instead of imitating the west coast cartoon style.
These are beautiful and cartoony at the same time. I'll break down some of the panels when I get some time.Anybody know where we could see some of his storyboards?

http://allthingsger.blogspot.com/search/label/Irving%20spector

Thanks to Ger and Paul for finding me a new influence! The funny part is I bet I have some of his comic books, but just thought they were by Dan Gordon (who I also love) I see some differences now. Irv is more interested in strange artist perspectives and Dan is maybe goofier.

I'm sure they worked together.


Here are some panels that show off some of the concepts I write about. Are you seeing what I'm seeing in them?

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