How to Draw Classic Cartoons
Michael O'Mara Books (Publisher)
Published on 7. October 2025
Book
Hardback
80 pages
978-1-915751-48-5 (ISBN)
Description
Journey back in time to the era of classic 1920s rubber hose cartoons with this beautifully retro 'how-to-draw' book.
How to Draw Classic Cartoons features original art by Bill Nolan, the influential American artist and director famed as the creator of the rubber hose style used to animate cartoons such as Felix the Cat, Betty Boop, and Popeye.
Instantly recognizable from its curved lines and the elastic-like movements of its animated characters (hence the name 'rubber hose'), this distinctive art style can be easily recreated using simple circles as a starting point. With original illustrations and words of advice from Nolan himself, this easy-to-follow book will teach you how to draw hands, feet, faces, full-body characters, and a whole range of wacky animals.
Featuring elements from Nolan's 1936 book Cartooning Self-Taught, this new book takes a deeper look at his iconic style and how to recreate it.
How to Draw Classic Cartoons features original art by Bill Nolan, the influential American artist and director famed as the creator of the rubber hose style used to animate cartoons such as Felix the Cat, Betty Boop, and Popeye.
Instantly recognizable from its curved lines and the elastic-like movements of its animated characters (hence the name 'rubber hose'), this distinctive art style can be easily recreated using simple circles as a starting point. With original illustrations and words of advice from Nolan himself, this easy-to-follow book will teach you how to draw hands, feet, faces, full-body characters, and a whole range of wacky animals.
Featuring elements from Nolan's 1936 book Cartooning Self-Taught, this new book takes a deeper look at his iconic style and how to recreate it.