Set the Action! Creating Backgrounds for Compelling Storytelling in Animation, Comics, and Games

"Insightful, beautifully drawn and cleverly written. Elvin Hernandez puts the spotlight on the undervalued (and overlooked!) techniques for the use of the Background in dynamic storytelling. A great read!"-Brian Muelhaupt, 2D Animation Director "Teaching the visual arts can be difficult. One can tell when a drawing "looks right", but to effectively explain underlying foundations of "why", especially to a student or novice is quite the undertaking. This is where Elvin Hernandez thrives. But most importantly, Hernandez has fun with his teaching. His up-beat personality and tongue-in cheek sense of humor shine through in every drawing, making "Set the Action!" a must-have for any artist who puts pencil to paper." Jesse Cowan, Author- "Little Wolf" "With such an abundance of material on character design, a book on staging has been sorely needed. Set the Action! is the missing piece in any visual storyteller's toolkit!" Danny Araya, Lead Concept Artist, Trendy Entertainment "Elvin Hernandez easily manages to walk the line between informative lecture and engaging conversation. His understanding of the importance of setting and space in visual media is easily conveyed and immediately understood. Witty and informative, Elvin Hernandez's "Set The Action!" isn't just a book that you have to read, it's a book that you want to read." John Griffin, Professor of Media Art and Animation, The Art Institute of Washington