Ware is one of my favorite artists/storytellers out there, so even though this isn’t traditionally a “five star” book, it was really fascinating to me. The character sketches on Jimmy Corrigan were interesting as was seeing his work and ideas develop over time. The neighborhood sketches were really wonderful.

Whoa.

Nice.

Worth a look for a glimpse into Ware's process. There's a lot of good stuff in here, though probably not nearly as much for non-fans. Also hard to tell how Ware actually hates himself and how much is playing a role.

Read only if you are a big fan of Chris Ware and are interested in his creative process. Barely any of this is representative of the aesthetic of his stongest works, but it does show how he develops his ideas. Reassuring and instructive for aspiring writers or artists.

A sketchbook/journal that provides little in the way of transcendence. There's no moral to this story, just a cripplingly self-aware, sex-obsessed, young artist.

It’s weird to look at so much beautiful art amongst self-defeating, overly critical notes scribbled by Ware where he seems to hate his work and consider himself a fraud. The lesson learned is, no matter how skilled one becomes as an artist, they will probably still be plagued by crippling self-doubt until death. Haha!

Very interesting to see inside of Ware's mind (or at least what he allowed onto the private page), and especially to see the ideas that keep bouncing around and forming over years and years. There's definitely a wider emotional spectrum here than in the published work of his I've read, some of it (some warm, some laugh-out-loud funny) using characters that have become popular in his more sober, "dour" work. That too is interesting to see, both considering the characters used and in consideration of Ware working through different things using them.

Chris Ware’s range and maturity as an artist is astounding. It is cool seeing his concepting and imagining “Jimmy Corrigan” in his sketchbook which doubles as a visual journal.

Highly recommended for any fan.

This is a sketch book from Chris Ware. It is filled with random art, sometimes great, sometimes just okay, but there is no story here, nothing but randomness and development ideas that he played around with. Don't expect a story or the usual polished looked you would find in his other books. There is a lot more nudity and sexual jokes than I expected. Certainly more than you'd find elsewhere, but there were beautifully rendered genitalia.

Definitely for Chris Ware fans. Interesting glimpses into how he works, and how many great characters have developed. Glad I read it, but equally glad I checked it out of the library.

Szkicownik Chrisa Ware - jednego z najwybitniejszych twórców komiksowych w historii - to z pewnością zabawa głównie dla fanów obeznanych już z większością ważnych dzieł autora. Pozycja świetnie wydana i kapitalnie zaprojektowana, uzupełniająca obraz artysty o prace bardzo intymne, najczęściej tworzone z myślą o praktyce i "chowaniu do szuflady". To rzecz bardzo osobista, przemycająca obsesje i motywy znane z komiksów Ware'a, lecz bez otoczki rozbudowanych fabuł. Mamy więc silny nacisk na seksualność, ale niekoniecznie świadczącą o realizacji i szczęściu (masturbacja w ilościach naprawdę sporych). Z tym pośrednio wiąże się wyczuwalne na każdym kroku poczucie wyobcowania bohaterów, ich nieporadność życiowa, problemy w relacjach z innymi, depresja. Obrazy dopełniają osobiste zapiski i komentarze na marginesach prac, świadczące o kompleksach i niemocy twórczej. Warto, choć nie dla każdego, więc tradycyjnie polecam zacząć od "Jimmiego Corrigana"