Any tutorials/books re: use of line weight?

[phix95]

I draw figures mostly and I like comics. I've noticed in any type of drawing, line weight makes a HUGE difference in the outcome of the drawing. I'd love to be able to use it correctly. I use it a bit but never as well as it should be. I need a tutorial or book or whatever, on how to use it. I believe it's thinner where light hits the object; maybe thinner on thin parts.
Anyone know any resources for this?

[Vermis]

I have just the thing. ;)

http://www.darkhorse.com/search/search.php?sstring=art+of+comic-book+inking&type=tpb

Deals with inking of course, but if you're going for comic-style drawing the rules can still apply. The first volume's better suited to your request, I think, but I wouldn't say no to the combined edition.

[Sigit]

Maybe this can help you
http://www.tokyopop.com/Manga_Sensei/gopro/286671.html

[wheezy]

http://tentopet.livejournal.com/12935.html

[Anid Maro]

Prometheus|ANJ touches on line weight a bit in his general art tutorial (http://itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm#line_art).

My thoughts on line weight is that it's a form of abstract contrast. That is, it's a form of contrast (obviously, thick lines vs. thin lines) that is not anchored to reality because we do not see actual lines. This is an important distinction because color contrast is something that we derive from reality and thus has certain rules to follow to look accurate (which can be broken for certain effects, of course), value contrast also is anchored in reality and follows similar restrictions, edge contrast as well, and so on.

But line weight, because it is not directly derived from reality doesn't have a particular rule set. What I'm getting at, and the part you can skip to (:)), is that line weight can serve any function you want. It can even serve multiple functions (as seen in the Tentopet tutorial). But it should be clear to the observer what function(s) the line weight performs, and these functions should be consistent.

For example, line weight can:

- Demonstrate light and shade (thin on the light side, thick on the shade side... a common use)
- Show distance (like a physical object, thicker where the object would be closer and thinner at a further distance)
- Accentuate outlines (thick outline, thinner detail lines)
- Convey a literal sense of weight (dumbells might have huge thick lines while a feather has very thin lines)
- Separate the main focus from the background (typical of the use of edge hardness)
- Accentuate the intersection of lines (largely aesthetic)
- Et cetera

Just be consistent within a piece on the line weight's function, and make sure it in fact conveys that function visually. Hope that helps.

[Justice Von Brandt]

This is a quality tutorial on inking
http://www.tomrichmond.com/blog/?p=181
http://www.tomrichmond.com/blog/?p=210

[phix95]

The japanese tutorial was the most detailed I've seen, though not quite the style I was thinking. Some of the techniques there I've heard of, like intersections being thicker, close light source thinner, intricate lines thinner...
But what if you have something that intersects two of the rules, like a large mass, which would mean thicker lines, but the mass is close to a light source, which would be thinner lines? Which do you follow?
Anid, what you say makes sense.
From what I've read, the following "rules" are what I learned (or knew):

Line weight:

*Thicker at...
outer parts of a curve
a shadowed area
a large mass
an intersection of the same line
a long straight line with no other thicknesses on it
Outline of object
predominant objects/closer in space

*Thinner at...
Inner parts of a curve
a lit area
a light (non-heavy) mass
inner lines of an object
intricate line work/small details
objects farther back in space/smaller

On MnM's link, it's stated basically that how you do your line weight kind of depends on the artist and there are no real rules. But, I've seen people use line weight and the image will look "off" and you can't really discern why. There must be some logic to how to do it or else you wouldn't be able to say a drawing looks "off" due to line weight, right?

If you go here:
http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/world/index.xml
and click on Deckard Cain's journal, there's a lot of beautiful concept art there, not colored, that uses line weight well.
Some of those images...where something gets smaller, meaning like two lines that form the edge of a curved weapon, run together to the tip, the tip is actually inked thicker than the rest of the object...you'd think since that part has less volume it would be thinner, right? But it looks good to me.

Another nice example:

http://www.fredknoz.com/Mar%2024%2027%2000048.jpg

Any other thoughts?

[Anid Maro]

On MnM's link, it's stated basically that how you do your line weight kind of depends on the artist and there are no real rules. But, I've seen people use line weight and the image will look "off" and you can't really discern why. There must be some logic to how to do it or else you wouldn't be able to say a drawing looks "off" due to line weight, right?

If something looks "off" due to line weight it either means it wasn't given any work (i.e. all the same width and thus "flat") or the use of line weight is inconsistent (i.e. can't figure out what function it serves just by looking).

The "rules" you listed, while common uses, are not hard rules. The only real rules I can think of is that the function of the line weight is visually identifiable and that the line weight assists rather than interrupts the other elements of your art.