HUGE fan of "The Dude" here! This is a really GREAT resource for ALL artist of ANY skill level. My compliments to "The Dude" for assembling such an Amazing "How to" manual for artistic weaklings like me to enjoy and learn from.
Don't forget to tune into Steve's weekly Youtube stream on Saturdays and please consider joining his Patreon. Steve is really accessible and graciously shares his artistic talents, techniques & experiences with other fledgling & professional artists alike. He really is a massively talented resource if you're even slightly interested in learning this stuff! The Dude IS LEGENDARY!!! LONG LIVE THE DUDE!
As mentioned in a previous review for the "Coming of Gourmando" Graphic Novel, my wife squirreled my copy away for Christmas soon after it arrived. I did get to glance over it just long enough to drool over the exquisit artwork and awesome looking story, but only enough to know that I will be enjoying this immensely once the wrapping paper has been cleared away. I've been a huge fan of everything Steve Rude does and have followed Nexus from the very beginning, back when I was still a college student so many decades ago! So glad to be able to help keep these wonderful stories alive by supporting Kickstarters. Steve's storytelling abilities are so incredible - layout, story, artwork & writing - that I know I'm in for another treat! Please keep these epics coming! Thanks!
The Draw Nexus (2006): How to Tips and Techniques Download has been a great help for me in pre production work. I've been using it especially in how to draw construction mannequins and use it as a guide on how to make model sheets. I definitely recommend it.
Anything drawn by Steve Rude is a must have, glad I added this to my collection.
Steve Rude is that rare artist that can produce beautiful work and show you the tools to create your own. If you're looking for trendy "tips and tricks" you won't find then here. What this great book does offer is a treasure trove of fundamentals that are the foundation of any serious student's work. This book couldn't be any better even if it were written on stone tablets and cast down from Mt.Sinai.
As an art educator in the animation industry, it's rare to find a publication that covers areas that are important to what we do on the production side of things. Steve Rude's "How-to Draw the Animated Nexus" is an exception in that much of what is missing in other material is covered in his book.
For example, not enough attention is paid to character rotations in other how-to books dealing with character design. Rotations are a very important aspect of the design process when preparing for production. They define the look of the character and are used by storyboard artists and animators as a reference for how to draw and stage the character. Rotations are the foundational aspect of character model sheets in animation.
Steve Rude's book is full of character rotations. It's an excellent reference source for artists. In fact, most of the book is fashioned as a pre-production model package and complemented with lessons in the basics of action / adventure character design with various illustrations, vehicle designs, scene layouts, action poses, and is a marvelous showcase for the work of an extraordinary talent.
It's a spiral bound book which makes it handy for placing it flat on your drawing table and would be a fine addition to the collection of animation and comic art connoisseurs.
I would highly recommend "How-to Draw the Animated Nexus" as a must have for all up and coming animation and comic artists as well as art students and professionals in general who are looking to learn something new or just gaining valuable and inspirational content to keep their chops up as well as those who appreciate the distinctive quality of the author's great skills and beautiful work.
Charles Zembillas
The Animation Academy
Excellent book filled with original process art photos. Exactly what you expect.
For the last couple of years I've order Steve Rude's Annual Arr Sketchbook. I've never been disappointed and this year follows the trend. I bought it along with 3 prints and a mystery book. Not only is the art reproduced gogeously but there is insight into the artistic process.
Rude's distinctive style shines one more time and I kook forward to the 2026 offering.
Most artists leave you as they find you; neither better or worse. The rare ones inspire, instruct, challenge and leave you better than they found you. Steve Rude is that type of artist; a game changer if you will. Steve is an eternal seeker, always striving to improve by never settling for mediocrity. Unlike other "teachers" who peddle gimmicks as knowledge, Steve leads by example. He stresses fundamentals and hard work. Steve Rude is a man who refuses to compromise his core values and artistic integrity in a world that demands we bend the knee to idiocy. He is truly a game changer.
My Steve Rude the Dude 2025 Sketchbook arrived tonight .
Went with the Limited Edition Hardcover Remarque version.
Really beautiful book & love the sketch I got even though I'm not sure who it is .
@steverudethedude
I received it (and with the first hour of ooh-ing and awe-ing at it- happy to see it is Steves usual magic!)
When I saw the Marilyn study available in the Art Under $500 category, it didn't take long to decide to make the purchase. It's a large 15 x 20 piece and looks great as is. Only the roughly painted sides give pause, but a mat and frame would cover those nicely. I just made a Jonny Quest acquisition, but I had to have it.
Great artwork and bright signature! Excellent packaging and timely shipping with tracking. Fast and friendly email responses. Most enjoyable to deal with.
I love Nexus and now a have finally a really great calendar from my favorite comicbook character. Thank you Steve Rude.
I discovered this title as a kid and was drawn in by the art, the concept and how it seemed to be a nod to Space Ghost (the original not that ghastly Coast to Coast garbage). Lost track of Nexus over the years and have been seeking out all the back issues to complete the saga. Space Opera doesn't disappoint keeping up with the same themes as in the beginning. Sometimes the path forward seems a little meandering due to its serialized nature but enjoyable nonetheless. This is a good read and I recommend to all Nexus fans. Once again thanks to Baron & Rude for a great entertaining read.
These sketchbooks from Steve Rude art are just gorgeous. His work is beautiful to behold, and they always do such a good job with the production values on these books. I think the price is a little high and therefore have to wait for a sale, but overall you can't go wrong if you're a lover of fine art.
Hi there! Thank you for the lovely review of our 2022 Sketchtember Sketchbook LIMITED EDITION. We're thrilled to hear that you find our sketchbooks to be beautiful and well-produced. We understand that the price may seem a bit high, but we want to assure you that we always strive to offer the best value for our customers. In fact, higher sales would actually result in lower prices, as more crowdfunding support would allow us to have a higher print run and lower costs per book. On average, our books cost $10-15 per book, and we also prioritize safe and secure shipping by fully insuring and using new boxes which costs an additional $3-5. We appreciate your support and hope to see you at our next sale. Happy reading!
Love these sketchbooks from Steve Rude. They're so professional and beautiful to look at. I wish they were more affordable - I was only able to snatch a few of these due to a wonderful holiday sale that was going on. I'd love to order more books like this from Steve Rude, but the shipping costs/high prices sometimes scare me away.
Scott,
Thank you so much for your kind words and 5-star review! We're thrilled you love the sketchbooks.
We understand that the price point can be a barrier for some. Our sketchbooks are indeed a labor of love, featuring limited print runs of around 500 copies based on our crowdfunding orders.
We're always looking for ways to make our products more accessible. We currently offer free shipping on orders over $50 and our shipping costs average $10-15 for US orders.
We appreciate your understanding and hope you'll consider adding a few more of these beautiful sketchbooks to your collection in the future.
Steve is lucky to have Jaynelle handling all the behind the scenes ‘stuff’ - nothing seems to be a problem for her exemplary customer service and support!
My son loved it. Everything from ordering to receiving was a breeze.
I bought some digital comics from Steve Rude and it all worked great. The files are really high quality.
Beautiful Steve Rude art adorns a lithograph that is huge!! Highly recommended for any Nexus or Rude fans.
Was fortunate to pick up a very sweet Vampirella watercolor piece from the website. Beautiful work, securely packed and swiftly dispatched. Thanks, Dude! Best wishes to you and yours over the holidays and throughout the new year.- Matt
As a Nexus reader from the very beginning, I seek out each new publication that features the Rude Dude's ever-ascending artistry. Though I haven't yet received this book - my wife is holding both recent volumes for a nice Christmas gift - I did take a sneak peek to make sure the book arrived safely. I never doubted the great Jaynelle's attention to detail in getting all mailings correctly put together, packaged safely and stuffed with extra fun fliers. My sneak peek also provided a quick perusal of the excellent production values, so I have no doubt that I'll enjoy hours of entertainment once I do receive my books on Christmas morn. Thanks for always advancing your craft so that we fans can continue to enjoy the exploits of Nexus!
I've been with Nexus since the third issue after the large (Capital???) ones. Steve art is magic and this Gourmando book/compilation really shows it. He is by far the best and sits with Kirby, J. Buscema, G. Colon (I know some don't like his work), etc.. and is better than other artists that are currently doing "painted" covers. A shout out to Jaynelle for all that she does and has done. They are lucky to have each other. OK.. enough.... buy the Gourmando compilation.. artist edition. You will not be sorry!!!!
Steve Rude is a master illustrator, and this book demonstrates his imaginative approach to dynamic action-packed storytelling.