The Simpsons: Handbook

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The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by J2 » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:04 am

Has anyone seen it?  It's the long-awaited upate to the "Cartooning w/the Simpsons" and as Matt G. said in the "Handbook's" intro: "...this brick makes the Cartooning w/the Simpsons look like a bootleg coloring book."

My Review:

Does it live up to the Man's hype.  I'd say yeah, it does pretty much.  Each family member is given a 5-10 page spread (10 being Homer, of course) along with 2-4 page spreads of a bunch of Secondary Characters, with the usual "How to's" and "rules", but unlike the "Cartooning", "Handbook" adds a few visuals to aid in drawing the characters in drawing them from a higher/lower perspective and "Handbook" has a section featuring the layouts of the Simpsons kitchen and living room, along with Sector 7G, Mrs. Krabopple's Classroom, the interior of Moe's Tavern, and the Kwik-E-Mart.

"The Simpsons: Handbook" is written very simply and it's easy to see how the pieces fit together, despite lacking a few secondary characeters, namely: Reverand Lovejoy, Waylond Smithers, and Professor Frink, it still an awesome book and it's worth the forty bucks, IMO.

Verdict: Highly Recommended, even if you already own "Cartooning w/the Simpsons."
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by Tyrannus » Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:51 pm

So what secondary characters are included?
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by Officer 1BDI » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:33 am

Ooh, I might have to invest in this.  I bought Cartooning with the Simpsons nearly a decade ago, and I still use it as a reference.
it's worth the forty bucks
...Ah crap, that's expensive.  :(  It looks like Amazon's selling it for $27, though.
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by D.B. » Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:06 pm

I just got my hands on this. Vastly superior to the previous effort, and in places a joy to look at.

Characters featured:Simpsons family (including grandpa, patty, selma, snowball II and santa's little helper), Willie, Barney, Milhouse, Krabappel, Krusty, Bob, Lenny, Carl, Mr Burns, Ned, Ralph, Moe, Kang, CBG, otto, nelson, itchy & Scratchy, Apu, Skinner and Wiggum. Several characters get large fold-out pages with a selection of stuff on (looks like each of these was given to a single artist with no more instruction than 'fill them' - ranges from fanart-esque paintings to extra drawing tips). Also shows layouts of the simpson's kitchen,TV room, Moe's tavern, Android's dungeon, Kwik-E-Mart, Bart's classroom, Krusty The Clown Show set and Homer's workstation.

Could have done with a couple of extra pages showing some of Lisa and Bart's other usual acquaintences, but what there is there is all pretty good. The tracing paper/acetate pages which allow you to flip between construction lines and the finished product are great fun.
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by Terry Y » Tue Jul 31, 2007 6:23 pm

I saw it at the bookstore a while back and came ever so close to buying it.  Kinda wish I had, now.
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by Stretch_Dude » Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:22 pm

Ordered it from Amazon, and it came today. May I say, HOLY CRAP. (In a good way, mind you.) Comprehensive, easy to read, and just made of pure wow.
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by Tyrannus » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:27 pm

Come to think about it, I doubt that they would intentionally miss out somewhat important characters like Smithers, Frink and Lovejoy without a very good reason. maybe/hopefully there will be a second handbook which includes them amongst many other characters that were also missed (I'm sure everyone wants to be able to draw the crazy cat lady ;)).

even though the three characters I want to be able to draw (well) most are not included it still seems like it may be worth obtaining and the background tutorials sound quite intriguing.
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You can't have your characters announce how they feel, that makes me feel angry-Beelzebot.
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by archonix » Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:09 pm

Welp, my copy just arrived today too, and I'm also impressed. It's a lot bigger than I imagined it would be... huge, in fact.
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by D.B. » Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:33 pm

I've torn a page in mine  :'(
"The way to succeed is to get born at the right time and in the right place. If you can do that then you are bound to succeed. You have to be receptive and have some talent as well."
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by archonix » Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:48 pm

Silly man.
Our choicest plans have fallen through, our airiest castles tumbled over, because of lines we neatly drew and later neatly stumbled over.
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by Stretch_Dude » Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:51 pm

I memorized "Holy Grail" really well
I can recite it right now and have you ROTFLOL
- "Weird Al" Yankovic, "White and Nerdy"

"Any pile of stunted growth unaware that entertainment is just that and nothing more, deserves to doom themselves to some dank cell, somewhere, for having been so stupid!! Movies, books, T.V., music - they're all just entertainment, not guidebooks for damning yourself!" - Nny

I draw too, dammit!
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by archonix » Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:57 pm

Cool. your homer is a bit fat-necked but otherwise they're really close. I guess it proves that knowing the rules makes things a lot easier. :)
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by c_nordlander » Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:19 pm

Very nice indeed! For con-crit, I agree with Graham about Homer's neck, and Lisa's eyes are indeed a bit too big. But apart from that, they're very on-model and generally a good sight.

Looking forward to seeing more art from your creative pencil.
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by Stretch_Dude » Sat Sep 15, 2007 5:47 pm

I memorized "Holy Grail" really well
I can recite it right now and have you ROTFLOL
- "Weird Al" Yankovic, "White and Nerdy"

"Any pile of stunted growth unaware that entertainment is just that and nothing more, deserves to doom themselves to some dank cell, somewhere, for having been so stupid!! Movies, books, T.V., music - they're all just entertainment, not guidebooks for damning yourself!" - Nny

I draw too, dammit!
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Re: The Simpsons: Handbook

Post by Stretch_Dude » Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:24 pm

I memorized "Holy Grail" really well
I can recite it right now and have you ROTFLOL
- "Weird Al" Yankovic, "White and Nerdy"

"Any pile of stunted growth unaware that entertainment is just that and nothing more, deserves to doom themselves to some dank cell, somewhere, for having been so stupid!! Movies, books, T.V., music - they're all just entertainment, not guidebooks for damning yourself!" - Nny

I draw too, dammit!
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