Cartooning With the Simpsons

by Matt Groening

Book Overview

READY AIM DRAW Take an official cartooning lesson from the demented folks behind The Simpsons , and pick up oodles of insider tips on how to draw cartoons like a pro. PLUS Find out the secrets of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0590512994
• ISBN13: 9780590512992
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Drawin' the Simpsons

This is just great! I'm sure every Simpsons fan has wondered if they could draw America's favorite family, and I'm sure plenty of you have got it down-packed. But if you just can't draw Bart's head, or Marge's body, I strongly suggest you buy this book (and afterwords, if you STILL can't draw them right, trace, hee hee). The book teaches you how to draw Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie's anatomy, and the best thing about the book is if you look at a picture of another character (for example, Apu), you can use Homer's anatomy (not making him so fat, mind you) and draw Apu from there. It's a great guide, so if you're a Simpsons fan and love to draw...buy it. Buy it now!

This is one of the best cartooning books ever

I am an illustrator, animator, AND I work at Fox. My copy of this book has gotten so much use over the 7-odd years I've had this, it should be falling apart. This is why this is such a great book:1) IT'EASY AND IT'S FUN. Many "how-to" aniimation and cartooning books purportedly cater to children, yet the drawing level is way beyond most entry-level artists; the Simpsons, by Groening's own admission started out as lame doodles. Everything is made up of circles and squiggles - perfect!2) IT'S WELL ORGANIZED AND VERSATILE. There are many poses and expressions to try drawing, which set you into the whole "vocabulary" of the Simpsons.3) IT'S FUNNY, AND REALLY EDUCATIONAL. Tips like "Bend those elbows!" and "Marge's hair hides two bowling balls," not only get a laugh, but really give you an insight on how to contruct a solid animated figure.I refer to this book all the time, even for my own drawings. For the money, this has been one of the most useful pieces of reference I have. Get it for your favorite starving artist, or doodling kid.

Kick-start your cartooning practice

Okay, what is the deal with these silly complaints that this book doesn't reveal any "secrets." What secrets? If anyone believes he or she will be able to instantly draw cartoons well after simply reading this or any other book, they need to get in touch with reality. The bottom line is: the secret of doing ANYTHING well -- and that includes cartooning -- is to PRACTICE. A LOT. That said, this is a great little book. It's written with a generous dose of humor, and it tells you exactly how to draw the Simpsons in certain poses. In other words, it's a good basic cartooning book if you are interested in drawing these specific characters and are willing to do the practice necessary to learn to draw them well. Once you're familiar with the construction of those little yellow bodies, then you can start making them do what you want them to do. (PRACTICE, remember?) If you have talent and imagination, it may also help get you started on drawing your own characters. No magic, no secrets, just a good book on how to draw the Simpsons.

Finally a Usful Cartooning Book

I am a professional illustrator and am very impressed with Mr. Groening. Of course, it doesn't hurt I'm a huge fan of the show but this book is for everyone. The problem with most cartooning books is they create characters simply for the book so they always end up looking stupid. This book came after the characters were refined and it shows people of all ages how to approach cartooning. I'm adding it to my reference collection of illlstrating techniques.

Short, yes, but very useful, specially for young cartoonists

Quick, simple, zesty, and absoloutely to the point, this handsome shiny-covered tome lays out the exact understructure and detailing techniques used by professional animators to bring the USA's fave cartoon family to life. Read this, study it, work through it, internalize the time-honoured principles it espouses, and you'll be well on your beady-eyed little way to becoming the next multi-mega-millionaire creator of a smash-hit globally syndicated classic-n-beloved tv-toon franchise.