Talks to Watch

Illustrating Crafting Interpreters

12K views · Mar 25, 2018 · 9:24 · 2 HN recommenders · 4 mentions · discussed 2020–2024

Bob Nystrom shows his process for hand-drawing the diagrams in his book Crafting Interpreters, from pencil sketches to tracing and inking. It is a time-lapse of the whole illustration workflow.

Why Hacker News points people here: Shared in Crafting Interpreters threads because it shows the care behind the book and is satisfying to watch.

“the time-lapse video of the entire process is like ASMR for geeks”HN comment, 2020

What Hacker News said 4

RecommendsairstrikeApr 2020

“the time-lapse video of the entire process is like ASMR for geeks”

Time-lapse of hand-drawing the book's illustrations.

Full comment

> I used to do graphic design, and I have this weird tic where any time I see something that looks handwritten, I look for multiple instances of the same letter to see if they are different or if the design just used a handwriting font. It’s almost always a handwriting font and I die a little inside to see the illusion evaporate. Not a graphic designer, but I do the exact same thing and feel the exact same way... Happy to see I'm not crazy alone And his look like really neat hand-drawn diagrams! I certainly appreciate the degree of craftsmanship and care displayed throughout both books As a someone put it on YouTube, the time-lapse video of the entire process is like ASMR for geeks this video

in “Crafting “Crafting Interpreters”” · view on HN
RecommendsvishnuguptaFeb 2022

“The author's love for their craft oozes through their work.”

Shows the hand-drawn illustrations in the book being made.

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Related. The author's love for their craft oozes through their work. If I'm not wrong every single illustration in the book is hand-drawn ; like literally. Take a look: this video

in “Crafting Interpreters – Web Version” · view on HN
Cites itmunificentJul 2021

“Here's a video of me making one”

Author shows the process of hand-drawing the book's illustrations.

Full comment

Literally hand drawn with my hands. Here's a video of me making one: this video It's, like, comically time consuming. But also pretty satisfying.

in “Crafting Interpreters is available in print” · view on HN
Cites itmunificentFeb 2024

“Here's a video I put together showing the process”

Author's video of drawing the illustrations on paper.

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You're welcome! People always assume I drew them digitally somehow, but nope, literally on paper with pencil and pen. Here's a video I put together showing the process: this video

in “Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning” · view on HN