Tom's Mad Blog
January 26th, 2020 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I’ve heard you mention, briefly, about being able to draw people in various positions, while maintaining a likeness, and have been wondering about your work drawing celebrities (or anyone) for the parodies that you do. Are you doing them from references that are in the pose that you want? Or are you using your knowledge of facial construction to “cheat” the pose? A bit of both? I have found it daunting to find references in a certain position, and have had limited success trying to “cheat” the pose. A: It’s a little of both, especially with regard to doing a movie or TV parody… READ MORE
January 24th, 2020 | Posted in General
I don’t do a lot of comic cons… really just a handful each year. They are exhausting but fun and the ones I do generate enough revenue for it to make sense to spend that time away from the studio. As much as I like meeting and talking with people and connecting with readers of my work, studio time is valuable and being away means less time to do the work that pays my bills. I make no secret of it…I’m trying to sell stuff at these cons. One thing I don’t charge for is my signature, although I have certain rules about that. There… READ MORE
January 23rd, 2020 | Posted in Illustration Throwback Thursday
Here’s a full page and two spot illustrations I did for GQ magazine back in 2016. It was a story about famous “brothers” both fictional and real life. Above was the full pager with The Manning and Affleck brothers plus the three actors who played the fictional brothers in the TV “Empire”. Below are spots with the Gronkowski brothers and the Koch brothers. These illustrations were actually never used. I was told GQ had a couple of illustrators do different takes on the art and then they decided to go with photos instead. I got paid full rate rather than a kill fee, however. READ MORE
January 22nd, 2020 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
This week’s sketch is a new one of iconic sex symbol Marilyn Monroe. As always, the original is available in the Studio Store. READ MORE
January 21st, 2020 | Posted in General
This is a pretty funny ad for car insurance featuring a live caricature artist. I’m guessing the lady is an actor and they hired someone else to do the artwork, just because that’s how showbiz works. Maybe they did find an artist who was also the kind of actor they wanted, but unlikely. Kudos to the creators to cast an older, plump lady for this role rather than some skinny young guy. The end gag is funny. Basically the same one as this video from 2008: Many years ago the local theme park I have operations at here in Minnesota did a series TV ads… READ MORE
January 20th, 2020 | Posted in MAD Magazine
In a couple of weeks Showtime’s “Homeland” begins its final season. MAD spoofed the show back in #523 (Oct 2013) with art by me, written by David Shayne. The splash page of the spoof is above. In an interview for the Hollywood Reporter, series star Claire Danes has this to say about the popularity of the show: There were parodies on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and in MAD magazine. That’s a real sign that you’ve made it, getting roasted. – Claire Danes on the popularity of “Homeland” That’s an opinion shared by a lot of people who make TV shows and films. Not going forward, of course. :/ READ MORE
January 19th, 2020 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I wanted to follow up on something you mentioned a short while ago about “getting yourself out there” as a caricaturist – with the aim of getting commissions/studio work. You had said to use social media “especially Instagram.” Would you mind elaborating on that point? How would one go about that? Beyond posting a lot and liking others work, I mean. I set up a business page, but, unless I’m doing something wrong, I don’t see how that’s much different than a personal one. Is it all about the hashtags? Getting likes? A: I think having a strong social media presence is a must… READ MORE
January 17th, 2020 | Posted in News
Attention European artists!! My planned workshop in Vienna, Austria is just 6 months away and I am still several students short of my minimum to not cancel the class. I have a few months to reach the minimum of 12 before I would have to pay a fee to cancel the event, but it is teetering on the brink right now. This workshop and the one the following weekend in Dublin are my only two workshops in Europe in 2020. It will be at least a year or longer before I get back across the Atlantic to teach again, so if your New Year’s resolution… READ MORE
