This week’s sketch is of Swedish actor Bill Skarsgård, star of both of the recent Stephen King based movie “IT” and TV show “Castle Rock”. I just got done watching the first season of Castle Rock, and time willing I will write a review and my thoughts on the show tomorrow from the view of a big fan of King’s work. As always, the original of this sketch is available in the Studio Store. READ MORE
Where did MAD‘s idiot boy mascot, the ageless Alfred E. Neuman, originate? That’s a question I get a lot, and one that has no certain answer, but a lot of interesting history. The image seen above is from the earliest known (so far) appearance of a character that contains all the most recognizable characteristics of Alfred: the frontal portrait angle, the wide and squat head shape, the pointy chin, the grin with missing teeth and round cheeks, the big ears, the freckles and tossled mop of hair. This is from a promotional poster for the 1894 play “The New Boy”, starring James T. Powers. It… READ MORE
This week’s Monday MADness is a look at the pencil roughs and final art for MAD‘s parody of the TV show ‘Medium” from MAD #454, June 2005, written by Dick DeBartolo. The show starred Patricia Arquette, Jake Webber and Miguel Sandoval. I had some fun with Patricia Arquette’s character’s penchant for wearing blouses about two sizes too small that made it look as if her very ample bosom was a few straining button-threads away from bursting forth… so there are popping buttons galore. The murderer in this parody is actually a fellow caricaturist I know, Dan Minamide aka “Dan the Cartoon Man”. Here’s a look… READ MORE
Q: Did you ever had fear of disappointing a customer? Did this change over time or is this just a fear for beginners? A: I’m assuming you are referring to “retail” live caricature, where you are selling your caricatures directly to the subjects like at a theme park or a fair setting. That’s mostly an issue with very beginning artists, although I suppose anyone can have those fears. It’s a result of not having confidence in your work. It’s actually pretty rare because the very act of doing live caricature, spontaneous drawings at speed with an audience looking over your shoulder and the subject of… READ MORE
Thanks for all the great feedback on the possible second edition of the book. I received a lot of great thoughts as well as some enthusiastic support of the idea. Some of the suggestions were things I was already planning on doing, and some were things I didn’t realize people would like to see added or see more of. The second book will contain (among other possible things): Rewritten and rethought concepts and approach of caricature fundamentals throughout New sections or expanded sections about drawing children, older people, specifics like mustaches. beards, glasses, etc. A chapter on drawing/exaggerating bodies Expanded chapter on live caricature techniques,… READ MORE
I’m going to start posting a look at my favorite panel from my most recent MAD job, just for fun… and to give me something to post. In MAD #4 I did the art for a parody (kind of) of the “Svengoolie” TV show, a classic horror movie show where host Svengoolie plays a different old school horror flick and intersperses facts about the film and cast along with comedy bits throughout the movie. The show is on MeTV, which mainly shows reruns of old TV shows. The gag in the parody is that these reruns keep mashing up into the movie Svengoolie is showing,… READ MORE
I mentioned this in passing a few weeks ago here, but I am seriously considering doing a substantial rewriting of my book The Mad Art of Caricature“. In teaching all these workshops I have come up with some new concepts and ways to explain the process of seeing and drawing a caricature that I think are worthy of inclusion. To be honest, these workshops have changed the way I approach my caricatures as well as how I teach others. That said, it will be a lot of work to revamp the book because I am not talking about adding a couple of pages of fluff.… READ MORE
I’m looking forward to seeing the Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” soon, so I thought I’d take a new stab at the late, great Freddie Mercury. As usual, the original of this sketch is available in the Studio Store. READ MORE
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