Richmond Illustration Inc.

Tom's Mad Blog

Sketch o’the Week- Jaimie Alexander!

September 7th, 2016 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week

This week’s subject is “Blindspot” star Jaimie Alexander! READ MORE

Should I Go to Art School?

September 6th, 2016 | Posted in General

I get this question often, especially from young artists (or the parents or young artists) who are seeking advice on art as a career and the role of higher education in that career. Artists that ask this question seem to lean towards the idea that higher education is a waste of time and money, and parents of young artists that ask it lean towards the idea that college is a necessity. Both are wrong to some degree. Art school or no art school is an age old question, but one with an easy answer… if you find the right school it is worth the time… READ MORE

Monday MADness: Home Theater Roughs!

September 5th, 2016 | Posted in Monday MADness

Funny what you find when digging through your flat files. I had no idea I still had this. It is the pencil rough for the first piece I ever had printed in MAD, done almost exactly 16 years ago. “Gadgets to Really Make Home Theater Like Going to the Movies!” was written by Dick DeBartolo and appeared in MAD #399, Oct 2000. Here’s what the final looked like in the magazine: READ MORE

Sunday Mailbag: Empty!

September 4th, 2016 | Posted in Mailbag

Looks like it’s that time again… no questions to answer in the mailbag. I actually only have to post this maybe once or twice a year, and only because many of the questions I get are repeats of ones I have answered more than once in the past (I’ve had this feature running for ten years, and this is the 484th “mailbag” post) or of the “please show me how to crosshatch” variety that are impossible to answer in a few paragraphs. Several regular readers have accounted for a great many of the questions answered here, and for that I thank them. It’s entirely possible… READ MORE

From the Freelance Files: Storyboarding

September 2nd, 2016 | Posted in Freelancing

I know a lot of artists who make a great living doing storyboards, which for those who do not know is a kind of comic-book style way of visually mapping out a live action or animated sequence. Movies, TV shows, animation, commercials… anything that ends up on a screen usually uses storyboards as the visual translation of the script. Storyboards can range from very rough drawings to what looks like finished comicbook art, color and all. I haven’t done a lot of storyboard work. I did a few storyboard jobs for commercials for a local Twin Cities studio many years ago, and for a couple… READ MORE

On the Drawing Board- 9/1/16

September 1st, 2016 | Posted in Freelancing

Here’s what’s piled up on the drawing board right now: Just finished the cover of HITS Magazine Three page gag article for MAD “Z People” Comic Product Illustration job for Jeff Dunham Assorted personal projects Marlin poster Illustration Speaking of that last, above is the final art for the illustration that is in print this month for Marlin. Sketch below. READ MORE

Sketch o’the Week- Gene Wilder!

August 31st, 2016 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week

After his passing I had to do a sketch of Gene Wilder this week. Thanks for the many hours of movie magic, Mr. Wilder! READ MORE

R.I.P. Gene Wilder

August 30th, 2016 | Posted in General

I was sad to hear of the passing of Gene Wilder yesterday. He has always been a favorite of the Richmond family. The kids loved “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” when they were little, and then graduated to some of his great collaborations with Mel Brooks in “Blazing Saddles” and “Young Frankenstein”. I remember when he was a big star in the late 70’s and early 80’s in movies like “Stir Crazy”, “Silver Streak”, “The Frisco Kid”, “The World’s Greatest Lover”, and “Haunted Honeymoon”. I haven’t seen any of those movies in 30+ years, but I remember them fondly. He was an understated but… READ MORE