Tom's Mad Blog
November 2nd, 2014 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: (I’m paraphrasing this one from a non-english speaking emailer’s question) I’m a caricaturist and sometimes when I’m working on a sketch of a subject I just can’t get the likeness. I will redo it several times and ask others like my wife what they think, and even though they know who it is supposed to be I am still unhappy with it. Does this happen to you? Do you have a trick to drive you back out of a seeming impasse? A: This happens to every caricaturist at one point or another. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it… you… READ MORE
October 31st, 2014 | Posted in General
Be safe out there, kids! READ MORE
October 30th, 2014 | Posted in Illustration Throwback Thursday
Clicky to Embiggen… I did the illustration above in 1997 for a syndicated radio show called “Backtrax USA”, which played retro music from the 1980’s. I don’t like doing logos but in this case the logo was provided and my task was to add caricatures of some iconic 80’s rock stars and the shows host Kid Kelly. This was one of my earliest digital color illustrations, I think. I shortly thereafter abandoned the “airbrush” tool in PhotoShop and started using regular brushes with pressure-sensitive opacity settings to get a more watercolor-like look. The original agreement was for use on promotional items like mousepads and T-shirts,… READ MORE
October 29th, 2014 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
Clicky to embiggen… The last of our Halloween themed sketches- Elsa Lanchester as “the Bride” from the 1935 film “Bride of Frankenstein”. Done using various pens and markers. READ MORE
October 28th, 2014 | Posted in General
Six years ago I had my wife, The Lovely Anna, be my first (and last) guest blogger here on The MAD Blog. She wrote the following post about being the wife of a freelancer which I am reposting today because I am still on vacation (with The Lovely Anna) so I don’t have time to write and neither does she. All she says here is still true over six years later except we’ve now been married 26 years, all our kids are graduated from high school and either off living life or going to college (except The Animated Elizabeth, who will be home with us… READ MORE
October 27th, 2014 | Posted in Monday MADness
Not exactly from MAD this week but rather an odd MAD-releated job from Warner Bros Consumer Products, which to my knowledge has never been used. WB has contracted me in the past to do a number of Alfred E. Neuman illustrations they use on various products. I did one for the International Spy Museum, and several as seasonal Alfred images like for St. Paddy’s Day and Halloween. This one was (I think) also for Halloween a few years ago, but it was never explained to me what the specific use was supposed to be. It’s a pretty bizarre concept- an Alfred/Little Red Riding Hood mash-up.… READ MORE
October 26th, 2014 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: How’s your finger healing? I have to imagine that was a little scary… did it limit your work and are you having any lasting effects? A: If you are not a FaceBook friend of mine, you are probably wondering “what did you do to your finger?” Well, here’s the story… Warning: graphic photos to follow. Late last month The Lovely Anna, The Animated Elizabeth and I took a short trip down to my old hometown of La Crescent, MN for my 30th high school class reunion. We stayed with my dad and step-mom’s place in nearby La Crosse, WI. The morning of my reunion,… READ MORE
October 24th, 2014 | Posted in On the Drawing Board
Clicky to Embiggen… Well, nothing is in front of me since I am currently on my way to the Caribbean for a well-deserved vacation, but there’s plenty on the old drawing board awaiting my return: MAD 20 piece– 1 pager. This will be the first issue of MAD since #520 back in April of 2013 without a movie or TV parody drawn by me in it! Z-People Comic– Wrapping up the first chapter! Jeff Dunham Illustrations– He’s been keeping me busy lately. The latest are product illustrations for his new Las Vegas show. Marlin Poster– My usual monthly assignment Speaking of The Marlin Co., above… READ MORE
