Tom's Mad Blog
November 6th, 2014 | Posted in Freelancing
It’s no secret the world of publishing and printing is being taken over by digital publishing, the internet and hand held “media consumption” devices. That said, the world of illustration is hardly dying as a result, it is merely changing to fit into the evolving digital world. No corner of the business is immune. Here’s a case in point. Followers of my blog will know I do work for a client called The Marlin Company, which produces workplace communication products that employers purchase on a subscription basis with monthly messages of teamwork, stress management, safety, etc. as well as other useful information tailored to various… READ MORE
November 5th, 2014 | Posted in Classic Rock Sketch Series
This week’s subject is the late, great Jimi Hendrix. You have to wonder what music today would be like if he had lived to influence it further. I think it would be VERY different had he never lived at all… READ MORE
November 4th, 2014 | Posted in News
The Winsor Newton Series 7 watercolor brush is considered by many comic artists, myself included, to be the best inking brush available. I’ve tried other brushes, including both synthetic and natural hair, and none I’ve found are comparable. Series 7s have a tremendous “snapping” quality that allow the brush to keep its shape and point, and return right back to it, with vigorous use. They resist splitting and last for a long time with proper care. Unfortunately, they have become very hard to get in the U.S. thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and something called the Convention on International Trade in Endangered… READ MORE
November 3rd, 2014 | Posted in Monday MADness
Well, technically election day is tomorrow but today is “Monday MADness”, so here’s an election day themed blast from the past: In October of 2000 MAD was putting together it’s annual “MAD 20 People, Events and Things” issue and I was assigned the obligatory page making fun of the presidential election of that year, George W. Bush versus Al Gore. The issue was going to press on Nov. 8th, the day after the election. Not knowing who was going to win, I was asked to do two versions of the image, one with Bush being sworn in and one with Gore, showing the appropriate despondent… READ MORE
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
