Tom's Mad Blog
November 19th, 2012 | Posted in General
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVNRW7fgf1A[/youtube] Cartoonist and animator Michael Jantze just posted the Jib-Jabish animated intro he cooked up with NCS Reuben Award’s emcee Tom Gammill to introduce the nominees of the Reuben Award this past May in Las Vegas. This played on the big screens before we were introduced. Great, fun job by Michael. He also did this looping video graphic which played on a few screens during the big MAD 60th Anniversary party that same weekend: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwAfTAqwC4M&feature=share&list=UUJIY8yGi6ppSWBimey4TakA[/youtube] You can visit his YouTube channel here. He and his partner in crime, Minnesota native animator Kelly McNutt, create some really great stuff… I especially like his animated comic strips. READ MORE
November 18th, 2012 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Did you always want to be a caricaturist and illustrator? Did your parents support or discourage your career choice? A: I have wanted to be an artist, since before I can remember. The 1960’s Batman TV show was what started it. I was born in 1966, the year the show began, so by the time I was old enough to watch TV it was already off the air but in endless reruns. My parents say even when I was as young as two, I would come scurrying into the living room when they turned up the volume during the opening theme song. Then… READ MORE
November 16th, 2012 | Posted in General
Desperately trying to finish a MAD job by Fri morning. READ MORE
November 15th, 2012 | Posted in General
I’m going to be one of several guest speakers at the third annual Success in the World of Comics Seminar, happening February 16th and 17th in Annapolis, MD. These seminars are organized by Chad Carpenter and Bill Kellogg, the pair behind the wildly successful self-syndicated comic strip Tundra. When it comes to the business of cartooning in the 21st century, when these guys talk, aspiring cartoonists should listen. Here’s a complete lineup of speakers: Chad Carpenter –Creator of Tundra, the most widely self-syndicated strips in papers Bill Kellogg – The marketing guru behind Tundra; founder of Ink Bottle Syndicate Tom Gammill – Writer/Producer of The… READ MORE
November 14th, 2012 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
This is a quick study for a job, actually. Former Governor of Illinois Rod “Blago” Blagojevich, currently cooling his heels in Federal prision. Terrible politician and human being, great face for caricature. READ MORE
November 13th, 2012 | Posted in Freelancing
. . . is that caricature illustrators like me no longer enjoy the increase in work we get drawing the various candidates amid the endless media coverage. I did the above quick spot for an internal promotion for a publicity company. In election years I do more high profile things like magazine covers and get jobs from publications and clients that ordinarily don’t use caricature illustration than in a non-election year. I believe I did one magazine cover, multiple interior illustration including one for MAD, and several smaller projects like the one above thanks to it being an election year…and this election year was a… READ MORE
November 12th, 2012 | Posted in General
A very happy Veteran’s Day to all the brave men and women who have served our country in the U.S. military. It’s been my great privilege to participate several USO tours with other cartoonists to visit with and draw for our troops, giving me a chance to thank them for their service . . . they are all heroes. READ MORE
November 11th, 2012 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I’m trying to get the hang of inking the old-fashioned way, with a dip pen and brush, and I just can’t seem to get it to work for me. My ink lines never seem to make the drawing look like the pencil did, no matter how much I try to match the drawing. I also have problems with the link pooling up or smearing, especially with the dip pen. Is it really just practice I need? Would going digital be better for me? A: Join the club. I go through the same problems every time I pick up the ink pen. Sometimes the ink… READ MORE
