Tom's Mad Blog
May 27th, 2012 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I have seen your caricature of Michael Jackson (this one here) on display at a number of caricature stands, mostly at theme parks (i.e.Hersheypark here in PA). I know that you work with and train people at a number of theme parks, so does the fact they have your drawing posted mean you work/have worked with that park? Do you feel it’s a bit of a cheat or false advertising to have examples of someone else’s work on display? A: There are different answers regarding this issue depending on the situation, including seeing actual copies of my artwork and another artist redrawing my artwork:… READ MORE
May 25th, 2012 | Posted in News
Artwork by Ed Steckley The 66th Annual NCS Reuben Awards Weekend kicks off today in sunny Henderson Nevada! The illustration above was done by my pal, illustrator extraordinaire Ed Steckley, and is the official 2012 Reuben image that will appear on all the T-shirts, the fabulous Reuben Journal, programs, etc. Great job by Ed on what is never an easy thing to pull off (spoken from experience). Actual humans depicted clockwise from left to right (staring at 10 o’clock) Silver T-Square recipient Steve McGarry, Reuben award nominee me!, NCS Gold Key recipient Stan Goldberg, Reuben award nominees Brian Crane and Stephan Pastis. Plus a ton… READ MORE
May 24th, 2012 | Posted in General
Okay, so I have actually been in Vegas since Tuesday gearing up for the NCS Reuben Awards, but today will be my official unofficial “traveling” post. In fact, today I will be speaking at the Art Institutes Las Vegas with a few fellow members of the Usual Gang of Idiots, including Sergio Aragon?¬©s, Jack Davis, Don “Duck” Edwing, Al Jaffee and Sam Viviano. It’s a shame I couldn’t find any talented MAD artists for the group. !!!!! READ MORE
May 23rd, 2012 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
Our Sketch o’the Week subject this week is singer/songwriter/entertainer Bruno Mars. My youngest daughter, The Effervescent Gabrielle, was one of the leads singing his hit “Marry You” in Eastview High School’s “Bravo 2012”. Bravo is an annual variety show the school puts on, and it’s an amazing production as Eastview HS is one of the premier showcases of musical performance talent in the state. Number One Son Thomas was also in the show, and filled in with a solo of Wicked’s “Dancing Through Life” when one of the other kids had to miss a few performances. . . Yes, I am a proud father. READ MORE
May 22nd, 2012 | Posted in News
In a spectacular, last minute over-the-shoulder running catch in deep left field, the Kenosha Festival of Cartooning’s Kickstarter campaign is officially funded! Many thanks to the ninety¬¨‚Ć folks who donated to make the festival happen, and especially to the National Cartoonists Society Foundation who’s matching funds pledge made the difference. Congratulations to Anne Hambrock and company, it is sure to be a fantastic event. In fact, Anne recently announced it just got even more fantastic…the Festival has added award winning cartoonist Hilary Price (Rhymes with Orange) as a new guest speaker! That makes it an even more stellar lineup: Stephan Pastis – Pearls Before Swine… READ MORE
May 21st, 2012 | Posted in News
Many months ago the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont contacted the National Cartoonists Society to enlist members to participate in an interesting publication project they were putting together called The Cartoon Crier. They described the project as follows: “The Cartoon Crier” is a one-shot tabloid newspaper that will explore the relationship between humor and sorrow in comics.¬¨‚Ć The content will consist of comic strips, gags, articles, and illustrations created by NCS members as well as the students, alumni, and faculty of CCS.¬¨‚Ć The release date is March 2012 and the paper will be distributed for free at comics conventions and colleges.¬¨‚Ć The editors hope… READ MORE
May 20th, 2012 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Do you normally ask permission from the people you know (friends, officemates, relatives) before you draw/caricature them? Were there such a case when they didn’t take it so well, or found it offensive? A: Have I ever offended anyone? Sure, and that’s funny considering my style of caricature is not very derogatory or offensive. When doing live caricature you occasionally get people who don’t like the results. Sometimes it’s because the drawing is legitimately “off” (you can’t win them all), but often it’s their problem. To paraphrase Jack Nicholson from “A Few Good Men”…some people just can’t handle the truth. So far no one… READ MORE
May 18th, 2012 | Posted in News
It’s down to the wire for the Kenosha Festival of Cartooning’s Kickstarter campaign to help fund the event. It’s woefully short right now with only 4 days to go. This is very disappointing. Outside of comic book conventions, which few outside the working industry actually attend, there are not many events where the general public can meet and listen to prominent cartoonists speak about what they do and how they do it. For free. The lineup is pretty stellar: Stephan Pastis of Pearls Before Swine Greg Cravens of The Buckets Michael Jantze from The Norm and Jantze Animation Studios Norm Feuti of Retail and Gil… READ MORE
