Richmond Illustration Inc.

Tom's Mad Blog

What, Me Play?

April 14th, 2011 | Posted in MAD Magazine

Think you know how to flush a toilet? Pick a zit? Reel in the world’s ugliest fish? Play the new MAD game on the Cartoon Network website and find out. READ MORE

On the Road Again…

April 13th, 2011 | Posted in General

Sorry no sketch o’the week this week as I am in Massachusetts setting up our operation at Six Flags New England for the 2011 season. READ MORE

Hundreds of MADs

April 12th, 2011 | Posted in MAD Magazine

The Hundreds visits the offices of MAD, no longer on MADison Avenue (okay, they moved from there decades ago) but still a fun place to see. If you look closely you can see the bottom of my original of the splash from “Harry Plodder and the Torture of the Fanbase” just above Hermann’s original from “Road to Perdition” in art director Sam Viviano‘s office. Sam and I had a deal for years that we would trade originals sometime. He gave me the art from his parody of “Halloween” from MAD #376. Then he said he would wait until I actually did something GOOD for the… READ MORE

Bobble Me

April 11th, 2011 | Posted in General

The 112th Congress Edition of Bobble Rep should be available in the Apple App Store soon now… just awaiting Apple’s approval. Of course, you never know with Apple. Maybe this time they’ll decide my artwork was racist because 90% of the caricatures I did were of old, white guys. Well, this is the U.S. Congress after all. Just for fun film director and app creator Ray Griggs had me do bobblehead versions of the people who produced the program, so above is my bobblehead. Another old, white guy. Anyway, look for that updated app with 107 new congressional caricatures coming soon. READ MORE

Sunday Mailbag

April 10th, 2011 | Posted in Mailbag

Q: I’m a hard working freelance cartooning/comic making guy with a few decent clients and long studio hours. I work at an art related job during the day, and at night I do two different comics for a regular client as well as many freelance caricature commissions. I want to help boost my commissions and find some more good clients. Any advice on growing as a freelancer? A: I get a lot of “How do I break into freelancing” type questions, but not too many from people already finding work but looking for more. Honestly the advice I’d give those just getting started and… READ MORE

Wonder Fashion

April 8th, 2011 | Posted in General

Super Hero media saturation is really reaching outrageous proportions these days. Since the success of the Spider-Man, Batman and now Iron Man films, Hollywood can’t get enough of superheroes. Films on the way from Marvel include Thor, Captian America, X-Men: First Class and supposedly followed by the Avengers featuring both Iron Man and the Hulk, a reboot of Spider-Man and another Wolverine. On the DC side, Green Lantern is coming out shortly with a third Batman and yet ANOTHER reboot of Superman on the horizon. Even television is getting in on the act. A new series featuring on Wonder Woman is shooting a pilot for… READ MORE

Sketch o’the Week

April 7th, 2011 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week

One day late this week…. my apologies. Quick 15 minute or so study of singer Taylor Swift. READ MORE

The Art of the Cereal Box

April 5th, 2011 | Posted in General

Yesterday’s nostalgic post about kid’s breakfast cereals, and some of the comments, got me thinking about how influential the art on cereal boxes have been over the years in the world of cartooning. I did a quick internet search looking for a book on the subject, but it appears there is none. There is an out of print 1995 book called Cerealizing America: The Unsweetened Story of American Breakfast Cereal by Scott Bruce and Bill Crawford, but I have no idea if it’s centralized on the cartoon character angle.¬¨‚Ä† Somebody needs to do a “The Art of the Cereal Box” coffee table book. I… READ MORE