Tom's Mad Blog
May 23rd, 2010 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: If I have just begun working as a cartoonist/illustrator what should I include in my portfolio since I never gotten published before? I know I should include my best work but what’s the subject for me to illustrate? Finally, how to get my work noticed? A: These days a “portfolio”, meaning a little case that contains samples of your illustration work, is almost a thing of the past. It’s the electronic age, and websites have taken the place of the traditional leather portfolio. Website porfolios have so many benefits over thier physical counterparts… they are accessible 24/7. They do not need to be dropped… READ MORE
May 22nd, 2010 | Posted in MAD Magazine
It’s been a while since news of the proposed bio-pic of the life of MAD publisher William M. Gaines saw any light of day. It’s been in the rumor mill for about 4 years now. About three years ago The MAD Blog linked to reports that Joel Eisenberg and his Iron Mountain Media had picked up the film “life rights” of Gaines and planned to co-produce a biopic based on his life. tentatively titled, “Ghoulishly Yours, William M. Gaines”. A year later director John Landis (Animal House, Blues Brothers, Trading Places, etc.) was attached to the project. Just this past week the film project reared… READ MORE
May 21st, 2010 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
As promised, here is a step by step of the ink wash sketch process I have been using for the sketch series of LOST characters over the last month or two. I’m afraid it’s not exactly scientific, so I don’t know how much people will get from it… but here it is regardless. Our subject again is Daniel Dae Kim as Jin Kwon. Pencil Sketch Here is the initial sketch (darkened to show up better on the screen). I lightly sketch out the caricature using a hard lead, in this case an “H” but a 2H or harder works fine. Ultimately you want the sketch… READ MORE
May 20th, 2010 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
Yesterday there was no post on The MAD Blog. I’d like to point out that in the almost 4 years of the existence of this blog that is only the second time that has happened. Worse, I wimped out on a Wednesday, so there was no “Sketch o’the Week”. My bad. Today I will make up for it by doing not just the last of my LOST themed ink wash sketches, but a step by step of the process. Above is the initial pencil sketch, Daniel Dae Kim as the ?¬?ber cheek-boned Jin Kwon. I darkened the scan so you can see it better… in… READ MORE
May 18th, 2010 | Posted in News
The second edition of the “MAD‘s Greatest Artists” series of book will be released soon, and is available for pre-order on Amazon. This time around the great Sergio Aragon?¬©s is the subject, and this volume features a selection of his best stuff from the last 50 years. Unlike “The Complete Don Martin“, MAD couldn’t do a complete collection of Sergio’s work for the magazine because: He’s still doing work for them and it wouldn’t be a complete collection anyway It would take about 20 volumes to reproduce all the work Sergio has done since his debut in MAD #76 in 1963…. approx 15,000 drawings. Regardless,… READ MORE
May 17th, 2010 | Posted in General
It’s that time of year again, where I spend several days drawing out at my local theme park while the new artists get their skills in order… and that means new samples for the walls of our booths. My updated Tiger Woods above is based on a previous Sketch o’the Week. READ MORE
May 16th, 2010 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I started to simply add this as a comment on your post, but after a second thought I felt it may be better served as a “Sunday Mailbag” question. Regarding your “Sketch O’ The Week” on Wednesday, May 12, you posted the following comments: “I debated whether to even post this caricature of LOST’s Elizabeth Mitchell as Dr. Juliet Burke, since I lost the likeness somewhere along the way between the rough sketch and the final washes. However, seeing as how I didn’t post one at all last week I’d better get something up today.” Does this happen often with your sketches? I ask… READ MORE
May 15th, 2010 | Posted in General
Today starts our 20th season drawing caricatures at Valleyfair theme park in Shakopee, MN… and it’s not snowing. READ MORE
