Tom's Mad Blog
December 30th, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Do you have some set of rules that determine a particular way a caricature should be done depending on face shape or features or is it simply an acquired gut feeling? A: If by “rules” you mean following a template that is applied to any face that is drawn, then absolutely not. Following the same rules or pattern of exaggeration for all faces isn’t caricature, it’s stylization and distortion. If you apply the same relationship of features, for example, on each face you draw, you may get a likeness depending on your skill with the individual features but you would be missing the target… READ MORE
December 29th, 2007 | Posted in General
In case you haven’t seen it via Drawn! or the Wisenhiemer Cartoonists forum, here’s a link to Gizmodo’s review of the new 12″ portable Cintiq tablet/display from Wacom. It features a video with unpacking and the creating of a color image of “Bender” from “Futurama” along with subtitles commentary. The verdict from Gizmodo is “professional artists: GET IT!”. Another independent and even more in depth review can be found at my friend Cedric Hohnstadt’s blog. Cedric got the new Cintiq and has good things to say. Both these reviews are highly useful as they are done by working artists, as opposed to being reviewed by… READ MORE
December 28th, 2007 | Posted in General
I know I’m a tough guy to get gifts for. The Lovely Anna constantly reminds me of this. She says it’s not that I don’t want or need anything, it’s just that I have this habit of buying things I want for myself… Well, I hate waiting. Lately Anna and I have been in the habit of getting something together and calling it our Christmas present to each other. This year it was a case of six bottles of Silver Oak cabernet sauvignon, 1998-2003 that had a Thomas Arvid painting reproduced on the case lid. Anna loves Arvid’s work, which is a realistic style of… READ MORE
December 27th, 2007 | Posted in General
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December 26th, 2007 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
Another quick study of a politician, this time Ohio congressman, presidential hopeful, veggie-munching, UFO spotting democrat Dennis Kucinich. READ MORE
December 25th, 2007 | Posted in General
Here’s hoping everyone has a fun and safe holiday, whatever you may celebrate, with family and friends. READ MORE
December 24th, 2007 | Posted in General
I’m a little busy right now trying to wrap up a few things by year’s end, and I guess there is some kind of holiday going on tomorrow? I’ll have to check my calendar… in the meantime here is a rough image of a job that fell through last week. I mentioned it in a previous “On the Drawing Board” post. It was going to be a movie poster for a film that will be in the Sundance Film Festival next month. It’s a documentary following two researchers abroad on their quest. I’ve blocked out the title just in case it was supposed to be… READ MORE
December 23rd, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: When you were first starting out, how did your parents react to your decision to become a cartoonist? Were they supportive of your chosen profession, try to talk you out of it, or somewhere in between? Also, how did the in-laws feel about having their daughter marry someone who aspired to become one of “the usual gang of idiots”? A: As a young kid my parents were very supportive of my desire to be an artist. In fact, they enrolled me in the “Art Instruction Schools” correspondence art program when I was 14. I did about three lessons with them before realizing the “individual”… READ MORE
