Tom's Mad Blog
October 20th, 2007 | Posted in General
Another Disneyworld vacation in the books. Over ten years ago I did a big job for a software company that produced parody and comedic CD-ROM titles and we spent the money I earned on a 2 bedroom timeshare in Orlando. Number One Son Thomas was just born, and since he was to be our last we were looking at a decade of having young kids and needing a place to go every year. That ended up being a smart decision… we’ve now visited Orlando ten years running, and while the focus of our days has changed we still enjoy our week of Disney magic. Of… READ MORE
October 19th, 2007 | Posted in General
I’m driving along a busy road one summer not too long ago on my way to somewhere in the southern suburbs of the Twin Cities, and roll up to a stop light. As I’m waiting, I look around and see a bus stop bench on the right hand side of the street. On it’s back is one of those advertisement signs they always have on those benches. This billboard was of two realtors advertising their services. I did a double take at this one… very prominently on it was a caricature of two people, presumably the realtors of whom the advertisement was the subject. I… READ MORE
October 18th, 2007 | Posted in News
Several times I’ve mentioned the National Caricaturist Network here on the blog. The NCN is an organization of professional caricaturists from all over the world (even though it’s still called the “National” Caricaturist Network, membership from outside the US has swelled to a sizable proportion). They represent not just live caricaturists from the theme park and party circuit, but illustrators, painters, sculptors, graphic artists… as long as an artist’s work revolves around caricature it’s a welcome fit. There are some seriously talented artists within the NCN, and it’s quite an inspiration to see their work. Here’s an old blog post about how I got involved… READ MORE
October 17th, 2007 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
I try and make sure my Wednesday “Sketch O’the Week” is something I do in my sketchbook purely for the joy of drawing and not for a job. However this week I am going to cheat and share these extremely quick studies of some presidential candidate nominees I did as part of a cover job I finished late last week. Joe Biden Sam Brownback Christopher Dodd Mitt Romney Fred Thompson These are very loose. I scanned then in and arranged them on a page that included 10 different primary candidates for an insurance magazine. I’ll share that cover as soon as it’s been published. READ MORE
October 16th, 2007 | Posted in MAD Magazine
On news stands today, October 16th: MAD # 483 (Nov. 2007) Cover (Mark Fredrickson) The Fundalini Pages (Sergio Aragon?¬©s, John Caldwell, Duck Edwing, Todd Eisner, Garth Gerhart, Jeff Kruse, Jacob Lambert, Scott Maiko, Ben Schultz, Jack Syracuse, Rick Tulka, Jason Yungbluth) When Other Advertising Characters Get TV Shows (Scott Maiko, Tom Richmond) Rejected Hilary Clinton Campaign Slogans (Nathaniel Stein, Paul Coker) A MAD Look at Zombies (Sergio Aragon?¬©s) Planet TAD!!!!! (Tim Carvell) The Strip Club (Rob Harrell, Dan Long, Jason Yungbluth, Paul Gilligan, Keith Knight, Scott Nickel, Douglas Paszekiewicz) The Magical Bear That Made People’s Dreams Come True (Brian McConnachie, Leonardo Rodriguez) One Day in… READ MORE
October 15th, 2007 | Posted in Freelancing
Over the years I’ve picked up a lot of tips and advice from artists I greatly respect about the best way to make a living freelancing. While there are differing opinions about a few concepts and approaches, most of the successful freelancers I’ve talked to tend to agree about the fundamentals like developing strong relationships and communication with clients, creating a reputation as a reliable, hard worker who meets deadlines and fulfills promises and doing solid work. One concept that does see a fair amount of debate is whether or not a freelance illustrator should stick to a single style and/or specialty or develop several… READ MORE
October 14th, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I’m wondering if you can recall which issue of MAD ( either by number or cover subject ) you first read. Which was the first artist that captured your interest? I think I can recall my first MAD. A: Yes, I clearly remember my first look at MAD. I was in 5th grade, living in a small town in Wisconsin. A friend of mine from school and I used to get together and draw comics and such over at his house. He had a very liberal single mom who worked a lot, so he was left to his own devices quite often, and we… READ MORE
October 13th, 2007 | Posted in General
I won’t be surfing but I may be spotting some giant, four fingered mice while visiting Disney World for a week with The Lovely Anna and the kids. We fly out today. Thanks to the miracle of advance posting the blog will not miss a beat. Today, however, is one of those cheap posts that just have links to several interesting and worthwhile stops when surfing the web. Apple iPods are Supposed to “Rock”, but this is Ridiculous Dept.- I’m still not sure this isn’t a joke, but the Texas Star-Telegram reported that little Regan Ritter got a big surprise for her 14th birthday… a… READ MORE
