Tom's Mad Blog
September 16th, 2006 | Posted in MAD Magazine
As I have mentioned here many times I don’t watch much TV. No time for it, really. Probably a bad thing for someone who has a job doing a lot of parodies of TV shows… but that’s just the way it is. “LOST” is the only show I will try and catch at airtime, although I do sometimes watch “Medium” and “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” when it’s TIVOed… except both shows lost me last season. So, when I get assigned a show I have to research it by either hopefully catching some reruns, setting the TIVO for new episodes and/or quizzing any friends or… READ MORE
September 15th, 2006 | Posted in General
In early 2002 I attended the annual NCS Reuben awards which were held that year at the Fiesta American Grand Coral Beach, Cancun, Mexico. It was a great weekend where Anna and I spent a lot of time on the beach and in the pool relaxing. Upon returning home and getting our pictures developed, I was surprised to find a middle-aged, fat guy with my face in most of the pictures. At 36 I had no business having a big roll around my midsection and a gut hanging over my swimtrunks. It seemed a job that had me sitting on my ass all day long… READ MORE
September 14th, 2006 | Posted in General
I have received a number of e-mails from people who are wondering how they can order one of these T-Shirts. Right now there is no way to do it other than a walk-up sale at the Twin’s ballpark or one of the Minnesota Proshops. On-line sales are the right of Major League Baseball and they will need to decide to add the items to the official Twin’s MLB on-line store. There is a possibility this will happen, but no guarantees. The Twin’s have promised to tell me when and if the shirts go on-line, and I will post that info when I get it. Three… READ MORE
September 14th, 2006 | Posted in On the Drawing Board
My wife Anna just returned last night from a girl’s trip to the wine country in northern California, and in her absence I was trying to do both our jobs. I draw,??ᬨ‚Ć she does everything else. On the whole drawing is less complicated and the chair is more comfortable. Sadly the result of her trip is that I did about half a job on both sides of the equation, meaning I did not get all my drawing done nor did I get all the socks washed (okay, ANY of the socks washed). So, things have piled up in the studio. Here’s what I’ve got going:… READ MORE
September 14th, 2006 | Posted in General
Back in early August, while on a trip to New York City, I wrote this post about finding stolen samples of mine and other caricaturists I know used as display samples by artists who did not draw them. Ubercaricaturist Ed Steckley sent me this picture he took yesterday from somewhere in NYC showing a whole display full of my samples being used by a street artist. Sorry for the blurry picture, Ed must have used his cameraphone. Yikes. Not only are they all mine but they aren’t even redrawn by the artist like some of them do. These were printed right from low res website… READ MORE
September 13th, 2006 | Posted in General
While I was straightening up the studio for the “virtual tour” I took the opportunity to tackle a few drawers that seem to fill mysteriously with various odds and ends, stray sketches and things like that. I came across a bunch of roughs for a job dating back over 3 years ago now that I thought would make for an interesting study. This job doesn’t qualify as a “Freelance Nightmare”, but it does serve to demonstrate why it’s always a good idea to establish payment stages with any job… especially ones for new clients you do not know or have a relationship with. Some jobs… READ MORE
September 12th, 2006 | Posted in General
Some time ago on a message board forum for caricaturists somebody started a thread suggesting artists post pictures of their studios. The thread was a big hit and lots of people posted shots of their workspaces, from corners in their living room to big areas and rooms all devoted to studio space. It was a lot of fun and very interesting to see what kind of environment artists create in which to be and feel creative. One interesting thing, I have yet to see a cartoonist’s art studio area that does not have at least a few toys in it. Many are filled with toys,… READ MORE
September 11th, 2006 | Posted in General
I imagine that virtually every blog written by a United States based author will have the same subject today, how could it not? The events of Sept. 11th, 2001 will never allow this date to pass without it’s recognition in media, bars, cafes and anywhere humans gather and communicate. I wonder if the passage of time, when eventually those of us who were alive and bore witness to the attacks are all dead and gone, will change the way it’s viewed and remembered. Events like D-Day and Pearl Harbor are more and more being viewed with detachment because those who witnessed it in their lifetimes… READ MORE
