Mailbag
August 5th, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: What kind of pencil does your company use, I got a picture drawn in St. Louis, and I like the clean strokes on my caricatures? A: I get asked about not only the pencil but all our materials a lot, so here is the breakdown of everything we use to draw and paint live, airbrush caricatures at the theme parks: I use two different kinds of pencils. Both are “clutch” type leadholders, meaning that they have a claw-like end that grasps the lead. The main one is the Caran D’Ache Fixpencil 3, which is a 3mm leadholder. Most leadholders are 2mm, and the thicker… READ MORE
July 29th, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Does anyone ever get angry or offended by a live caricature you’ve done? And if so, how do you handle it? You seem like such a diplomatic and eloquent guy on your blog, but maybe that is the result of thoughtful editing. Tell us some stories! A: These days I have little problem with people getting angry over their caricatures when I draw live because after 22 years I am pretty good at reading a person’s tolerance for caricature and exaggerate only when I think they can handle it. I always err on the side of caution if I am unsure, and frankly my… READ MORE
July 22nd, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: How do you figure up how much time a project will take so you know you can promise it by a certain time? By paper size? By number of people/objects? I really should start timing myself to see how long it takes to do each step of my projects before I even consider charging anybody for my time. A: If asked how long it will take to do a particular job, my answer is always the same: “It takes as long as you’ll give me.” Some jobs require a lot of complicated imagery like crowd scenes or lot’s of elaborate detail, and some are… READ MORE
July 15th, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Which of your MAD spreads you think of as your personal favorite, and why? A: That’s a tough question to answer because everything I do has good and bad points. I have a ritual after each MAD project, in which I clean and organize my studio and print out the final art on my color printer at print size, then sit down and digest it. I always see things I didn’t see before, that I wish I could do over. I’m not talking about overt mistakes like the wrong person saying a line or a missspelling or something… just something that is awkward or… READ MORE
July 8th, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: What is the best way to get your work registered or how does one get a copyright? I’m sure a lot of work can be misused by someone when your cartoons are on the web. And what is the best method to put a water mark on your cartoons? A: I’ve posted some news about the Orphan Works legislation that some politicians are trying to push through that would seriously undermine the 30 year old copyright laws that the creators of artistic works currently enjoy, so visit a few of those posts for more info on that. Registering your work may become mandatory if… READ MORE
July 1st, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I wondered if when you draw your figures for MAD, do you use some kind of construction lines such as stick figures then flesh them out with cylinders, cubes etc and then finally draw the finished figure? I’m having trouble drawing figures and they keep coming out either looking very rigid or completely out of proportion. A: The human figure is a tough thing to master. I struggle with it all the time, doing a lot more bad figure drawings than good ones. Personally I feel the best way to develop your figure drawing skills is to do a lot of quick, gestural sketches… READ MORE
June 24th, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I have a question for your blog site about MAD artists. I have heard there are two kinds. Those younger artists who grew up reading MAD and the older ones who first drew for MAD (could not read it as a youngster as it did not exist). Can you comment on these types and do you think there is a difference between what a newer artist can contribute as a result of “growing up” on MAD? A: Well, it’s like they say… there’s nothing like the original. I think the early generation of MAD artists were no less than trail blazers and giants in… READ MORE
June 17th, 2007 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Hi Tom, I was wondering what your thoughts were on Disney cartoonists? My daughter has a Disney coloring book. Man! The flow of the line work is amazing. Something as simple seeming as a finger or the flow of movement seems flawless. How much trail and error goes into developing such a look and how many people would be involved in deciding the look? Another question you might discuss is the copyright extension act that prevented Mickey and Minnie from entering public domain. Thanks for the blog. You’re the only reason many of us buy MAD. A: Thanks for the kind words. I don’t… READ MORE
