So the new frontpage for The Best Show on WFMU went live today (@ www.friendsoftom.com), and I had a little bit to do with the creation, and now that I can, I thought it’d be fun to actually talk about it all.

Keep reading for the “fun”.

(Pulling this from my memory 10 or so months later best as I can, if I missed any details there may be some editing in later)

So last November, a call went out on the Friends of Tom message board from Tom asking for artsy types to help out with a secret project. I’m kind of an artsy type, so I sent Tom a PM about it offering myself up, and next thing I knew I was talking with FOT “KicktheBobo” about working on the long overdue Friendsoftom.com revamp.

Yay!

I remember at the time immediately recommending Joe from Seattle, AKA Regular Joe, AKA Joe Allen for the job, because he’s the best (if you haven’t seen his SCUM Force cover, you’re missing out!). However, Tom and KtB said they wanted someone with a little more realistic style for what they had in mind - and so I was in. Still think they chose poorly, but I’m always ready and willing to help out for the show if I can, so I said I’d do what I could.

Over the next week or so KtB and I ran over a bunch of ideas based around the Ben Hur movie poster concept (which is so perfect for the show, I still giggle about it), and he had even made the base image with all the letters and fire (otherwise known as the best parts of the whole piece, right?), and left entirely too much of the rest of the thinking up ideas to me. It’s one thing to talk about your favorite people and places from Newbridge NJ, it’s another to actually have to be the one to visualize them. I sketched up a ton of stuff that nobody will ever see, and even more that I would send to KtB and Tom for thoughts/approval - until I was happy enough with their being happy to really pull it together.

The forefront image of Tom being chased by tallbiker scum was the easiest to come up with, although looking at it all now many months removed, I’m punching myself in the pencil hand for not adding an entire army of tallbikers behind the first 3 - that whole middle section looks sooo empty now! What, would Tom run from three of these jerks?! There should be MILLIONS of them trying to run Tom down - you failed, me!

All the buildings and side business were really hard to pull off for multiple reasons. My first idea was to stick “Das Sieben Und Der Elf” onto that side, as that was the first/most recognizable visual thing I could think of, but then having to rely on the logo I made up to convey that, given the size the final image was going to be, made that idea go poof.

I was never happy with how Dogmo turned out, and got the most notes about drawing her on the whole project. Tom wanted her right, and sent us a bunch of reference pics to work from, and I tried my best to do her justice. Spending as much time going over her visually may have been a big reason why when a few months later I found out she had died, I was affected by it as much as I was. Aside from all the great stories about her Tom had told on the show over the years, actually drawing her as a subject really gave me an appreciation of what a great looking and fun dog she was, and yeah. Sad stuff.

Anyways, in the end, I did my part - if I had realized I had more time and or could do it over, I’d change a few things here and there or add some more “characters” to it (PBR, Bryce, Timmy von T, lean-to etc), but again given the size of the final image and all it’s about as good as I could get it to be really. KicktheBobo was great to work with, and helped me on this more than he probably realizes. Tom was super supportive, and even sent me a nice note after it was all done about some stuff, which unbeknownst to him, came at a time when I really needed some good words about my artings. Also, Omar the Scrivener was of immense help with a few points, most of which never ended up making it to the final piece - but he was there, ready and willing, like the champ that he is! Thanks Tom, KtB and Omar!

Here’s a hi-rez “wallpaper” version (with a bit of extra business that Tom vetoed immediately), for the folks what requested it:

Now give me a cookie (and go listen to the show!).