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Tom Gauld is the kind of artist who can make you laugh at the absurdity of existence while teaching you a thing or two about literature, science, or the joys of procrastination. His comics, with their minimalist style, make regular appearances in The Guardian, The New Yorker, and New Scientist.

Whether he’s poking fun at literary tropes or turning mundane observations into biting humor, Tom’s work proves that sometimes all you need to make people think is a few lines, a couple of words, and a deadline breathing down your neck.

More info: Instagram | tomgauld.com | x.com | myjetpack.tumblr.com

Reflecting on how his style has evolved over the years, Tom shared with Bored Panda, "I think my images have become simpler and cleaner as I've become more interested in telling stories than making pictures. Though of course, making an attractive image is important too. The most important influence was probably having a weekly cartooning job at The Guardian (and later at New Scientist), which forced me to constantly make new work to a strict deadline."

Like any artist, Gauld has faced creative blocks but has developed strategies to overcome them. "I try to keep making things even if I'm not sure if they're any good. Sometimes I feel something is really awful, but then I look at it again the next day and realize it's not bad, or I see what needs to be fixed. I also go for a walk to get a change of scene and maybe work in a coffee shop for a while."

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Inspiration for Tom’s comics often comes from the everyday, and he always keeps his notebook handy to capture potential ideas. "I always carry around a notebook and scribble down anything that could be the beginning of an idea. It could be something I overhear on the street, a scene in a movie, an article in a magazine, or a painting. My daughter was recently using a sleep app that played soothing sounds, and I knew right away there was something I could do with that."

#6

Comic by Tom Gauld depicting a suitcase filled with books labeled as holiday reading.

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pep Ito
Community Member
5 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And that is why when you go on a trip it is always better to have an e-reader full of ebooks ( Not a Tablet or Computer to protect your eyesight ).

Despite his success, the artist acknowledges the challenges of the creative process, particularly when it comes to generating ideas, as he told Bored Panda, "The hardest part of the creative process for me is coming up with ideas. There’s some little spark that has to go off in my brain, and, unfortunately, I don’t know how to make it happen. I can encourage it, but there’s no guarantee. Sometimes I sit doodling for hours, and nothing comes, so I just have to hope the next day will be better."

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#9

Humorous comic by Tom Gauld showing angry books confronting a person holding a phone, captioned "Bedside Reading Pile Turns Nasty".

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Steve Robert
Community Member
2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Boy, was I disappointed when I found out that "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" had nothing to do with cats.

For aspiring artists, Tom offers advice rooted in experience. "Just make a lot of work and try not to get discouraged when something doesn't work out quite right. And don’t feel you need to write some big opus of a graphic novel to start with. I did a lot of very short comics when I was starting and learned so much, even from the ones that were pretty bad."

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#18

Comic by Tom Gauld showing a presentation with a burning Earth and a humorous audience comment about theories.

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Steve Robert
Community Member
2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Was that the theory that Earth is moving into another ice age, and if we don't start burning more fossil fuels, we're all going to freeze to death?

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#22

Humorous comic by Tom Gauld about reasons time travelers missed Stephen Hawking's party, featuring creative excuses.

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Andrew Keir
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3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

History has not been kind to Professor Hawking's party - nobody could work out what its aims were

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#31

Comic by Tom Gauld featuring a layered project PDF blending scientific materials with food items for book and science lovers.

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Andrew Keir
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some claimed that the cheddar was cut too thick , but ... hard cheese ...

#36

Humorous Tom Gauld comic depicting literary-themed Halloween costumes for children, featuring axe, cholera, tree, and trauma.

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Andrew Keir
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or, if you don't actually get there in time, Godot in "Waiting for Godot"

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#37

Comic by Tom Gauld showing humorous science experiments with satellites, self-driving cars, and robots using unusual materials.

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Chich
Community Member
5 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

there is a wooden satellite. https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/05/style/japan-wooden-satellite-hnk-intl/index.html

#40

Humorous comic by Tom Gauld depicting a space mission with a humorous twist involving remote work challenges.

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Andrew Keir
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3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If I see one more schlock science fiction show where the engines fail and the rocket stops moving, I think I'll come to a juddering halt myself