Richard Thompson (cartoonist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Richard Thompson (cartoonist) |
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Self-portrait of the artist
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| Born | Richard Church Thompson October 8, 1957 Baltimore, Maryland |
| Died | July 27, 2016 (aged 58) Arlington, Virginia |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Writer, Penciller, Artist, Inker, Letterer, Colourist |
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Notable works
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Cul de Sac |
| Awards | Will Eisner Hall of Fame |
Richard Church Thompson (born October 8, 1957, died July 27, 2016) was a talented American artist. He was famous for his comic strip Cul de Sac. He also created the funny illustrated poem "Make the Pie Higher". In 2010, he won the prestigious Reuben Award for being the best cartoonist of the year.
Contents
About Cul de Sac
Richard Thompson started working at the Washington Post newspaper in 1982. By 1985, he was the newspaper's main artist. He drew pictures for different columns in the newspaper.
His comic strip Cul de Sac first appeared in The Washington Post Magazine on February 14, 2004. It was a weekly comic drawn with watercolors. The strip is about a four-year-old girl named Alice Otterloop. It shows her daily adventures at preschool and at home with her family.
By 2007, Cul de Sac was published in over 70 newspapers across the country. It was released every day and also on Sundays.
In 2009, a book called Children at Play was published. It was a collection of Cul de Sac comics. The famous children's author Mo Willems wrote the introduction for this book.
Richard's Poor Almanac
Thompson also had a cartoon series called Richard's Poor Almanac. It appeared weekly in the Washington Post newspaper. A collection of these cartoons was published in a book in 2005.
One famous cartoon from Richard's Poor Almanac was "Make the Pie Higher." This cartoon was a funny poem. It was made from some of the less clear quotes from a former president. This poem became very popular online and was even turned into songs.
Thompson's Illustrations
Richard Thompson's drawings appeared in many well-known magazines. These included U.S. News & World Report, The New Yorker, Air & Space/Smithsonian, National Geographic, and The Atlantic Monthly.
In 2004, he drew pictures for a book called Holy Tango of Literature. He also wrote and drew the introduction for a book about the comic character Barney Google in 2010.
In 2010, Pete Docter, a director from Pixar Animation Studios, hired Thompson. Richard helped create character designs for the movie Inside Out.
In 2014, the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum showed Thompson's artwork. It was a special exhibit called "The Irresistible Force Meets the Immovable Object: A Richard Thompson Retrospective."
Awards and Recognition
Richard Thompson received many awards for his amazing work:
- 1989: He won Gold and Silver Funny Bone Awards from the Society of Illustrators.
- 1995: He received awards from the National Cartoonists Society for his magazine, book, and newspaper illustrations.
- 2004: He got the Milton F. "Sonny" Clogg Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award from Montgomery College.
- 2011: He won the prestigious Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year. This is one of the highest honors for cartoonists.
- 2012: He received the Harvey Award for Best Syndicated Comic Strip.
- 2012: He was given the first ever Ignatz "Golden Brick Award" for his lifetime achievements in cartooning.
- 2015: He won the Eisner Award for Best Humor Publication for his book The Complete Cul de Sac.
His Life and Legacy
Richard Thompson lived in Arlington, Virginia for a long time.
In 2009, Richard shared that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. This illness affects movement, but he said it did not affect his drawing hand at first. Other cartoonists, like Stephan Pastis, praised Richard's courage. They called him one of the most talented cartoonists working at the time.
In 2012, another artist, Stacy Curtis, began inking Cul de Sac. However, Parkinson's disease started to make drawing harder for Richard. He announced that he would stop drawing Cul de Sac. He explained that the disease was very demanding, and he could only focus on one thing at a time.
A special book called Team Cul de Sac: Cartoonists Draw the Line at Parkinson's was published in 2012. Richard's friend Chris Sparks created it to honor him. The book included artwork from many famous cartoonists, including Bill Watterson, who created Calvin and Hobbes. This project helped raise money for Team Fox. This foundation works to find a cure for Parkinson's disease.
In 2014, a collection of Richard Thompson's art was published. It was called The Art of Richard Thompson. A short film about his life and work was also made that year.
In June 2016, a play based on his comic strip, Cul de Sac, premiered in Arlington, Virginia. Richard's wife, Amy Thompson, wrote the play.
Richard Thompson passed away on July 27, 2016, due to complications from Parkinson's disease. His work continues to be loved by many.
Images for kids
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Children playing, a common theme in Cul de Sac
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Self-portrait of Richard Thompson
