Frequently Asked Questions

What nationality are you?
Vietnamese.

How do you pronounce your last name?
NOO-yen, or simply, “silent G.” It’s Americanized, not the fresh-off-the-boat “Win.”

Did you go to school for art?
Not specifically for art, no.

Can you draw caricatures?
Yes.

Do you use Photoshop to do your paintings?
No, just traditional media.

Do you lightbox/trace your pencil art before you ink and/or paint them?
I have done it before, but generally no.

How do you get these hot girls to model for you?
They either come to me or I just ask them (if I like their look). My credentials and caliber of models speak for myself.

How much money do you make?
Geez, people...!

What are your other hobbies?
Bodybuilding, playing guitar, playing baseball, eating, and sleeping.

WIll you show some of my stuff to the editors at DC?
No.

I’m an amateur looking to pitch an idea to Marvel or DC. Want to pitch it with me as a writer/artist team?
No.

How much will it cost for you to do me a drawing?
Please see the “STORE” page.

Why do you paint some models for free, and charge others for your ridiculous prices?
Aside from providing free art to the winners of the Mrs. MN-, Mrs. IA-, and Mrs. WI-America pageants, the only models who don’t pay to get their paintings done are rare ones who meet the “Nguyen Standard.” :) These “Noo-Grrlz” have special benefits and priorities in opportunities and publishing. Other than that, literally anyone can commission me for a painting.

I’m a model/aspiring model, and would love to work with you...how do I apply?
Send photos and a quick bio and/or resume to ArtistTom@gmail.com
If I have a need for your look, then you will be contacted.

I inquired about being a model, but haven’t heard back. Why?
I am either swamped with work and haven’t had the time to respond, or I don’t have a need for your look at the present time.

I heard you painted nudes. Why aren’t they on this site?
They do exist, but I feel I should keep this site cleaner for the younglings. If you know where to look, you will find them.

What is your “nude rule,” and why do you have it?
Put simply, the only way you’re not modeling nude (provided you have “the look”) is:
--you are an active pageant competitor
--you hold some other special status (i.e., NFL cheerleader, anchor woman, etc.)
--you are a minor
I have this rule because nudes are always high-demand with the fans. There are very rare exceptions to this rule, however.

Is it true that you don’t like tattoos and body piercings on models?
Yes.

Will it hurt my chances if I have tats and piercings?
It certainly won’t help, although there have been rare exceptions with exceptional models.

How come you don’t return my phone calls?
Did you leave a phone message?
--No...
Then that’s why. If it’s not important enough to leave a message, I will assume it’s not important enough to call back.

What’s your favorite process: pencilling, inking, or painting?
Pencilling, which kind of ties in with painting since I must draw the image first anyway.

I heard you hate inking...is this true?
Yes.

Who’s your favorite superhero?
Spider-Man!

How long does it take you to draw a page?
About a day (6-12 hours generally, depending on the page)

What kind of airbrush do you use?
Iwata Custom Micron CM-B, with Comart paints.

A runner is on first and I’m at the plate (I’m right-handed); the coach gives me the hit-and-run sign. How should I swing in this situation?
Try to slap it into right field.

What’s the fastest you can ink a page?
I’ve inked a single page in as little as 2 hours, although these jobs are extremely rare and usually quite simple in nature. The most pages I’ve inked in one day was 5. And boy, it wasn’t pretty!

Who are your favorite artists?
Hajime Sorayama, Drew Struzan, Doug Mahnke, Adam Hughes, Art Adams, Ed McGuinness, Chris Wahl, Frank Cho, and I’m sure a few others I’m forgetting at the moment...

I know you have other paintings not shown here...why?
They either contain nudity or the model(s) who is in them is on my Shit List and booted.

What’s your favorite food?
I’m quite fond of the Blizzard line at Dairy Queen at the moment.

Can you do me a quick sketch for free? C’mon, you can just whip that out pretty quickly; it doesn’t have to be that good!
No.

What’s the best part about summer?
Those bikini fundraiser car washes.

What’s your favorite movie?
It changes every year, but I really like The Dark Knight, Iron Man, and Transformers.

Can you critique my work over e-mail?
I hate typing so badly; add the fact that I get so many of these requests over e-mail, your answer is most likely “no.” Your best bet is to catch me at a convention for a personal critique. Or just come hang at my house...

Did you get my text message?
 --Yes.
--Why didn’t you text back?
 --I hate typing on the computer badly enough (see above); texting is even more tedious. Seriously, isn’t it easier to pick up the phone and call? You should be ashamed of yourselves...especially you males who do this.

Can you write up a workout routine (and possibly a diet plan) for me?
LOL no. You don’t have the willpower to follow my fail-safe program, and I would have wasted my time. Ok, I might if you’re really hot and will train in a bikini.

What’s your most requested sketch at conventions?
It’s usually a female character, and usually Wonder Woman or Power Girl.

Do you take on assistants?
Only if you meet these three criteria:
1. You're good at inking
2. You'll work for free (but the experience is priceless, they say haha)
3. You're a hot chick.
Seeing how a combination of these factors is rarer than winning the lottery, I think it's safe to say that I'll never have an assistant.