{{Short description|Pseudonym of Mark Machado, American tattoo and graffiti artist}} {{For|former local children's television show in Huntington, WV|Mr. Cartoon}} {{Infobox artist | name = Mister Cartoon | image = | caption = | birth_name = Mark Machado | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|05|19}}<ref name="AITS 2011">{{cite web | title=The Gospel According to Mister Cartoon | website=Art in the Streets |date=2011-08-08 | url=https://artinthestreets.org/artist/mister-cartoon | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref><ref name="Ryder 2021">{{cite web | last=Ryder | first=Caroline | title=Mister Cartoon | website=Beyond the Streets | date=2021-06-01 | url=https://beyondthestreets.com/blogs/articles/mister-cartoon | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref><ref name="y197">{{cite web | last=Timo | first=von | title=Happy Birthday Mister Cartoon | website=JOKER BRAND | date=2014-05-19 | url=https://jokerbrand.net/happy-birthday-mister-cartoon/ | language=de | access-date=2024-08-28}}</ref> | birth_place = Los Angeles, California | alma_mater = LA Trade Tech (dropped out) | known_for = Tattoo and graffiti art | notable_works = That Cat Bronson<ref name="Vankin 2023"/> | movement = Chicano art movement | website = {{URL|mistercartoon.com}} }} '''Mark Machado''', better known as '''Mister Cartoon''' or more commonly just '''Cartoon''' or '''Toon''', is an American tattoo artist and graffiti artist based in Los Angeles, California. He has been described by the ''New York Times'' as an "instrumental figure in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene"<ref name="Kenigsberg 2020">{{cite web | last=Kenigsberg | first=Ben | title='LA Originals' Review: How Two Artists Shaped a Hip-Hop Scene | website=The New York Times | date=2020-04-10 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/movies/la-originals-review.html | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> and by the ''BBC'' as "one of the greatest living tattoo artists in the US".<ref name="Hobbs 2022">{{cite web | last=Hobbs | first=Thomas | title=Will tattoos finally be accepted as art? | publisher=BBC | date=2022-08-18 | url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220817-will-tattoos-finally-be-accepted-as-art | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> Growing up in the Los Angeles Harbor Region, young Cartoon began doing illustrations and graffiti then going on to airbrushing clothing and lowrider custom cars. Machado then moved on to working in the music industry doing album covers, tour merchandise and later tattooing recording artists and other celebrities.
Machado's style of art is part of the Chicano art movement and cholo culture, which he became part of in the late 1980s,<ref name="AITS 2011"/> using various mediums. His other work includes hand painted signs, screen printing, wall murals, clothing, and toy sculptures of cartoon cats. He adopted the "Fine Line" prison tattooing art style, alongside Old English lettering, which historically was developed in the California prison system.<ref name="Vankin 2023"/>
Cartoon has tattooed the bodies of Kobe Bryant, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Eminem, Christina Aguilera, Travis Barker, Pink, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé Knowles, Danny Trejo, Melanie Griffith, Shaquille O'Neal, Lewis Hamilton<ref>{{cite news |first=Michele |last=Norris |title=Mister Cartoon's Growing Tattoo Empire |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=895768 |publisher=NPR |date= January 1, 2003 |accessdate= March 12, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Newsome 2003" /> and Snoop Dogg. Machado designed logos for musicians and record labels including Cypress Hill, Eazy-E's Ruthless Records and Eminem's Shady Records.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Acclaim |date=2013-08-23 |title=Watch: Snoop Dogg talks about meeting Nate Dogg while getting tattooed by Mister Cartoon |url=https://acclaimmag.com/music/watch-snoop-dogg-talk-about-meeting-nate-dogg-while-getting-a-tattoo-from-mister-cartoon/ |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=Acclaim Magazine}}</ref> Machado's art has been employed by Nike, Toyota, T-Mobile,<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 13, 2005 |title=T-Mobile USA Kicks off DigitalLife with the Introduction of the T-Mobile Sidekick II Juicy Couture Edition and the T-Mobile Sidekick II Mister Cartoon Edition |work=T-Mobile Newsroom |url=https://www.t-mobile.com/news/press/t-mobile-usa-kicks-off-digitallife-with-the-introduction-of-the |publisher=T-Mobile}}</ref> the Los Angeles Kings, the Los Angeles Clippers, Modelo and in ''Grand Theft Auto''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mister Cartoon Draws Brand Interest |url=http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/spotlight/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001995826 |publisher=Brand Week |date=February 13, 2006 |accessdate=March 12, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522010202/http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/spotlight/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001995826 |archivedate=May 22, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |first=Anne |last=Kingston |title=Gracious living and the tattoo |url=http://www.macleans.ca/culture/lifestyle/article.jsp?content=20080124_160524_7360 |magazine=Maclean's |date=January 24, 2008 |accessdate=March 12, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306022530/http://www.macleans.ca/culture/lifestyle/article.jsp?content=20080124_160524_7360 |archivedate=March 6, 2012 }}</ref>
==Early life== Machado grew up in the Harbor Area of the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles.<ref name="Guzman 2023">{{cite web | last=Guzman | first=Richard | title=Los Angeles tattoo icon Mister Cartoon opens his first solo art exhibit | website=Daily News | date=2023-06-01 | url=https://www.dailynews.com/2023/06/01/los-angeles-tattoo-icon-mister-cartoon-opens-his-first-solo-art-exhibit/ | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref><ref name="h695">{{cite web | title=PRX » Transcripts » Show | website=PRX - Public Radio Exchange | url=https://exchange.prx.org/pieces/69945/transcripts/162667 | access-date=2025-12-17}}</ref> His parents were of Mexican heritage, his father grew up in South Tucson, Arizona.<ref name="Stecher 2023"/> Machado grew up alongside one sister in a Catholic household. The parents owned a print shop together, with his father being a lithographer, they used Heidelbergs for clients that included James Brown.<ref name="Ryder 2021"/><ref name="Stecher 2023"/><ref name="Lee 2009">{{cite web | last=Lee | first=Chris | title=In the world of tag, he's it | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2009-04-04 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-apr-04-et-mistercartoon4-story.html | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref><ref name="b906">{{cite web | title=Shades of Grey :: My Conversation with Mister Cartoon | website=The Hundreds | date=2018-11-14 | url=https://thehundreds.com/blogs/bobby-hundreds/mister-cartoon-interview-2018?srsltid=AfmBOoo0d6zHVugrQR76f3dq9Tb3oP_CFr-e7LXjrsPhlqzXbAcMykl9 | access-date=2024-08-28}}</ref> Machado's parents encouraged the arts, taking him to art house films and introducing disco and psychedelic rock music at home. At age 10 while learning to draw Machado got in trouble at Catholic school for drawing Jesus naked on the cross.<ref name="Ryder 2021"/> As a kid Machado would go into the streets with friends and write on the side of school walls and handball courts<ref name="GRAZER 2011"/> emulating the quality of art he saw at his parents' shop.
Machado's nickname 'Cartoon' came from drawing all the time, the 'Mister' was added later in late 1980s<ref name="GRAZER 2011"/> to give the appearance of being older than people would expect.<ref name="Ahrens 2013">{{cite web | last=Ahrens | first=Ronald | title=Mister Cartoon – Modern Muralist | website=MotorTrend | date=2013-10-09 | url=https://www.motortrend.com/news/mister-cartoon-modern-muralist/ | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> His first paying job was at age 12 doing illustrations for a client of the print shop his parents owned, which lead to his father regularly giving having him work on logos and menu designs for local restaurants.<ref name="Ryder 2021"/><ref name="Verini 2002"/> During his youth at elementary school Machado was once featured in the Daily Breeze local newspaper for his illustrative talents.<ref name="Stecher 2023"/>
Machado attended San Pedro High School,<ref name="Lee 2009"/><ref name="Moayeri 2020"/> doing illustrations for the banners and newspaper of the school.<ref name="Stecher 2023"/> An early inspiration were the graffiti artists LEE and Fab Five Freddy from New York City, after first seeing their work in the music video for ''Rapture'' by Blondie. Locally the Samoan-American artist named “Dream” from Carson was another inspiration. As a way to practice his craft Machado would offer to create murals on large walls that had lots of graffiti to residents in poor neighborhoods, the murals would have imagery like Egyptian hieroglyphs or people sporting a handlebar moustache.<ref name="GRAZER 2011">{{cite web | title=Mister Cartoon Talks with Brian Grazer | website=artinthestreets.org | date=2011-08-08 | url=https://artinthestreets.org/text/mister-cartoon-talks-with-brian-grazer | access-date=2024-01-04}}</ref><ref name="b906"/>
Due to local gang activity Machado was losing friends at an early age to death or jail and was pushed to get into custom cars as a hobby, his father was also a big fan of cars which helped develop the interest as they would go on road trips and to car shows together spotting different details and designs in cars.<ref name="Stecher 2023"/> Machado's father also enrolled him in Karate school where the family business had been printing the diplomas with hand-stippled pen and ink illustrations of tigers and dragons as well as making the gym's obi belts. Despite his reluctancy, after joining Machado saw how the school's walls were airbrushed with dragons fighting samurais and waterfalls with rocks that had faces on them. The master of the dojo, Ron Tess, painted the facility himself and then taught Machado how to airbrush as well.<ref name="b906"/>
After attending car shows with his father, seeing older men do airbrushing,<ref name="Stecher 2023"/> and learning from master Tess, for his 16th birthday Machado was gifted an airbrush. He would take it to the Gardena swap meets<ref name="Verini 2002"/> and the Roadium in Torrance. In his first day of business he made one thousand dollars,<ref name="b906"/> the initial business was sign painting and airbrushing logos or murals on clothing and cars for auto shops, car shows, and swap meets.<ref name="Stecher 2023"/> Machado would design for boxing gyms or car audio shops and barter his services or use the money earned from airbrushing to trade for car parts so he could build his own lowriders.<ref name="Baltin 2023">{{cite web | last=Baltin | first=Steve | title=Saturday Conversation: Mister Cartoon And Roger Gastman on Street Art And More | website=Forbes | date=2023-06-17 | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2023/06/17/saturday-conversation-mister-cartoon-and-roger-gastman-on-street-art-and-more/?sh=2f621a651e58 | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> While hanging out at the auto body shops Machado learned about pinstriping and how to paint custom cars.<ref name="Stecher 2023"/> With the busy workload, Machado found his first business partner Abel “OG Abel” Izaguirre, whom he had met at the Hawthorne Plaza and also who he taught airbrushing to in ten minutes.<ref name="b906"/>
One of his first breakthroughs came as a fluke when a photojournalist from ''Car and Driver'' came to his high school asking if anyone could do a graffiti set for the backdrop of their magazine cover to which he took the offer.<ref name="Lee 2009"/> At the age of 17 Machado was charged with an act of vandalism for $30,000 but was prosecuted as a minor and not sent to juvenile hall as he pleaded guilty, instead going on probation for $3,000. In one of his earliest commissions, to cover the expense, he did a mural for a boxing gym.<ref name="Lee 2009"/>
==Career== Machado attended LA Trade Tech becoming one of the first in his family to attend post secondary education, it was during this period at trade school he learned to use a lettering quill alongside gold leaf and enamel sign graphics.<ref name="Stecher 2023"/> He lasted only one year at the school and was removed due to not following the school's rules or the academic deadlines given.<ref name="guides.apple.com 2021 s628">{{cite web | title=Street Art Cities · Mister Cartoon's Favorite Spots in L.A. | website=guides.apple.com | date=2021-12-08 | url=https://guides.apple.com/?pg=15577361932395337065&lsp=9902&name=mister-cartoons-favorite-spots-in-la | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s Machado saw the worlds of hip hop, tattoo culture, and street art in Los Angeles all fuse together.<ref name="Vankin 2023"/> Machado initially started as a graffiti artist under the name “FLAME” or “FLAME ONE”<ref name="GRAZER 2011"/> in the WCA crew in 1987.<ref name="AITS 2011"/><ref name="LA Weekly 2012">{{cite web | title=West Coast Artist's (WCA) Crew Opens First Major Group Show in Chinatown | website=LA Weekly | date=2012-06-18 | url=https://www.laweekly.com/west-coast-artists-wca-crew-opens-first-major-group-show-in-chinatown/ | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> In 1988 his sister gave him work making graffiti for movie sets<ref name="GRAZER 2011"/> and his mother would type up the invoices on a typewriter to help him get paid.<ref name="Moayeri 2020"/> At age 20 in 1989 Cartoon got a job as an illustrator for ''Hustler Magazine'', while doing cartoon drawings for Southland hip hop artists album covers on the side.<ref name="Lee 2009"/>
Machado first big break into the music industry came after approaching Eazy-E at a car wash. Eazy-E then requested Machado to do some work for artists on his label Ruthless Records which included tour merchandise and three album covers; ''Paid the Cost'', ''Kizz My Black Azz'', and ''Black Mafia Life''.<ref name="XXL 2011">{{cite web | title=Mister Cartoon: "Nothing in This World Is Given To You" | website=XXL Mag | date=2011-11-01 | url=https://www.xxlmag.com/mister-cartoon-nothing-in-this-world-is-given-to-you/ | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref><ref name="Stecher 2023"/> The two would go on to travel together for work.<ref name="Newsome 2003"/> In 1992 as Machado got further into the world of hip hop, at an album release party for Eazy-E's group Penthouse Players Clique at the Hollywood Athletic Club, through a friend Donnie Charles he met Estevan Oriol who was managing the rap group Cypress Hill.<ref name="Moayeri 2020">{{cite web | last=Moayeri | first=Lily | title=Estevan Oriol and Mister Cartoon, a Pair of L.A. Originals, Tell Their Story | website=LAmag – Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles | date=2020-04-10 | url=https://lamag.com/art/la-originals-estevan-oriol-mister-cartoon | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref><ref name="Ryder 2021"/><ref name="Hotel Figueroa 2018">{{cite web | title=In Conversation With Estevan Oriol | website=Hotel Figueroa | date=2018-07-24 | url=https://www.hotelfigueroa.com/blog/in-conversation-with-estevan-oriol/ | access-date=2024-01-05}}</ref> Oriol invited Machado to go on tour with him and Cypress Hill, and design an album cover for them. As Oriol was also their tour manager at the time, Oriol would document their travels and work through photography he would capture.<ref name="Vankin 2023"/>
By the age of 22 Machado was in Tokyo, experiencing Japanese car culture,<ref name="Schonberger 2012"/> experimenting with drugs,<ref name="Ryder 2021"/> and getting recognized for his clothing designs as the awareness for streetwear overseas was quite high due to the demand and Japanese street fashion culture. During his time in Tokyo, Machado became familiar with the local tattoo scene getting tattoos, going to local tattoo conventions, and also worked at a shop called Scratch Addiction in Harajuku on Takeshita-dori.<ref name="Skin Deep 141">{{cite web | title=MR. CARTOON | website=Skin Deep | date=2006-01-01 | url=https://www.skindeep.co.uk/magazines/skin-deep/issue-141 | access-date=2024-01-05}}</ref><ref name="Big Tattoo Planet 2007">{{cite web | title=Mr.Cartoon | website=Big Tattoo Planet | date=2009-12-21 | url=https://www.bigtattooplanet.com/features/artist-profile/mr-cartoon | access-date=2024-01-05}}</ref> Cartoon was doing murals on lowriders in Japan and Oriol would take the pictures for a local magazine called ''Fine'', which would pay them $400–800 every month for shots of the cars.<ref name="Hotel Figueroa 2018"/>
After seeing friend and fellow graffiti artist RISK create graffiti influenced clothing designs,<ref name="GRAZER 2011"/> together Oriol and Machado went on to co-found Joker Brand Clothing in 1995,<ref name="AITS 2011"/> the brand was the second iteration after the first one failed due to a store owner stealing their original business ideas. The two also co-founded Soul Assassin studios in the early 1990s at a warehouse complex along the border of Skid Row and Little Tokyo which was the creative hub for where they worked with major brands. The studio reached revenues of $1.5 million with 13 employees in 2003<ref name="Newsome 2003"/> but eventually closed down during the Great Recession.<ref name="Hernandez 2020">{{cite web | last=Hernandez | first=Daniel | title=L.A.'s 'cholo Da Vincis' brought Chicano culture to the boardroom. Now they have a Netflix doc | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2020-04-10 | url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2020-04-10/netflix-mister-cartoon-estevan-oriol-la-originals | access-date=2024-01-05}}</ref><ref name="Moayeri 2020"/>
Machado started getting more tattoos during this period and Oriol encouraged Machado to transition to doing tattoo work as well. Machado would practice sketch ideas on Oriol, other friends, and himself with a homemade tattoo gun.<ref name="Newsome 2003"/> Working alongside Cypress Hill brought Cartoon further attention eventually Oriol suggested to the Cypress Hill members and other co-headlining tour acts like Goodie Mob and Outkast to get tatted by Mister Cartoon.<ref name="Lee 2009"/> By the mid-1990s Machado was working as a tattoo artist, he would do clients designs in garages and nightclubs<ref name="Cardwell 2010"/><ref name="Guzman 2023"/> and eventually got a gig working at Spotlight Tattoo on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood alongside tattoo artists Baby Ray and Charlie Roberts.<ref name="Stecher 2023"/> In 1997 Machado was promised to be mentored by Baby Ray<ref name="Lee 2009"/> only if he quit drinking and smoking.<ref name="Cardwell 2010"/>
In 1999 after working in the field for less than five years of tattooing, with his same homemade tattoo machine, Machado cemented his reputation as a tattoo artist doing Eminem's famous tattoo of the portrait of his daughter Hailie titled ''Bonnie and Clyde'' on his upper right arm and the ''R.I.P''. for his uncle on his left shoulder.<ref name="Newsome 2003"/><ref name="Lee 2009"/><ref name="Norris 2003"/> He eventually opened his own tattoo shop in Santa Monica in the early 2000s.<ref name="Vankin 2023"/><ref name="Skin Deep 141"/><ref name="Big Tattoo Planet 2007"/> By 2003 Machado charged $100–150 minimum per session<ref name="Newsome 2003">{{cite web | last=Newsome | first=Melba | title=Tattooist to the Stars | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2003-11-02 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-02-tm-tattoo44-story.html | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> but would go on to charge minimum $1000 for a tattoo and prices in the tens of thousands upward to $20,000-$50,000 for stars like 50 Cent and Eminem.<ref name="Lee 2009"/><ref name="Debruge 2020">{{cite web | last=Debruge | first=Peter | title='LA Originals' on Netflix: Film Review | website=Variety | date=2020-04-10 | url=https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/la-originals-review-estevan-oriol-mister-cartoon-1234576848/ | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref><ref name="Cardwell 2010">{{cite web | last=Cardwell | first=Diane | title=Mister Cartoon, Tattooist, at the Marcel at Gramercy | website=The New York Times | date=2010-11-22 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/22/nyregion/22tattoo.html | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref>
Machado appeared in the 2003 Def Jam documentary ''Scarface: Origins of a Hip Hop Classic''. He rendered the graffiti used in throughout the 2004 video game ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas''. In 2005 Cartoon was brought on to create custom Nike Cortez and Air Force 1 shoes, it took over a year for the company to be convinced to work with Cartoon. Machado was a contributor to ''Mass Appeal Magazine'' during the mid-2000s.<ref name="Mass Appeal 2006">{{cite web | last=Magazine | first=Mass Appeal | title=Mass Appeal Magazine 39 : Mass Appeal Magazine : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive | via=Internet Archive | date=2023-03-25 | url=https://archive.org/details/massappeal39 | access-date=2024-01-05}}</ref> Machado designed posters for the 2008 film ''Righteous Kill'' and in 2009 he was commissioned by Universal Studios to do billboards for the ''Fast & Furious'' movie.<ref name="Lee 2009"/> In August 2009, Cartoon designed a customized watch for Casio's G-Shock line.<ref name="Rodriguez 2009">{{cite web | last=Rodriguez | first=<!-- -->Jayson | title=Kanye West Plays Intense, Brooding Set at New York G-Shock Party | publisher=MTV | date=2009-08-06 | url=https://www.mtv.com/news/zhivfb/kanye-west-plays-intense-brooding-set-at-new-york-g-shock-party | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231125011714/https://www.mtv.com/news/zhivfb/kanye-west-plays-intense-brooding-set-at-new-york-g-shock-party | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 25, 2023 | access-date=2024-01-04}}</ref>
In 2011 Mister Cartoon was featured in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles exhibition ''Art in the Streets'' which was the first major U.S. museum survey on street art and graffiti.<ref name="h078">{{cite web | title=Mister Cartoon at MOCA "Art in the Streets" | website=Hypebeast | date=2011-04-17 | url=https://hypebeast.com/2011/4/mister-cartoon-at-moca-art-in-the-streets | access-date=2025-12-17}}</ref><ref name="q618">{{cite web | title=MOCA Presents: "Art In The Streets" (Los Angeles, CA) | website=Brooklyn Street Art | date=2011-03-08 | url=https://www.brooklynstreetart.com/2011/03/08/moca-presents-art-in-the-streets-los-angeles-ca/ | access-date=2025-12-17}}</ref><ref name="h695"/> In 2012 Mister Cartoon partnered with Snoop Dogg to start an automotive car care product line called Sanctiond.<ref name="Vazquez 2012">{{cite web | last=Vazquez | first=Danny | title=Snoop Dogg Becomes Global Ambassador to Mister Cartoon's Sanctiond Car Care Products Brand | website=Complex | date=2012-11-01 | url=https://www.complex.com/sports/a/danny-vazquez/snoop-dogg-becomes-global-ambassador-to-mister-cartoons-sanctiond-car-care-products-brand | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref><ref name="Ahrens 2013"/> In 2013 Cartoon designed custom hockey jerseys for the Los Angeles Kings NHL team.<ref name="Schonberger 2013">{{cite web | last=Schonberger | first=Nick | title=Mister Cartoon Teams With Los Angeles Kings to Bring Street Style to the Stanley Cup Champions | website=Complex | date=2013-10-24 | url=https://www.complex.com/style/a/nick-schonberger/mister-cartoon-los-angeles-kings-collection | access-date=2024-01-05}}</ref> Machado was an executive producer for the 2016 film ''Lowriders'', which was created over a 10-year process with 8 years of script revisions. The film started over meeting Brian Grazer by chance at a Nike event.<ref name="Anderson 2017">{{cite web | last=Anderson | first=Tre’vell | title=With 'Lowriders,' peek into East L.A.'s custom-car culture | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2017-05-12 | url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-lowriders-movie-feature-20170512-htmlstory.html | access-date=2024-01-05}}</ref> In November 2019 Cartoon designed special edition basketball jerseys for the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team in Old English font, the process took over a year,<ref name="Bradley 2019">{{cite web | last=Bradley | first=Michael | title=Mr. Cartoon Talks Designing Clippers City Edition Jerseys, LA Culture & More | website=SLAM | date=2019-11-26 | url=https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/mr-cartoon-talks-designing-clippers-city-edition-jerseys-la-culture-more/ | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> in September 2022 custom jerseys by Cartoon were used by the team again.<ref name="Chow 2022">{{cite web | last=Chow | first=Vivian | title=L.A. Clippers debut new special edition jersey designed by Mister Cartoon | website=KTLA | date=2022-09-30 | url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/l-a-clippers-debut-new-special-edition-jersey-designed-by-mister-cartoon/ | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref>
In March 2020 Mister Cartoon created a mural for the Casa Vega restaurant.<ref name="Discover LA 2023">{{cite web | last=Angeles | first=Discover Los | title=Mister Cartoon's Los Angeles | website=Discover Los Angeles | date=2023-11-09 | url=https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/mister-cartoons-los-angeles | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> In June 2020, Cartoon collaborated with Vans to release two pairs of custom designed shoes.<ref name="Eng 2020">{{cite web | last=Eng | first=Eddie | title=NEIGHBORHOOD and Vans Are Collaborating with Mr. Cartoon for Latest Sneaker Capsule | website=Hypebeast | date=2020-06-16 | url=https://hypebeast.com/2020/6/neighborhood-vans-mr-cartoon-authentic-old-skool-sneaker-capsule | access-date=2024-01-04}}</ref> In 2020, Cartoon starred in and was the focus of the Netflix documentary ''LA Originals,'' chronicling his and Oriol's lives, the film was developed over a ten-year process<ref name="Moayeri 2020"/> the original film idea was titled ''Ink'' and produced by Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment but was scrapped.<ref name="Skin Deep 141"/><ref name="Big Tattoo Planet 2007"/> Mister Cartoon worked on a trading card project for the Topps company which was released in December 2020, depicting past and present players such as Mike Trout.<ref>[https://www.topps.com/archive/project-2020-archive/topps-project-2020-card-400-2011-mike-trout-by-mister-cartoon.html “Topps PROJECT 2020 Card 400 - 2011 Mike Trout by Mister Cartoon - Print Run: 12452,”] Topps website. Retrieved Jan. 15, 2022.</ref> In 2021, Constellation Brands featured him in one of their Fighting Spirit<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ispot.tv/ad/terv/modelo-the-fighting-spirit-of-mister-cartoon|title = Modelo TV Commercial, 'The Fighting Spirit of Mister Cartoon'}}</ref> Modelo Beer Super Bowl television commercials.<ref name="Stecher 2023">{{cite web | last=Stecher | first=Nicolas | title=Mister Cartoon On Art, Tattoos, Streetwear & Classic Cars | website=Maxim | date=2023-10-30 | url=https://www.maxim.com/entertainment/mister-cartoon-on-art-tattoos-streetwear-classic-cars/ | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> In April 2021 B-Real and Cartoon created a NFT collection of 3D animations.<ref name="Powell 2021">{{cite web | last=Powell | first=Jon | title=B-Real and Mister Cartoon will release a limited collection of NFTs on 4/20 | website=REVOLT | date=2021-12-06 | url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2021-04-17/55411/b-real-and-mister-cartoon-will-release-a-limited-collection-of-nfts-on-4-20/ | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref><ref name="Orca 2021">{{cite web | last=Release | first=Press | title=Cypress Hill's B-Real To Release Double A-Side, Mr. Cartoon NFT and more on 4/20 | website=orcasound.com | date=2021-04-20 | url=https://www.orcasound.com/2021/04/20/cypress-hills-b-real-to-release-double-a-side-mr-cartoon-nft-and-more-on-4-20/ | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref>
In March 2023 Cartoon designed special edition jerseys for the Los Angeles Dodgers.<ref name="Moreno 2023">{{cite web | last=Moreno | first=Matthew | title=Dodgers Collaborate With Mister Cartoon on Special Release For Opening Day at Dodger Stadium | website=Dodger Blue | date=2023-04-01 | url=https://dodgerblue.com/dodgers-collaborate-with-mister-cartoon-on-special-release-for-opening-day-at-dodger-stadium/2023/03/31/ | access-date=2024-01-04}}</ref> In May 2023 Mister Cartoon collaborated on a clothing line with October's Very Own and Major League Soccer for three of the league's teams.<ref name="mlssoccer 2023">{{cite web | title=Toronto FC, NYCFC & LAFC announce collaboration with OVO and Mister Cartoon on new clothing line | website=mlssoccer | date=2023-05-19 | url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/toronto-fc-nycfc-lafc-announce-collaboration-with-ovo-and-mister-cartoon-on-new- | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> In June 2023 Machado had his first solo exhibition titled ''Just My Imagination'' in Hollywood.<ref name="Vankin 2023">{{cite web | last=Vankin | first=Deborah | title=Mister Cartoon, tattooist to the stars, draws on 'memories and fantasies' for first solo show | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2023-06-09 | url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-06-09/mr-cartoon-tattoo-graffiti-artist-solo-show-la | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> Machado also collaborated with Turtle Wax in June 2023 and April 2024 doing a custom logo and line of car cleaning products.<ref name="Wax 2023">{{cite press release | last=Wax | first=Turtle | title=World-Renowned Artist Mister Cartoon and Turtle Wax Bring the Art of Car Care™ to Life with New Partnership | agency=PR Newswire | date=2023-06-14 | url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-renowned-artist-mister-cartoon-and-turtle-wax-bring-the-art-of-car-care-to-life-with-new-partnership-301850970.html | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref><ref name="z335">{{cite web | title=Mister Cartoon x Turtle Wax Release Three New Products In Their The Art of Car Care | website=DUB MAGAZINE | date=2024-04-29 | url=https://dubmagazine.com/mister-cartoon-x-turtle-wax-release-three-new-products-in-their-the-art-of-car-care/ | access-date=2024-08-28}}</ref> In July 2023 Cartoon released a book of past sketches and drawings.<ref name="Parkhouse 2023">{{cite web | last=Parkhouse | first=Arthur | title=Mister CARTOON Releases 180 Page Sketchbook with BEYOND THE STREETS | website=Hypebeast | date=2023-07-15 | url=https://hypebeast.com/2023/7/mister-cartoon-180-page-sketchbook-beyond-the-streets | access-date=2024-01-04}}</ref> Machado opened a barbershop called Master Deluxe with longtime friend Arturo Arce in 2023.<ref name="Discover LA 2023"/> In 2024 Cartoon worked with the city of Los Angeles tourism department as part of their largest ever global advertising campaign,<ref name="b223">{{cite web | last=Habtemariam | first=Dawit | title=Los Angeles Tourism to Launch Its Largest-Ever Global Advertising Campaign | website=Skift | date=2024-01-24 | url=https://skift.com/2024/01/24/la-tourism-to-launch-its-largest-ever-global-advertising-campaign/ | access-date=2024-08-28}}</ref> as well as designing a collection for Supreme in August 2024.<ref name="o484">{{cite web | last=Li | first=Joyce | title=Supreme Fall/Winter 2024 Full Collection | website=Hypebeast | date=2024-08-19 | url=https://hypebeast.com/2024/8/supreme-fall-winter-2024-full-collection | access-date=2024-08-28}}</ref> In October 2025 Cartoon designed and released a clothing line with the Los Angeles Rams.<ref name="m893">{{cite web | last=Baghdoyan | first=Vahe | title=LA Rams Debut Stylish "LA Bold" Clothing Line with Mister Cartoon | website=LAmag | date=2025-10-02 | url=https://lamag.com/sports/the-rams-debut-their-la-bold-collection-with-legendary-la-artist-mister-cartoon/ | access-date=2025-12-17}}</ref>
==Artistry== The style of which Machado's work is based on originated in the prison culture of West Los Angeles, the streets of East Los Angeles during the 1970s, emerging scenes of graffiti in New York City,<ref name="AITS 2011"/> and chicano culture.<ref name="Norris 2003">{{cite web | last=Norris | first=Michele | title=Mister Cartoon's Tattoo Empire | publisher=NPR | date=2003-01-01 | url=https://www.npr.org/2003/01/01/895768/mister-cartoons-growing-tattoo-empire | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> He was also inspired by the 1940s, an era his father grew up with aspirations of the American Dream from a Mexican perspective. After having visited and lived in Japan, Machado found inspiration from Japanimation,<ref name="Lee 2009"/> Sorayama, and Irezumi.<ref name="Skin Deep 141"/><ref name="Big Tattoo Planet 2007"/>
Machado uses typography like Old English text for tattoos most notably ''Southside 50'' on the backside of rapper 50 Cent's body.<ref name="Hobbs 2022"/> His imagery notably contains clowns, angels, and fantasy settings with themes surrounding poverty, violence, addiction, and the energy of Los Angeles.<ref name="GRAZER 2011"/>
While painting, Machado often listens to soul music of the Philadelphia and Motown sound's from the 1960s and 1970s playing groups like the Temptations, the Stylistics, and Marvin Gaye, as well as Funk music from artists like Parliament Funkadelic and Rick James.<ref name="Vankin 2023"/><ref name="Baltin 2023"/> He is also inspired by classic rock bands Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and The Doors.<ref name="Skin Deep 141"/><ref name="Big Tattoo Planet 2007"/><ref name="h695"/>
==Personal life== Machado is married<ref name="Cardwell 2010"/> and has a home studio in the San Fernando Valley, which two of his four children work out of with him. A collector of classic cars, he owns 11 cars including a 1964 Chevrolet Impala, a 1967 Chevrolet Impala<ref name="Lee 2009"/> a 1988 Nissan truck,<ref name="h695"/> and a 1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe in his collection.<ref name="Vankin 2023"/> He was a member of the Lifestyle Car Club in Los Angeles from 1993 to 2012,<ref name="Schonberger 2012">{{cite web | last=Schonberger | first=Nick | title=Mister Cartoon Talks Lowrider Culture and Chevrolet Impalas | website=Complex | date=2012-09-06 | url=https://www.complex.com/sports/a/nick-schonberger/mister-cartoon-talks-lowrider-culture-and-chevrolet-imapals | access-date=2024-01-04}}</ref><ref name="h695"/> and moved to Pegasus Car Club in 2013.<ref name="z472">{{cite web | last=Scott | first=Jordon | title=Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew is Looking for Inspiration at the Petersen Automotive Museum | website=MotorTrend | date=2021-07-23 | url=https://www.motortrend.com/news/kevin-harts-muscle-car-crew-petersen-automotive-museum-lowriders/ | access-date=2025-04-01}}</ref><ref name="l435">{{cite web | last=Gonzalez | first=Alden | title=When baseball cards become pop art: Inside the Topps 2020 Project | website=ESPN.com | date=2020-05-21 | url=https://africa.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29197170/when-baseball-cards-become-pop-art-topps-2020-project | access-date=2025-04-01}}</ref><ref name="Verini 2002">{{cite web | last=Verini | first=James | title=More than skin deep; Rappers covet Mister Cartoon's tattoos | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2002-10-17 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-oct-17-wk-alt17-story.html | access-date=2025-04-01}}</ref><ref name="Ryder 2021"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.mistercartoon.com}} * [http://www.sanctiond.com/ Mister Cartoon Sanctiond] * [http://latinrapper.com/featurednews3.html Mister Cartoon interview] * [http://inkedmag.com/inked_spots/8/ Mister Cartoon Interview @ Inked Magazine] *{{cite news |first=Melba |last=Newsome |title=Tattooist to the Stars; In a Hip-Hop World Where Street Cred Is Everything, L.A.'s Mark 'Mister Cartoon' Machado Has Made a Mark of a Different Kind |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/436268631.html?dids=436268631:436268631&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+02%2C+2003&author=Melba+Newsome&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Tattooist+to+the+Stars%3B+In+a+Hip-Hop+World+Where+Street+Cred+Is+Everything%2C+L.A.%27s+Mark+%27Mister+Cartoon%27+Machado+Has+Made+a+Mark+of+a+Different+Kind&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130419002228/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/436268631.html?dids=436268631:436268631&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+02,+2003&author=Melba+Newsome&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Tattooist+to+the+Stars;+In+a+Hip-Hop+World+Where+Street+Cred+Is+Everything,+L.A.'s+Mark+'Mister+Cartoon'+Machado+Has+Made+a+Mark+of+a+Different+Kind&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 19, 2013 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=November 2, 2003}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mister Cartoon}} Category:American graffiti artists Category:American tattoo artists Category:American artists of Mexican descent Category:1969 births Category:Living people