Not everyone has what it takes to be a model.
Modeling is not all about being “really, really, ridiculously good-looking,” as Zoolander once said. It’s about knowing your angles and having that “it” factor a camera loves. If you’re a dog, being a good model mostly means being able to sit still and tolerate wearing whatever costume your wacky human decides to put on you. That’s an art form in and of itself, and Tom the Bully is a total pro!
Tom is an English Bulldog who lives in London, England with his dog-dad, Antonio Rodriguez, Jr. Antonio is a multidisciplinary graphic artist who hails from Brazil. He adopted Tom as a puppy back in 2016, and the patient pup has been his number one model for his photography hobby ever since.
“His best feature is his ability to model,” Antonio told Metro. “We can ask him to stay at any given position, wearing any given outfit, and he will do it with pleasure.”
1. Antonio loves to dress Tom up in all sorts of costumes, from Santa Claus at Christmastime to famous figures from film, television, art, and pop culture. Here he is in his best Charlie Chaplin costume!
2. Antonio only does it for fun, not profit. He says Tom enjoys the attention during photo shoots, and the treats don’t hurt either!
3. Some people fear he’s forcing Tom to participate, but he assures his fans that Tom really enjoys his time in front of the camera. We’re sure Weird Al Yankovic approves!
4. “This is why we started filming the process,” Antonio explained. “So that all viewers would be able to see that not only Tom is very well treated, but also he has loads of fun when taking the pictures.”
5. Antonio works from home, so he and Tom are always together. He does most of his shoots during his coffee breaks because they don’t take long.
6. Tom just wants to be close to his human, even if that means wearing a traditional Brazilian headdress made of fruit.
7. Antonio says, “He is also a needy snuggle bug. He’s always trying to fit on my lap, be it while I am watching TV or even simply working at my office.”
8. Antonio enjoys making photo series. One of his most popular series transforms Tom into famous artists and works of art, like this Rembrandt-era look.
9. “The whole project was photographed (and filmed) in 8 days,” he wrote on Instagram. “In total, we tried 32 paintings. Some were so bad that had to be trashed straight away.”
10. Others were clearly a huge success, like “Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer.
11. Tom looks so pretty as artist Frida Kahlo, doesn’t he?
12. “American Gothic” by Grant Wood has never been this cute. The spatula!
13. We can’t believe any dog would sit still while wearing a Vincent Van Gogh beard, but that’s what makes Tom such a supermodel!
14. Here he is as “Whistler’s Mother” by James Abbott McNeill Whistler.
15. And our personal favorite… Mr. Spock from “Star Trek!”
Tom the Bully is such a star! Antonio says he makes all of the costumes from stray materials like kitchen towels. He even uses some of his own clothes! We can’t think of a more fun and creative project to do with your pet.
Don’t forget to share Tom the Bully with your friends.
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