Two-dimensional and three-dimensional finite element methods have been used to analyze the deformation behavior of a shadow mask due to thermal and tension load. The shadow mask inside the Braun tube of a TV set has numerous slits through which the electron beams are guided to land on the designed phosphor of red, green or blue. Its thermal deformation therefore causes landing shift of the electron beam and results in decolorization of a screen. For the realistic finite element analysis, the effective thermal conductivity and the effective elastic modulus arc calculated, and then the shadow mask is modeled as shell without slits. Next a transient thermal analysis of the shadow mask is performed, wherein thermal radiation is a major heat transfer mechanism. Analysis of the resulting thermal deformation is followed, from which the landing shift of the electron beam is obtained. The present finite element scheme may be efficiently used to reduce thermal deformation of a shadow mask and in developing prototypes of a large screen flat TV.