My early Techniques in Illustration

When I first began to draw, all my work had a sort of illustrative feel to it. This was mainly because I had only comic books and illustrated magazines to work from and learn technique.

My Illustrative style

Here are a collection of works, not necessarily in a chronological order. I have selected a few examples that convey my styles and approaches. Some are drawings and some are more finished pieces. Most have never been published or used commercially, as they were more attempts at developing something of a trademark technique. I still haven’t found that yet, but my friends disagree! I’m very rooted in classical art and I was influenced by many comic book and Scottish artists. My home was a mile or two from the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Galleries in Glasgow in Scotland, and because of this, I was very influenced by many artists, whose work I could study up close. I was also an avid comic book collector, and I was able to draw well, even before starting school at five yrs. My mother was also a big influence on all of her children. All of us are particularly good at art, through her encouragement. Practically all of her children and Grandchildren are also good too, yet she had no art training, but loved drawing people, and faces. She taught me to draw a proper face at the age of 3!

A Commission from BBC Scotland

This was a commission in 1977 from the BBC in Scotland. I had hoped that this would have been my big break, but it didn’t quite work out that way, as things or life often does. I was asked by the chief designer in the Graphics department in BBC Glasgow, if I could do 4 caricatures of famous political and entertainment personalities. The programme was a one off special, called; The Food Programme’, hosted by Angela Rippon, who was a well known newsreader with the BBC, at that time. Later she would be known as one of the ‘Come Dancing’ personalities, who would occasionally show up on our screens. She interviewed all of the people shown here, and my illustrations were used as a link, to reflect their eating habits. Barbara Castle, liked to start the day with an egg, at the time she was working in the Labour cabinet, under George Callahan, illustrated here too. Robert Morley showed that he had a more regal approach to eating. He enjoyed a feast! Barbara Cartland made her millions and advocated taking Vitamin tablets alongside healthy vegan food. Jim Callahan had dreams of having a healthy diet, but I had him bonking his opposition leader, Maggie Thatcher. It was she, who later, would topple his Labour government. She wasn’t that easy to get rid of, but I had him daydreaming that he would!

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_{Below is a set of coloured developments from this original work all done using SAI and Photoshop}

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