Not In, Not Out — Britannia Teeters Between Two Stools

A cartoon I drew in reaction to the prevarications of Parliament and it’s humiliating inability to deliver Brexit. Read my blog here

O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

Fancy a bit of Shakespeare? On Stage? Are you seeking Romance? Looking for a card with humour? Then this is the image for you!

This image is currently available on my Society6 Storefront as a Stationery Card  or an Art Print

It Takes A Long Time To Look Like This!

The Christmas Tree Fairy

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The City Run

Running Joggers is available in my Societ6 Store as Stationery Cards – Art Print – T-Shirt Design – iPhone Covers and more!

I was frustrated, vexed and exasperated by runners running round the City of London in May 2018. All roads were closed off for the event. So instead of going for a planned family day out in the country we had to return the car to the garage. Being thwarted of country air and feeling irritated I drew this!

Kensington Gardens Kingdom

Kensington Gardens Kingdom is a little book written by Nadine Hanwell who is a direct descendant of the legendary artist and childrens author Beatrix Potter.

Illustrated by Lesley Scoble

Kensington Gardens Kingdom can be purchased here

The book Kensington Gardens Kingdom is available here

Atchoo!

Break A Leg!

Scribbles

I was always ‘scribbling’ in sketch books doing fast line drawings of any and everything. Scribbles was a nick-name given to me by the producer of TENNIS THAT COUNTS and the name stuck, becoming the affectionate nom de plume for my cartoons of this time.

Tennis That Counts

With tennis guru Adrian Stonebridge
Producer Christopher Toyne CCTV
Photography Tomas Graves

Tennis That Counts was one of the first TV series to be aired by the then brand new Channel 4 television company in 1983.

This series gave me the opportunity to work as a featured animator and illustrator. We spent a glorious two weeks filming at Villajoyosa, Spain—with me spending the days of sunshine drawing preparatory sketches of the players on the tennis court during filming.

The large apartment allotted to me was in a tennis coaching complex and overlooked a craggy coast of brilliant blue sea. I awoke early each day to the sound of the sea splashing against the rocks – but, also to the gentle but monotonous ‘pop pop pop’ of tennis balls being hit back and forth by practising tennis players.

I had developed a very fast sketching technique and often joked in a cowboy voice that “I was the fastest draw in the West” – Well, I thought it was funny!

Tomas Graves

The photographer for the series was the son of the famous author Robert Graves and inbetween filming I sketched Tomas’s portrait while he photographed me. We had made a deal that we would gift each other the results. I of course, could give him the sketch straight away – but I had to wait for his film to be developed – I’m still waiting – so next time I visit Deiá in Mallorca I must ask him for it! However, I forgive him for forgetting to give me the photograph – for he did introduce me to his dad Robert Graves – an honour and privilege I still remember with awe and pleasure.

The Book

The hard work for me was to come later with not only animations to produce (done the old fashioned way, I might add, with cells and whatnot—no computer to hand then) but also many cartoon line drawings for an accompanying book—all to a tight deadline.

Channel Four Launch Party

On the day before the grand opening of Channel 4 —I was still working on the artwork—drawing all through the night and all through the day—and drinking too much coffee to keep awake. I was scribbling cartoons non stop to the very last moment of the big Channel 4 launch party where they were due to be filmed. I showered in haste and threw on a dress—grabbed the ‘still wet’ art work and clambered into a taxi to deliver it to the producer. My portfolio was received just on time. Phew! It had been a tight deadline. My reward was to go and enjoy the Channel 4 launch party.
This was my chance to ‘network’ among the important people of this fabulous new television channel—an opportunity to promote my work!—and further my new career as an illustrator!

Watching with excitement as the celebrities arrived—some dressed in long silken gowns shimmering and sashaying across the dance floor on the arms of dapper men in tuxedos and black ties—I was wondering what I might say to all these great powers of the TV world to make them take notice and launch me on my new career as an artist.
Grabbing a glass of Champagne and a sandwich I sat down in a comfortable sofa (mistake sitting down if you want to network).
Working solidly through the previous night had taken its toll. I fell asleep with a half-slurped glass of Champagne in one hand and a half-eaten sandwich in the other. My head lolled flopping backwards with my mouth agape catching flies.

And I was snoring!

Eventually, some hours later…I stirred.

Rousing myself from the sofa I staggered towards the door over a debris of empty Champagne bottles, streamers, burst balloons, and squashed canapés, finally tripping over a protruding leg attached to a vague recumbent form under a table.

It must have been a fantastic party!