Did you enjoy drawing in B&W or colour?
Yes, If you mean which did I prefer, colouring offered opportunities but I took most pride and
pleasure in developing my line work.
Did either way have any particular difficulties?
It was what I did so no. Particularly after I had discovered soluble inks for colouring. Prior to that
using water-colour paints I had to re-draw some of the black line. On decent board the ink will form
a tiny wall which keeps the colour enclosed if it is floated on wet - and carefully.
Did you get to meet any of the stars that you drew?
Only Michael Bentine - who I found a bit spooky in truth. This is an oft told tale but Joanna Lumley
offered to pose for me to take reference pictures for Sapphire and Steel but the editorial staff,
without letting me know, told her it wasn’t necessary. I still haven’t forgiven them.
Yes, If you mean which did I prefer, colouring offered opportunities but I took most pride and
pleasure in developing my line work.
Did either way have any particular difficulties?
It was what I did so no. Particularly after I had discovered soluble inks for colouring. Prior to that
using water-colour paints I had to re-draw some of the black line. On decent board the ink will form
a tiny wall which keeps the colour enclosed if it is floated on wet - and carefully.
Did you get to meet any of the stars that you drew?
Only Michael Bentine - who I found a bit spooky in truth. This is an oft told tale but Joanna Lumley
offered to pose for me to take reference pictures for Sapphire and Steel but the editorial staff,
without letting me know, told her it wasn’t necessary. I still haven’t forgiven them.
I guess you were a fan…were you? Were you a fan of any other stuff you drew and do
you think that made a difference to the work?
Don’t think I could be described as a fan but she was, is, a glamorous woman, who wouldn’t want
to meet her? From choice I never had a television at the time so didn’t know her work. I had been
a fan enough of the Beatles to have most of their LPs so was happy to do that, but though not an
Elvis fan liked doing that too for artistic/technical reasons. So no, my feeling about the TV series
did not make a difference, at least I hope not. Looking through the list of what I drew I don’t think I
would have chosen to watch any of them apart from Les Dawson. I am a snob. By 1984 I did have a
telly and watched ‘Robin of Sherwood’ regularly and would liked
to have drawn more of those.
Did You prefer or enjoy comedy strips like Potty Time? or were you an action man? (Groan..!!)
Your action strips are definitely more memorable to me.
I can’t say I regard Potty time as one of the highlights of my career, though I remember thinking at the time that the colour version had promise. Robin Tucek did start writing it but was unreliable and I wrote some myself, though don’t ask me which. It looks as though I did the lettering too on some, I don’t know. Angus Allan did the Scottish Potty Time script, but there is a faint recollection of doing additional writing on the second page, visual gags and things like that.
The humour strips I drew were all with adopted styles, some, Danger Mouse for example, called for by
the source material, some due to my not having an innate humorous comic drawing style so having
to try create one based on humorous artists I liked. My eventual way with action strips came more or less naturally, it was the way I drew. There was an effect from having some positive feedback for the adventure strips that was encouraging, gave me confidence and led me to want to demonstrate that such approval
as there was was justified. I do prefer Action, for the variety, for the range of moods, for the demands
and challenges. 2000AD does have a broad spread of time and space, people and places, themes
and emotions, that offer opportunities to try creating new and different images. The writers I was lucky
enough to work with were good to me that respect. Neither John nor Alan were in the habit of repeating themselves and gave room to experiment, find new ways to do stuff.
you think that made a difference to the work?
Don’t think I could be described as a fan but she was, is, a glamorous woman, who wouldn’t want
to meet her? From choice I never had a television at the time so didn’t know her work. I had been
a fan enough of the Beatles to have most of their LPs so was happy to do that, but though not an
Elvis fan liked doing that too for artistic/technical reasons. So no, my feeling about the TV series
did not make a difference, at least I hope not. Looking through the list of what I drew I don’t think I
would have chosen to watch any of them apart from Les Dawson. I am a snob. By 1984 I did have a
telly and watched ‘Robin of Sherwood’ regularly and would liked
to have drawn more of those.
Did You prefer or enjoy comedy strips like Potty Time? or were you an action man? (Groan..!!)
Your action strips are definitely more memorable to me.
I can’t say I regard Potty time as one of the highlights of my career, though I remember thinking at the time that the colour version had promise. Robin Tucek did start writing it but was unreliable and I wrote some myself, though don’t ask me which. It looks as though I did the lettering too on some, I don’t know. Angus Allan did the Scottish Potty Time script, but there is a faint recollection of doing additional writing on the second page, visual gags and things like that.
The humour strips I drew were all with adopted styles, some, Danger Mouse for example, called for by
the source material, some due to my not having an innate humorous comic drawing style so having
to try create one based on humorous artists I liked. My eventual way with action strips came more or less naturally, it was the way I drew. There was an effect from having some positive feedback for the adventure strips that was encouraging, gave me confidence and led me to want to demonstrate that such approval
as there was was justified. I do prefer Action, for the variety, for the range of moods, for the demands
and challenges. 2000AD does have a broad spread of time and space, people and places, themes
and emotions, that offer opportunities to try creating new and different images. The writers I was lucky
enough to work with were good to me that respect. Neither John nor Alan were in the habit of repeating themselves and gave room to experiment, find new ways to do stuff.
I know a lot of the artists on Look-in were freelance, were you? Were you
working on other things at the same time?
All the artists and writers on Look-in were freelance. Permanent staff of four or five. All freelancers
I guess were doing other work. I did less when the comic work took up more of my time.
working on other things at the same time?
All the artists and writers on Look-in were freelance. Permanent staff of four or five. All freelancers
I guess were doing other work. I did less when the comic work took up more of my time.