Apologies for the not very cleaned up version of this drawing, and it really is apropo of nothing, apart from perhaps me blowing my tuba, yet again. I was once asked by a teacher at school why I looked so miserable. I was not aware that I was, it’s just that my face fell like that. I’d like to think that this epiphany made me into the smiling cheerful chappie that I am now, but no, I still look miserable when I’m not. However of late I have decided to engage, as the phrase goes. I have nothing to sell … Continue reading Try engaging.

My final pictures of the trip to L A are from Train Town. There are wonderful old trains to peer at and a mini train chugs around the perimiter taking enthusiastic kids and adults in a big circular trip. From now on it’s back to drawings and images from the UK again. The recent exhibition in Manchester School of Art ends today, which a was a very pleasant look back, now I’m going to be looking forward. Big thanks to all those who came along to the show.The School found my original registration document, which prooves my average qualification. Phew! … Continue reading The last of the trip and the show.

Continue reading Mauritania

This seems to embody everything that drawing should be about.It has movement and as far as I’m concerned there’s not a thing wrong with this, every mark seems to count and it has energy and dynamism in spades. One can feel the bulk of the horse and the feel of that relaxed rider who like a good horsewoman ( and I’m pretty sure it’s a woman on board here ) feels completely at home on the back of this creature. You can find more examples of drawings like this right here.Julia Midgley If you want to see more of Julia’s … Continue reading This is well worth a look.

I warned you I’d be going on and on about this and here I am doing it again. My old friend David, on the far left in the picture below, found this picture of four of us from all those years ago. I have no idea what it was taken for and neither does he. I’m next to David with Alan Lofthouse on my right and Jim Coley on the right. I never really did get a proper job, but the rest were all in very worthy employment. David became Senior Vice President of All things Creative and Master of … Continue reading Going on and on!

Here’s what became of some of them, from this drawing by Anthony ‘Doove’ Woolaston, who’s subsequent life and career remains something of a mystery. He was certainly talented and managed to capture most of us with uncanny accuracy. I am my usual smiling self in the front row. Also in the show are some of out fellow fine artists, like Bob Nancolis, Bob Frith, and Graham Wells, who don’t feature in this drawing as they avoided graphic design. There are one or two names that I cannot recollect from the drawing, and staff and tchnicians are marked by just a … Continue reading Drop in and check this out.

Interesting to know quite what you expect of something like that word. A Monet or someone pretending to be someone else. I’m recently back from Manchester where, as readers of this tome know, I’ve been wading through nostalgia. Manchester School of Art, as it is called now, were kind enough to allow myself and several other ex students who graduated in 1969, that they were happy to put on an exhibition for us to celebrate our 50 years away from them! They’ve done a great job, and after meeting up with them and my colleagues last week we are still … Continue reading Impressionists?

In addition to posts about the exhibition:Where it all started:, I’m determined to get to the end of my L A pictures. I’m keen on this one, as I like trucks and it looks great in the winter sun. Continue reading Truck stopped

This place is where all the people in the poster below started their degree courses back in the 60s. I used to sit in one of these windows looking out more than down more than I should I suspect. Now a hotel and not very five star, this building housed the graphic designers of the future. Not difficult as there were few graphic designers of the past. And occasionally at the end of a days drawing or designing we’d repair to the Alsatia Cafe, which was part of the greasy spoon franchise that you could find anywhere in Manchester in … Continue reading Where it all started:

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One of Rosalind’s watercolours that will be on show at the exhibition below from tomorrow, it’s a print on show but well worth seeing as well as the talents of all the others in the group, who have multiple skills. Continue reading This makes a change…