I was born in London way back at a time when there were still steam trains and ‘pea-soupers’ (thick yellow smog).
My dad was a young cartoonist working for The Daily Sketch, The Sunday Telegraph, Punch and later on Playboy. At home I was surrounded by art books and art-expertise. Other children, when drawing a picture, were praised for their childish efforts but mine were always professionally criticised. ‘That’s not how you draw an elephant’ Dad would say. Then he’d show me how, drawing 5 or 6 magnificent beasts, one maybe carrying a huge castle on it’s back or another squirting itself with water from its trunk.
Of course I would copy these pictures until I could draw them effortlessly in front of my school friends – to sighs of admiration.
Later on at school, I studied music. I became good at the French Horn and even considered it as a career option. In the end art got the better, so being both bohemian and broke at the time, I bought a one way ticket to Paris and started drawing portraits on the street. During that first season I saw that caricatures made me a much better living than portraits. So began my new-found career.
Drawing good likenesses quickly and accurately is a skill that takes plenty of practice to develop. When you are working a crowd you are only as good as your last picture. You soon learn precision and to make no mistakes, especially when you want a follow-on customer. It is a skill that has given me (and I hope others) a great deal of pleasure. In those early years I spent many wonderful summers in the Mediterranean as a ‘beach cartoonist’ honing my technique and insulting countless happy tourists.
During the rest of the year I followed my fathers path and was soon contributing cartoons to all sorts of publications including Punch, Private Eye, Reader’s Digest, Radio Times and The Observer not to mention trade publications. I also produced cartoons and funny illustrations for advertising and children’s books. Working as an editorial cartoonist is demanding. One not only does the funny drawing but has to produce the ‘gag’ which is the real skill.
I had always nursed a passion to live in Italy having stayed there in my young days. I eventually moved there in the late 1980’s and became involved in restoring property and the fantastic Italian art of fresco painting (murals and trompe l’oeil). This phase of my life lasted for more than 10 years in which time I developed a great love for that country and an ability to consume huge amounts of pasta and red wine.
Back in England around the Millenium the corporate party scene had really boomed and my talent for on-the-spot caricaturing was much in demand. I put up a website as an idle experiment and since then have not had time to look back. I am very grateful to all my wonderful customers over the years and all the party-loving folk who have had their good looks rearranged by me.
