Cont'd...Carrying
on through school life I'd love to copy my favourite comic heroes
and then adapt them and place them in my own comic strips. Kids'
escapism, I suppose! Eventually, I stumbled across the art of
the 'caricature'...
School
out of the way and I decided that my only direction was to follow
art further and so joined art college in '82 and studied every
aspect you could think. One lesson even included drawing a model
with your eyes shut! It was supposed to train your eye/hand co-ordination
but, I can tell you, it was a real shock when you looked down
at your drawing pad!!
I
came away from art college with a 'BTEC Higher National Diploma'
and then it was time to find a 'real job'! After a brief spell
for a contract firm in Bristol Illustrating aircraft parts for
BAe and Rolls Royce I found myself eventually employed working
for the RAF as a civy. It was here that I became friends with
an incredible caricaturist who would become one of my mentors,
called Dave. Dave was a real character who, as a leaving gift,
presented me with a very flattering caricature!
I
then went on to join one of the country's leading RAF Training
Command Centres. Being a part of the team there really opened
my eyes up to what could be achieved through media design. I worked
on a huge variety of projects that included: illustration/cartooning,
design for print, exhibitions, web design, multimedia, marketing
and corporate project management. Oh... and not forgetting caricatures
for various RAF Officers and Civilians!
After
being gradually pushed down the administration route and further
away from a creative job, my heart was telling me that I didn't
want to let go of my artistic skills (many artists literally have
a pencil glued to their hand!). A greeting card publisher seemed
to fit the bill and enabled me to continue getting my creative
fix by illustrating a cute teddy bear character. Yes, I know,
from Illustrating fighter aircraft to fluffy teddies? Variety
or what?!
Today,
I am gradually building the main passion in my working life...'Tony's
Toons'. My goal is to keep supplying my customers
with unique cartoons and caricatures and hope that they bring
their recipients years of laughter! ...'Let's
make 'em giggle'!
