My first professional work illustrating was with New Worlds magazine in London in 1968.
Charles Platt was the editor and he sent me manuscripts to illustrate by writers such as Michael Moorcock, Harlan Ellison, Philip Jose Farmer,Brian Aldiss, Samuel Delany,Norman Spinrad, J.G. Ballard etc. The magazine had been around since 1936 and was in its heyday during the sixties under Michael Moorcock.
In those days I worked in black and white only. There was a tradition of this style in Britain and my exemplars were Arthur Rackham, early W.Heath Robinson and the inimitable Aubrey Beardsley. Their oriental use of empty space intrigued me. David Wills, the graphics editor at Oz magazine called me “the line man from Bristol” (where I was living at the time).
What amazes now looking back is that I used pen and India Ink on high gloss coated paper. This was a very unforgiving medium. the smooth paper would not accept a pencil line to follow.I just took a breath then plunged in with a Zen like approach. I just held an image in mind and stated moving the pen.
The Jungle Rot Kid- a story that meshed Edgar Rice Burrough’s- Tarzan with William Burroughs- Junkie
Time Passes
Adult Cinematic Experience 1970
Liberty
Below-The Good Times San Francisco
